At Nicki’s Clever Cookies we follow the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework [VEYLDF] and the Early Years Learning Framework [EYLF]. We have an emergent and play-based curriculum, with a focus on high-quality interactions between staff and children to promote a variety of learning outcomes across the developmental areas. We use Educa to document our observations and planning and to communicate with families. We offer help with the platform for families who have not used it before – our current families find it useful and engaging!
We value the outdoors and spend time outside every day. We encourage children to think about the weather and prepare accordingly, including in regards to our Sun Smart Policy. We have made recent changes to our yard, including the construction of a pergola, to ensure that we can spend as much time outside as we would like, without being dependent on the weather.
We value our community, and the kindergarten aged children at our service go on Adventure Days once per week. These outings vary from walks to the park, trips to the library or the shops, or other group-interest based activities.
We are proud to have a number of highly qualified staff on our team. We also operate on a day-to-day basis above the educator: child ratio to make sure that our teams have ample planning time for the educational program. Our team is dedicated to high-quality practice and learning outcomes for all the children in our care.
Kindergarten at Nicki’s Clever Cookies
Nicki’s Clever Cookies offers two years of funded kindergarten before school. Whilst some of our families choose to enrol their children at a stand-alone sessional kindergarten as well, your child can access kindergarten through our service without having to coordinate days across two different places.
How does it work?
All early childhood services have to follow the same guiding documents and learning Frameworks EYLF and the VEYLDF (listed above). The learning experiences and outcomes for children differ across all services based on the children who attend, but all children have their learning observed, documented and planned for based on the curriculum.
Kindergarten programs must be administered by a qualified Teacher, which we have in both our Three-Year-Old Program and our Four-Year-Old Program. When you come to our gates you will see we have the ‘Kindergarten Tick’, indicating that we are an approved kindergarten provider. If you have any more questions about how integrated kindergarten and long day care works, give us a call.
Curriculum
Our curriculum follows the Early Years Learning Framework and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. We work with children of all ages to achieve the following outcomes:
- Children have a strong sense of identity
- Children are connected with a contribution to their world
- Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
- Children are confident and involved learners
- Children are effective communicators
Educa
We use the Educa platform to communicate service news, child development and group programming with families. It is a way for families to communicate directly with the staff members working with their children. It is also a way for families to see what their children are doing and learning whilst with us- this is especially important for our pre-verbal children who can’t go home and tell their parents about it.
