Monash Vale Early Learning Centre has an approved Kindergarten program delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers who provide the children with intentional learning experiences transitioning your child to school.
Kindergarten Program Statement
Kindergarten Philosophy
The educators in the preschool room work together with the children to implement a rich learning program that is based around the children’s interests (emergent curriculum). Educators who engage in intentional teaching recognise that learning occurs in social contexts and those interactions and conversations are vitally important for learning. We actively promote school readiness using our knowledge of how children learn through play.
We work in partnership with parents, educators, management and the community to enrich children’s learning and incorporate ‘The Early Years Framework’ within our programming and planning.
We have a strong philosophy that children learn best when they are directly involved and engaged in hands-on learning experiences. Emphasis is also placed on supporting and encouraging verbal interactions, engaging in group discussions and co-constructing knowledge and ideas between educators, children and their peers.
The approved preschool program runs Monday-Friday as part of the long day care program. Children enrolled in our approved Kindergarten program will have preference of days. If Monash Vale Early Learning Centre is not your nominated Kindergarten program and you choose to attend another Kindergarten, vacancies of days will be nominated by the centre and documentation will be modified accordingly. Please speak to management for further information.
We Acknowledge
We acknowledge the Boon Wurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of this land, and we pay tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the Kulin nation and give respect to the Elders past and present.
Our Philosophy
At Monash Vale Early Learning Centre, we aim to make our centre a working partnership with families, educators, management, and the community. At our service, we believe that children grow, learn, and develop through play and interactions with others and the environment around them. Our belief is to provide a holistic approach where we can create a friendly, secure place for children. We encourage, value, and respect independence and individuality. We strive to create an environment where our early learning centre is an extension of home.
We ensure the wellbeing of the child is met, acknowledge and celebrate diversity, and create a place where children can play and learn in a natural environment, combining an indoor and outdoor program through an emergent curriculum. Our professional Bachelor qualified teachers are VIT registered and qualified. We are extensively trained in first aid, asthma, anaphylaxis and regularly attend professional development and training.
What Are We Known For?
Join Our Family
Individual, Meaningful & Safe Interaction
Homely, Natrual & Sustan
Freshly Prepared Meals
Quality Education Program
Our Teaching Team
3 Year Old Kinder (Ngamae Room)
Angelita
Shilpa
Laura
Within the Ngamae Kinder room, we are lucky to have a range of experienced and qualified Teachers and educators providing the 3 Year Old Kindergarten program to children. The team all work collaboratively, providing a rich and engaging Kinder program focused around building and strengthening early foundational skills for children, from early Literacy and Numeracy to building fine motor and social skills.
4 Year Old Pre-School (Kirrip Room)
Larissa
Charmaine
Anke
Lulu
Larissa has been an Early Childhood Teacher at Monash Vale for over 8 years. Over the years, Larissa has worked with the Pre-School team to develop an amazing, strong program focused around supporting the needs of the individual child and the group. Larissa additionally is our Child Safe Officer, OHS representative and Cultural Inclusion Officer. Charmaine has been an Early Childhood Teacher at Monash Vale for over 5 years, working with Larissa to deliver an amazing 4 year Old Pre-School program. Exploring her passion for language acquisition, Charmaine has developed an engaging LOTE program, integrating intentional teaching and play-based learning to teach Mandarin. Anke and Lulu help support the Pre-School program, engaging children in a variety of learning opportunities to support their development before school. Anke additionally runs the Literacy programs on Thursdays.
Vic Kinder Rebate: Extra Savings for Your Child’s Kindergarten!
What Are the Benefits of a Funded Kindergarten Program in a Long Day Care Program?
Preparing your child for their transition to school is vitally important. You may be unsure whether to enrol your child in a sessional, community-based kindergarten or a Kinder program in a long day care centre. How do you decide? Here are some of the main similarities and differences between the two:
- Traditional Kindergarten are often run by not-for-profit organisations or affiliated with schools.
- For children from 4 years of age by 30 April in the year they start.
- Operates during school terms only and open two or three days per week.
- Usually between 9:00am and 3:00pm with set drop off and pick up times.
- Program delivered by fully qualified Kindergarten Teacher with Bachelor &/or Masters of Early Childhood Education.
- Play based program following ACECQA guidelines and the National Curriculum (EYLF).
- Meals are not provided, parents must supply all food.
- Run by professional child care providers with over 30 years experience.
- Our Kindergarten program delivered by two VIT trained and Bachelor qualified teachers and supported by additional qualified educators.
- For children from 4 years of age by 30 April in the year they start, centers offering care from birth.
- Operates 52 weeks of the year and open Monday to Friday.
- Between 6:30am and 6:30pm with flexible drop off and pick up times.
- Nutritious and healthy meals provided throughout the day and additional Lunch Box program from Term 3.
- Collaboration with local Primary Schools in the area of Clayton.
- Additional Specialized programs for no additional cost including Art Classes, Little Learners Love Literacy program, Science Lab with Miss Amanda, Sports classes with Coach Angela, LOTE Mandarin Classes and Music.
- Add casual days when required, supporting working families.
- Fee assistance with Child Care Subsidy as we are an approved childcare service.
Both traditional kinders and long day care kinders have strict government requirements when it comes to staffing, space, facilities, and equipment. There are many benefits for your child to attend our long day care kinder versus traditional sessional kinder. Long day care kinder programs have been shown to help increase academic achievement in children. A familiar environment is advantageous in children’s overall development, combining familiarity, regular attendance, and high-quality educational and social experiences.
Our 3-Year Old Government Funded Kinder Program
Ninety per cent of a child’s brain development occurs before they start school. International research shows that children who participate in more years of early learning perform better at school than children who had no early learning. Plus, two years in Kindergarten gives your child extra time to develop all-important social and physical skills, and an understanding of routine.
At Monash Vale ELC, our Government-approved 3 Year Old Kindergarten program is delivered by a Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teacher. The program is designed to support children’s early foundational learning and development. The program aims to support their cognitive, social, physical, language, and emotional development.
The curriculum is designed around an emergent curriculum. The teachers, through intentional teaching, support different inquiry-based projects. Inquiry-based learning begins with a question, problem, or idea. It involves children in planning and carrying out investigations, proposing explanations and solutions, and communicating their understanding of concepts in a variety of ways.
Within the 3 Year Old program, the teachers will support their development and support families through different developmental areas such as toilet training. Research shows that quality play-based learning is a powerful way to support children’s learning and development. The benefits last into the school years and beyond.
What Is Additionally Provided in Our 3 Year Old Kinder Program?
- Our Kindergarten program delivered by three VIT trained and Bachelor qualified teachers and supported by experienced qualified educators.
- An inquiry-based curriculum and focus on emerging interests of the children.
- Additional Specialised programs for no additional cost including Art Classes, Sports classes with Coach Angela, LOTE Mandarin Classes and Music with Rhythm and Rumble.
- Support from our Family and Child Committee.
- Access to a weekend Family Outing every quarter, from visits to farms to museums.
- Incursions throughout the year supportive of the children’s learning projects.
- Priority access to our 4 Year Old Kindergarten Program.
Our 4-Year Old Government Funded Kinder Program
At Monash Vale ELC, our Government-approved 4 Year Old Kindergarten program is delivered by two Bachelor-qualified and VIT-registered Early Childhood Teachers. The program is designed to provide children with intentional learning experiences, transitioning your child to primary school.
The teachers at Monash Vale ELC focus on supporting your child’s life skills with a strong focus on literacy, numeracy, STEM-based skills, and supporting their independence skills and social and emotional learning. The teachers will liaise with primary schools during Term 4 transition.
What Is Additionally Provided in Our 4 Year Old Kinder Program?
- Our Kindergarten program delivered by two VIT trained and Bachelor qualified teachers and supported by experienced qualified educators.
- An inquiry-based curriculum and focus on emerging interests and topics of children’s choices.
- Additional library program from Term 2 and collaboration with Clayton Library for 1000 books before school.
- Additional social and emotional wellbeing programs: We Thinkers (critical social thinking) and Kimochi program.
- Additional Specialised programs for no additional cost, including Art Classes, Little Learners Love Literacy classes, Science Lab with Miss Amanda, Sports classes with Coach Angela, LOTE Mandarin Classes, and Music Classes.
- ELLA language program.
- Support from our Family and Child Committee.
- Access to weekend Family Outings every quarter, from visits to farms to museums.
- Incursions throughout the year, supportive of the children’s learning projects.
- Lunch Box program for Term 3 (August to October).
- School Readiness program, including collaboration with local schools.
- Parent Workshops and Support onsite.
- Children Choice Days.
- Access to STEAM lab and award-winning STEM projects.
Additional Specialist Program
Science Lab (4 Year Old Program)
Science Lab is a unique, science-based education program specifically aimed at pre-school children. It is a mobile science program of unique, excellent quality. Our program creates happy learners in a fun and positive environment.
Sports Program (3 & 4 Year Old Program)
Our sports coach attends every Wednesday afternoon and conducts a range of children’s sport activities. These focus on gross motor skills, leadership skills, physical skills, persistence, and resilience.
Literacy program (4 Year Old Program)
We provide an extracurricular literacy program with specific emphasis on play-based learning and phonetic awareness, and recognise the importance of communication and language.
Music Program (Centre wide)
We provide a music program for children of all ages. Our music teacher is passionate about music and explores different themes each week.
Mandarin LOTE Program (3 &4 Year program)
Children participate in bilingual music, stories, and experiences to build their language and phrases. Delivered on a weekly basis, the program is supported through the ELLA program.
Mindfulness and yoga (4 Year Old)
Yoga and mindfulness allow children to learn how to exercise, develop confidence, and develop their concentration and social and emotional development.
Little Scientist House
As winners of the 2018 National Little Scientist Award, Monash Vale ELC is recognised as a “Little Scientist House.” This identifies to our children, parents, peers, and the wider community our service’s commitment to hands-on, inquiry-based STEM education. It recognises an active learning environment and focus on STEM.
Our STEM lab has been designed as an additional space for children to explore STEM-based experiences and projects.
Storypark: Connect with us
Storypark creates a secure online network of people that matter most to your child. It helps parents, distant family members, educators, and specialists ensure children receive the best opportunities possible. Storypark is ‘child-centric,’ which means any account must be connected to a child’s profile. Teachers at MVELC will create a profile and invite families to participate in their child’s learning.
Lunch Box Program
In Term 3, in our pre-school program, the children engage in cooking classes twice a week, preparing their lunch boxes for that day. This supports the children’s school readiness for the following year and promotes nutritious eating.
We take pride in the menus created, the portions we serve, the programs we incorporate, and the cooking experiences we explore with the children. Our cook ensures the four-week rotating menu exceeds the dietary requirements for the children. We purchase produce fresh from our local traders weekly. At Monash Vale ELC, we have been recognised for successfully meeting the benchmarks for a healthy early childhood service.
Social and Emotional Program: Social Critical Thinking and Kimochis Program
We embed a social-emotional learning program called Kimochis. The curriculum is based on research documenting that when instruction in building social, emotional, and behavioral skills is provided at a young age, there is a positive effect on how children problem-solve and interact with their peers later in life.
Embedding Boon Wurrung Culture
Learning language, history, culture, and life of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
As part of our curriculum, we focus on the importance of caring for country. We acknowledge the custodians of the land on which our service stands is Boon Wurrung, and we have built relationships with the Elders and Boon Wurrung people to respectfully learn their language, culture, and history, to continue to build knowledge and understanding, and learn from the traditional custodians of the land.
We have been on a journey to build our understanding and connection to the Boon Wurrung people, the custodians of the land on which our service is. We will be engaging in a relationship with the Boon Wurrung community to learn about their history, culture, and their connection to the land. It is vital for all Australians, present and future generations, to understand, accept, and learn about the history and importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
The culture of Australia’s Aboriginal people is one of the oldest in the world – Aboriginal Australian culture dates back more than 60,000 years! This will be a learning journey for our children, families, and our team as well. We look forward to this journey and learning more about our Boon Wurrung community and people.
Health and Wellbeing
Visits from Healthy Harold
Incursions from Life Education
Children in our 4 Year Old Kinder have access to the Healthy Harold program on healthy eating and wellbeing.
4 Year Old Hearing Screening
Vital Hearing and Balance Screening
We are facilitating hearing screening tests for 4-year-old children to help identify those who may need support.
Access to Doctor (GP)
Dr Robert Chan , Biscor International Clinic
Every Wednesday, children have access to Dr. Robert Chan for health checks and immunizations.
6 Monthly Dental Checks
Australian Dental Foundation
For children aged 2 years and above, we will be facilitating dental checks every 6 months.
Vision Screening for 4 Year Old Kinder
Lion's Club Foundation
We are facilitating vision and eye screening tests for 4-year-old children to help identify those who may need support.
Maternal Child and Health Visits
Leanne Harvey, City of Monash
The Maternal Health Nurse is able to visit Monash Vale ELC to facilitate the regular Key Ages and Stages (KAS) visits when due.
Kimochi
Program
Pre-School Program (4-5 years)
Kimochis are a playful way to help children (and adults!) learn how to identify and express feelings.
Access to Counsellor for Families
Pat Bollard, Bollard Consultancy
If needed, our service is able to help refer families or staff to Pat Bollard, a counselor who can provide support through 6 free sessions.
Graduation and Celebration of our learning journey!
Part of the special journey at Monash Vale ELC is the Graduation Ceremony at the end of the year. In participating in the funded 4 Year Old Kinder program, we enjoy celebrating the journey the children engage in throughout the year and celebrate their transitions to Primary School. Our children and families enjoy a fun presentation by the children and celebrating the special memories from over the year.
Transition and Learning and Development Statements:
The children will have an evaluation completed mid-year, followed by a parent/teacher discussion. In term 4, an online transition learning development statement under the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework will be completed to cover:
- Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity.
- Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
- Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.
- Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners.
- Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators.
It is important that you fill out the parent section (Part One; The Family Section A, B, and C) and that it is returned and signed by the stated date.
Transition To School
Attending school for the first time is a major change for the child and the family. The centre recognises that parents play a vital role in the success of the transition. We support and work with parents to prepare children for school entry. Wherever possible, the centre provides families with information about the schools within the local community.
The centre provides information to parents about children’s readiness for school. Educators speak to children about starting school and ensure that the information they provide to children is positive and accurate. The Centre coordinates the transition online statements to be completed by the educator, parent, and child, and provides these to the school the child will attend.
Family and Child partnerships
Child’s choice, Child’s voice
Over the year, we have been implementing our Child-Centered approach by empowering their voices regarding what they would like to engage in. This has led to our Children’s Choice Day each month, based on the children’s suggestions, interests, and ideas.
Family Outings
At Monash Vale ELC, we have been enjoying engaging with our families and children outside of the service with special family outings, from visits to the farm, museums, aquariums, and more.
Family and Children Committee
At Monash Vale ELC, we value the power of our children and families’ voices. Each year, over the past 5 years, we have engaged in a Family and Child committee, working with our families and children to embed their voice, ideas, feedback, and support into our continuous reflection and quality improvement processes.
Reconciliation Action Plan and working with Bunarong Community
At Monash Vale ELC, we have been enjoying engaging with our local Aboriginal community. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we live, the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We have worked with our community and our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) through the past 4 years.
*Please note: The following information is only for families who have nominated Monash Vale Early Learning Centre as your preferred funded kindergarten. If you have not elected Monash Vale Early Learning Centre as your nominated Kindergarten, your child will not be eligible to participate in our end-of-year graduation ceremony/end-of-year party and will not receive a transition statement (a summary of your child’s learning and development given to the school at the end of the year).
Kindergarten within the Long Day Care
Our long day care allows flexibility to use 12 hours of education and care per day, from 6:30am to 6:30pm. Through this, your child will receive:
- University-trained teachers with bachelor’s degrees in early childhood studies.
- Specialised programs: Mandarin, Science (starting in Term 1), Little Sporty Legends, Music, Literacy, and Art.
- Additional programs embedded daily, including our Chinese program and Yoga.
- Nutritious, healthy meals are provided for all children (our lunchbox program, part of our school readiness, commences in Terms 3 and 4).
- Provided with breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and a late snack.
- Flexible hours for all families.
- Graduation ceremony at the end of the year.
- Transition statements for Primary School at the end of the year.
- Participation in our specialised classes, incursions, and our positive start to school initiative.
Kindergarten Two-Day program
Our two-day program is during Victorian school term dates = 40 weeks per year (not including school holidays). Your child can attend between 8:30am to 4:00pm (7.5 hours) or 6:30am to 4:30pm (10 hours). If you drop your child off outside of these hours, you will be charged the normal fee. Through this, your child will receive:
- University-trained teachers with bachelor’s degrees in early childhood studies.
- Specialised programs: Mandarin, Science (starting in Term 1), Little Sporty Legends, Music, Literacy, and Art.
- Additional programs embedded daily, including our Chinese program and Yoga.
- Nutritious, healthy meals are provided for all children (our lunchbox program, part of our school readiness, in Terms 3 and 4).
- Provided with morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea.
- Graduation ceremony at the end of the year.
- Transition statements for Primary School at the end of the year, participation in our specialised classes (depending on days), incursions, and our positive start to school initiative.
*Parents are able to have a combination of kindergarten long day and the two-day program.