Around Australia there are a multitude of options for families looking for the best preschool-kindergarten experience for their child before they move on to school.
Guardian Childcare & Education Head of Curriculum Priscilla Carmichael says that, with so many options, it can be hard to know the difference between centres.
While many families will choose fixed hours sessional preschool-kindergarten, many others opt to keep their children in a long-day early learning centre.
Ms Carmichael said that for many families the long-day environment provided much needed flexibility.
There were also major upsides in keeping children in a consistent early learning environment and program for all the years leading up to school.
“At Guardian Childcare & Education, we are really proud of our dedicated two-year preschool-kindergarten program – A Flying Start to School – led by our university-qualified Teachers,” Ms Carmichael said.
“This is part of our exclusive age and stage learning program called To BE Me which offers a distinctive, contemporary approach tailored to a child’s age, interests and strengths.”
Ms Carmichael said the To BE Me program was shaped from years of research and thousands of hours observing milestone behaviours and what they meant.
To BE Me supports seven areas of a child’s learning:
- I am Me (identity, confidence, emotional wellbeing)
- A Good Friend (social relationships, connection)
- A Reader (literacy learning and a love of reading)
- A Writer (mark-making and early writing)
- A Counter (numeracy learning)
- A Mover (physical health and wellbeing)
- A Great Thinker (problem-solving, creativity, innovation)
It encompasses Guardian’s educational programs, daily rhythms, the way educators interact with children and guide their play, learning and development.
“By staying with us from being a young baby to starting school, our children develop a strong sense of belonging through consistent relationships with educators and ongoing friendships with other children,” Ms Carmichael said.
“This gives them the confidence and security they need to learn successfully and embrace change.”
In this process, a child’s progress towards the five outcomes prescribed by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is supported and recorded.
The following are some of the reasons families opt to keep their children in a long-day early learning environment for preschool-kindergarten.
Flexibility to support busy family lives
Unlike sessional care, which has set days and times, the Guardian two-year program offers flexibility around timing and schedules that work best for individual families.
“Our programs are embedded throughout the whole day, every day, so our families can choose days and times that suit their busy lives,” Ms Carmichael said.
“It makes their life easier while ensuring the child gets the best care and education possible; regardless of which days they attend.”
The option of more hours of learning every day
A child gets to experience a full day of engaging learning and friendships, and both planned and spontaneous learning experiences beyond the limited hours of sessional care – including school holidays.
“Reading, writing and numeracy skills are all embedded in our programs, across fun, meaningful experiences every day,” Ms Carmichael said.
“But it’s about so much more than just ‘book learning’; it’s about a holistic approach to early childcare education.
“Children in our care are involved in a wide range of experiences that spark curiosity, ignite their thinking and express their creativity.
“This includes exploring their ideas through construction or art, developing a love of story-telling and reading, real-world experiences about things like cooking and sustainability and navigating social relationships through building lasting friendships and relationships with others.
“It’s all designed to spark their curiosity, ignite their creativity, and help them develop important skills for life.”
Developing social skills and strong relationships
“Many children at our centres move up from the Nursery onwards, which supports them to form strong friendships and feel comfortable and secure in our familiar environments, the perfect foundation for learning,” Ms Carmichael said.
“This continuity of care provides our preschool-kindergarten children with ample opportunity to socialise and build on these friendships.”
“Children can also build long-term relationships with their educators, often over several years. These educators have an in-depth understanding of each child in their care, contributing to the creation of a secure learning environment where your child can thrive.”
Smooth transition to school
Integrated programs can help ease the transition to formal schooling. Ms Carmichael said Guardian Childcare learning programs were aligned to the Australian school curriculum to ensure that children had developed the important skills (cognitive, social and emotional) to be set up for success from day one of school.
The program was designed to ensure that, when it came time to move up to school, children and their families were well-prepared with a solid foundation of not just academic learning but the necessary social and emotional skills and confidence that supported them to have “a flying start to school”.
“Integrated kindergarten and preschool programs in childcare/early learning have some distinct advantages,” Ms Carmichael said.
“The flexibility offered allows you to juggle life’s demands without sacrificing your child’s learning and education.”
Ms Carmichael said Guardian teachers were skilled and knowledgeable in creating structured educational programs that reflected the individuality of each child and supporting them to be ready for this milestone in their life.
“We form close, reciprocal partnerships with schools through our Local Schools Program to ensure each child and family know what to expect, are confident and our local schools are ready to welcome you,” she said.
“The comprehensive learning experience on offer, combined with the opportunities to play and build strong friendships, sets them up for success.
“For many families, it is certainly an option worth exploring.”
To learn more about Guardian Childcare & Education programs, click here.
