A safe space for our youngest learners
St Michael’s Collegiate Early Learning Centre (ELC) provides a warm and welcoming start to your child’s educational journey.
Catering for children from 2 years of age to pre-kindergarten (4 years of age), the Centre enjoys a warm, village atmosphere with access to the Junior School facilities such as the tennis court, library, grassy oval, kitchen garden and flower patches, which are grown and maintained by the children.
The children also participate in unique nature walks along the Hobart Rivulet, where they can engage in imaginative nature play and connect with their local community.
Located on the green, cosy Junior School Campus in South Hobart, our Centre is staffed by an exceptional team of educators who value learning as an exciting and creative process.
Collegiate Early Learning holds an overall Exceeding rating through the National Quality Standard.
ELC1
2-year-old learning space
This is where your learning journey begins. Welcoming children in the term that they turn 2 years of age. This nurturing space is thoughtfully designed to support our youngest learners. With dedicated and qualified educators, areas for sleep and relaxation, safe outdoor spaces and campus walks and exploration. Children are cared for and educated in an environment that feels secure, engaging and just like a second home.
ELC 1 students are also introduced to a specialty music program.
ELC2
3 year old learning space
This space provides children with ongoing opportunities to connect with our rich inquiry based program, explore our campus and local community and further develop their sense of belonging, skills and capabilities. Our educators work closely with each child and family to support Term learning focuses for each child.
ELC 2 children also participate in a weekly music lesson.
Pre-Kindergarten
4 year old learning space
Our Pre-Kindergarten program prepares our young learners for their first steps into formal education. Our program builds the foundations for independence, literacy, numeracy and creativity in a play based, inquiry lead program.
Fostering a love of life-long learning, Pre-Kindergarten educators support children to engage with our local community, build connections within the Junior School and cultivate their unique identity.
Students in Pre-Kindergarten have access to a co-curricular program that includes a weekly Mandarin lesson and an optional weekly Ballet lesson.
Hours
At our ELC, children provided with a variety of ways to relax, rest and sleep. When children rest or sleep, a quiet environment is offered including a stretcher bed with clean linen for each child.
Uniform
A uniform is compulsory at our ELC, it supports each child to identify with and connect to our community.
Sleep, rest and relaxation
AT our ELC, children have a variety of ways to relax, rest and sleep. When children rest or sleep, a quiet environment is offered, including a stretcher bed and clean linen for each child.
Mealtimes, menu and nutrition
Morning tea and afternoon tea are provided by the ELC and families provide a packed lunch for their child.
Allergies, intolerances and medical conditions
Our ELC is an allergy-aware service. Lunches and other food must not include any current or known allergens such as nuts or nut products. Families will be advised of any additional known allergens, as required.
Excursions and regular outings
Connecting children to the world around them through inquiry and exploration is an integral part of our curriculum. The rich tapestry of learning offered at ELC includes caring for our School community garden, visiting our local shopping precinct and the Hobart Rivulet, as well as meeting people from other generations through our intergenerational program.
Immunisations and exclusions
Each child’s immunisation status must be verified at enrolment, and a copy of the immunisation record must be provided to ELC. This will be stored securely with the child’s enrolment record.
Where I Belong
The Children of Collegiate ELC
We believe that children are naturally inquisitive,a quality which drives their passion and determination to investigate the wonderful and the extraordinary.
We value children as active participants in constructing their own knowledge through their interactions with others and the world around them.
We believe every child has a right to explore and discover their identity through relationships and opportunities for autonomy.
Our Connection to Families and our Community of South Hobart
We honour the relationship between educators, children and families on the land which we meet – muwinina land; where each person feels safe and supported.
We celebrate diversity and the rich learning potential of our local, global and cultural communities;
This includes individually tailored opportunities to connect with the wider Collegiate School community and our local area of South Hobart.
These connections provide enriching experiences to partner together with the natural landscape and the world around us to create a more sustainable future.
Within our learning community there are opportunities for active citizenship.
We are here to support, celebrate and nurture each other as we overcome challenges together.
Our Role as Educators
We embrace the here and now, with the belief that childhood is a time for wonder, imagination and hands on learning.
We partner with children through equity and respectful pedagogy.
As co-learners alongside children we nurture the quiet and the calm, the loud and the fierce.
We are passionate, life-long learners, engaging in critically reflective practice.
We are advocates of children’s rights, supporting each child to reach their unique potential and experience an authentic sense of belonging.
Our Program and Practice
We recognise that each child’s learning journey is filled with unending possibilities. Our educationally rich program focuses on children’s individual ideas, questions and curiosities to encourage their investigative and inquiry skills.
We provide challenges which empower children to take risks, building resilience and autonomy.
The program is designed in consultation with children, strong partnerships with families and is responsive to the individual cultures of our contemporary world.
We take time to recognise the past, be present daily and work toward a reconciled and inclusive future.