Amaroo has been part
of the local community
for over 40 years
About us
Amaroo has been providing quality education and care for the community for over 40 years, during this time we have under gone many changes, and have had many families through our doors. We take pride in the fact that we have been part of our local community for so long. Amaroo operates 52 weeks of the year from 6:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday, Excluding public holidays. We are licensed for up to 100 children and care from newborn to 6 years for long day care, both 3 year old & 4 year old Government approved kindergarten, as well as providing before/after school care and a school holiday program for primary school aged children.
We believe play is an essential part of children’s growth and development. Our teams of early childhood professionals provide a challenging, stimulating & safe environment within a relaxing, loving and healthy atmosphere.
We welcome any prospective family to come along meet the staff and look around our service. We offer families an orientation program that is free of charge and tailored to suit family’s needs.
Our Philosophy
Amaroo Childcare Centre will provide the highest level of care and education for the children enrolled in our service within a relaxed, loving, supportive and healthy atmosphere. Providing feelings of both acceptance and belonging enables children to feel safe, secure and supported in exploring aspects of their identity including personality, community and culture, in a positive and productive manner.
At Amaroo, we strongly believe that children are capable of and should be encouraged to take on leadership roles within their play and education, becoming guides in their own learning through exploration, discovery and play. Our pedagogical beliefs and practices are reflective of Vygotsky’s theory of zone of proximal development, which sees our educators mediating learning through scaffolding, by placing a focus on children’s potential rather than current understandings. Our programs are supported by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, which is built on a vision where all children experience learning that is engaging and builds success for later life. There is an emphasis on play-based learning and teaching and that children have a right to play under the principles of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child (UNICEF). At Amaroo we work to support children in becoming confident and involved learners by supporting the whole child through a holistic approach to education and development. Our environments are reflective of a play-based emergent curriculum approach where learning experiences and resources are modified in accordance to the emerging interests, ideas and learning of the children.
Amaroo Childcare Centre recognises the importance of creating a positive link between home and our service, where educators and families work in partnership with each other and the community to support children in development. We value our families’ ideas and expertise; placing a particular importance on the uniqueness of each family. Amaroo, recognises the significance of each family’s cultural beliefs and backgrounds and places importance on exploring these beliefs in our curriculum; giving children opportunity to gain a wider understanding of the world in which they live.
Amaroo works with a number of community groups and professionals to support children and families when and as needed, and also to enhance our educational programming. We aim to embed indigenous perspectives within our curriculums and instil knowledge about and respect for the traditional land owners of our community.
At Amaroo, we recognise that children are the future of our planet and will grow to be the custodians of the land. We value not only engaging in sustainable, self-sufficient practices now, so that our children may inherit a better Earth, but also in teaching children the whats, whys and how to’s of environmental care and friendliness. Our vision is that children may live and grow in a world where sustainability is practiced by default and the planet does not come second to convenience, ensuring a better world in which our children can thrive.
Our educational program
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) supports our educational programs and practices, which aims to support the progression of all children’s learning and development from birth to eight years, with a particular focus on educators and teachers working in collaboration with families to achieve common outcomes for all children. The framework identifies five early years learning and development outcomes for all children, which our educators and teachers use to create comprehensive individual learning/development plans and well as on-going fortnightly room plans.
• Children have a strong sense of identity
• Children are connected with and contribute to their world
• Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
• Children are confident and involved learners
• Children are effective communicators
Our program is also supported by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory of development. Where educators and teachers observe children’s current development and interests and create scaffolding environments and learning experiences (both planned and spontaneous). Identifying current interests and levels of understanding and then using this information to place a focus on the children’s potential learning/development, helps to bridge the gap between what the children can do independently and what they can do with the assistance of older peers or educators. So that in the long run, children’s ability learn independently is increased, which in turn helps to builds social, emotional and self-help skills.
Our program is also based upon the Emergent Curriculum approach. Where not only does the curriculum come from the children’s ideas and interests, but also through a collaboration between children, educators/teachers, families and the community. The emergent curriculum also provides choice and encourages the children to be responsible for their learning. Our program will continue to emerge with the children’s ideas, interests and feelings to best support them at a level that is relevant to not only their current learning and development but is also poised to engage children at a level that will encourage further development, learning and growth.
Our programs are delivered electronically via the Storypark platform. Educators and teachers are able to utilise this platform to upload fortnightly room plans as well as individual semester plans for each child outlining a number of unique learning goals and the children’s relevant
learning/experiences throughout the semester. Families are encouraged to fill out the about me section of this plan at the beginning of each year, as well as inputting a learning goal for their child(ren) that they would like us to focus on for the upcoming semester. Through Storypark, educators and teachers also upload individual/group learning stories & observations, room community posts and individual child notes. These, along with the room plans, are updated weekly to fortnightly. We also keep an art portfolio throughout each year for each child that is then sent home at the end of every year.