We feel that all parents have a right to quality child care that is sensitive to the needs of the child and is provided within a safe, caring and healthy environment.
We are proud of our Centre, it's friendly staff, it's facilities and it's cleanliness. If at any time you feel that the objectives stated in our Philosophy and Goals are not being met, or if you any questions, queries or concerns please contact the Director Sia during business hours on the following number:(02) 9548 2332.
CHOOSING QUALITY CHILDCARE
"When choosing childcare it is important to look at how carers and staff interact with the children and whether the atmosphere is warm, friendly and welcoming."
- National Childcare Accreditation Council
Engadine TLC Childcare Centre is a purpose built long day care centre. We cater for children aged 2 years to 6 years. Our operating hours are from 7.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday. Our centre is open for 50 weeks per year as we close for two (2) weeks over the Christmas and New Year period.
Our centre has two (2) room one catering for 2years to 3½ years and the other 3½ to 6 years. Each room has a qualified educator. We incorporate staged teaching meeting the children's needs on an individual level.
At Engadine TLC Childcare Centre ouraims to provide a quality care and educational program for your child.Our Curriculum is focussed on holistic development and as such attends to the social, emotional, physical, language and intellectual development of each child. We are aware of the children's interests, abilities and needs. We encourage exploration, experimentation and investigation and facilitate this through individual, small or large group experiences.
Our pre-school curriculum allows the children to access many resources in preparation to primary school. We have two computer children progressively utilize throughout the day. The children also have the opportunity to search sights to research projects or topics used in our curriculum.
Children are also prepared for the transition to school and are provided with resources for when they are doing their orientation for school.
We believe that parents are the child's first educators and that we are an extension of the home environment. In order to maximise the benefits of our program, we work in partnership with families to maintain open communication and a two-way sharing of knowledge.
Our roleat Engadine TLC Childcare Centre is to enhance learning through planning and interactions with children, while encouraging, extending and valuing children's spontaneous learning. Children are the focus of the curriculum and each child is viewed as a co-constructor of learning, as well as an individual learner with similarities and differences between individuals and within and between groups of children.
Opportunities are provided in the curriculum for all children to use and develop their particular abilities and interests. We facilitate learning by extending, applying and where necessary, introducing new experiences that stimulate each individual's interest and learning. Experiences need to be ongoing and sustained to enable adequate depth and breadth of investigations to maximise learning potential.
Blocks and Construction Zones
This area is designated for building with large wooden blocks and often includes props, such as toy cars, car mats, train sets, traffic signs, and small figurines such as animals or humans made of wood or plastic. Sometimes these areas are designated with a specially designed rug showing landscapes or patterns of roadways. Block construction areas mat also include other types of building materials, such as snap together blocks, duplo, leggo and lots of other items to provide practice with building and assembling structures.
Cognitive Tables-Problem Solving And Fine Motor-Manipulative
These areas include a wide variety of toys and objects that can be manipulated or handled. Typical manipulative are beads for threading, laces, small beads, shape sorting, small figurines for counting, sorting or classifying, simple board games, constructing patterns and collections of small items such as shells, rocks etc. This area is also designed to encourage thinking and problem solving skills, and developing basic cognitive skills.
Quiet Literacy Area.
This area provides comfortable furniture or pillows so children can enjoy books and other literacy materials alone or with other children and adults. Literacy areas include a collection of children's picture books, storybooks, poetry and informational concept books. There may also be children made books to meet the needs and interests of children at various levels of development. Literacy areas also support written language as well by providing various implements and media for drawing and writing allowing the children to develop skills in written literacy and numeracy.
Creative Expression and Visual Art Areas.
Children are provided with an assortment of supplies, art media, and tools for drawing, constructing, sculpting and print making. The focus of this area is on the process of expression rather than on the finished art/craft project.
Children use art/craft materials or recycled materials to represent their ideas and emotions rather than to replicate predetermined products. The possibilities for creative expression through art are endless.
Science and Curiosity Area.
Here the children are encouraged to observe and study nature and science. Materials to support observation and the study of science often include magnifying glasses, balance scales, coloured lenses, and other tools to support scientific enquiry. Collections of natural objects (rocks, shells, pine cones, leaves, insects, fish) are added as indicated by children's interests.
Project Area.
Projects are like a story, they have a beginning, middle and an end. Here children express their interest and creativity to represent what they are learning at their own pace individually or as a small group. There is a wide variety of materials for the children to choose from such as, paper, scissors, sculpting tools, play dough and clay rolling pins (other materials are added as children interests arise). In this area we also have our 'Project Journal', which has the topic web documenting the process of the project. Research and materials such as books, posters, and photos may also be added for the project.
Computer Studies Tables.
Here children are encouraged to participate in our pre-reading and phonics programs. Children learn to move the mouse and click on the object they choose. Headphones are also provided to allow the children to focus on their work whilst on the computers. The ?Letter land' program is based on phonic development, which encourages the sound of the letter, and develops the skills of reading. The ?I Spy' program is a pre-reading puppet theatre highlighting the word whilst reading out the story. This also includes counting objects.
Musical Instrument Area...
Children are provided with a range of musical instruments such as bells, tambourines, maracas, drums, xylophone and many more. These musical instruments are placed on the card with a picture and name of the instrument. In this area you may also find books that display people using musical instruments or children's literature talking about musical instruments.Music may also be played for children to hear. Children may choose the type of music they would like from our selection (country, rainforest, classical, multicultural).
Language and Literacy Area.
This area has a wide range of materials that children can use to write with, read and recognise, manipulate to cut or collate. This rich resourceful area is designed to allow children to further enhance their skills and development in language and literacy. For example pre-reading and pre writing, skills developing in drawing stages, hand eye coordination and hand preference and many more skills.
