Aero Kids Early Learning Centre

Arrival & Departure

On arrival at the Centre, you must sign-in your child on the sign-in sheets provided in the reception area, apply sunscreen and take your childs folder to their room. You will then take your child to their appropriate room where you will be greeted by staff. Please ensure that staff are aware of your child’s arrival prior to leaving the Centre. At this time, advise staff of any information they may need to know about your child for the day, for example, any events that have occurred since their last visit that may effect their day at Aero Kids. When collecting your child from the Centre, you must sign-out your child on the sign-in sheets provided in the reception area. Please ensure that staff are aware that you are taking your child from the Centre. Feel free to discuss your child’s day with the staff, but don’t forget to talk to your child about it as well. Pick up your childs folder and place it back in the boxes provided in the foyer. If your child is being picked up by someone else, the adult must be named on the enrolment form as an authorised person. Parents need to advise staff, in writing, if any person other than those recorded on the enrolment form will be picking up their child. On arrival, the nominated person must be able to show a photo identification (eg. driver’s licence). These procedures are in place to protect your child. By law, we are not permitted to allow your child to leave the Centre with anyone under the age of 16 years.

On arrival at the Centre, you must sign-in your child on the sign-in sheets provided in the reception area, apply sunscreen and take your childs folder to their room. You will then take your child to their appropriate room where you will be greeted by staff. Please ensure that staff are aware of your child’s arrival prior to leaving the Centre. At this time, advise staff of any information they may need to know about your child for the day, for example, any events that have occurred since their last visit that may effect their day at Aero Kids.

When collecting your child from the Centre, you must sign-out your child on the sign-in sheets provided in the reception area. Please ensure that staff are aware that you are taking your child from the Centre. Feel free to discuss your child’s day with the staff, but don’t forget to talk to your child about it as well. Pick up your childs folder and place it back in the boxes provided in the foyer.

If your child is being picked up by someone else, the adult must be named on the enrolment form as an authorised person. Parents need to advise staff, in writing, if any person other than those recorded on the enrolment form will be picking up their child. On arrival, the nominated person must be able to show a photo identification (eg. driver’s licence). These procedures are in place to protect your child.

By law, we are not permitted to allow your child to leave the Centre with anyone under the age of 16 years.

What to Bring

Your child will get MESSY when they are playing, so please send your child in play clothes. Children need to feel that they can participate without fear of ruining something new and 'getting into trouble'. It is best to pack a couple of sets of extra clothes that we can change your child into if they get extremely dirty or wet, from things such as water play.

As we encourage the children to develop self-help skills, such as dressing themselves, it is important that the clothes they are wearing are the easy, pull on kind. This is particularly important if your child is at the toilet training stage. Types of clothing that have many buttons, straps and belts are difficult for children to manipulate.

If your child has a particular item that he/she likes to sleep with or for security e.g. dummy, teddy, blanket or pillow, please send it along, marked with his/her name. Older children are encouraged to bring interesting things to discuss or show, for example, photos or objects from a recent holiday or outing.

Contributions towards our supplies for art work and creative play are always gratefully accepted and encourage ties for your child between home and the centre. Such items would include boxes from groceries, old greeting cards, cardboard tubes from plastic wrap, etc.

Program and Planning

At Aero Kids we aim to provide the following

A life long process in which each child is engaged. it is expected that a child approaching five years of age will be further along in the process than a younger child
Professionals as : learners, supporters, Instructors, Providers of encouragement, redireetor, extender, enhancer, helper, gate - keeper, facilitator, translater, communicator, connector, iniator. Architects and designors of the environment and gate - keepers in order to determine what children have access to in order to construct meaning

An emerhent curriculum that develops when exploring what is socially relevant, intellectually engaging and personally meaningful to children. The basic idea is that organic whole learning evolves from the interaction of the classroom participants, both children and adults (Jones and Nimmo 11994 page 3)

A physical environment that is a major provider of opportunities and possibilities well as a literal depiction of the idevtity, traditions, priorities, history and vision of the service. The arrangement of the environment and what is in reflect the image of the child that professionals hold

Provisions as opposed to activities. The emphasis in current approache to Early Childhood curriculum is on investigations and projects that build on children's strengths and interests and that respond to children's questions rather then one off experiences based on what adults perceive children are interested in or know

Planning and Documention

Planning is flexable and based on possibilities rather than rigid implementations of prepared experiences. This means there is often a greater focus on retrospective documentation that includes retletions on children's responses to experiences and the interactions that have occured rather then on pre - planning. Plans provide possible directions that can later be rethinked by educators. Documention occurs through observation topics logs, webbing, Daily Diary, Learning Stories, Children's Files and Portfolios

Parents are able to discuss children's information and staff are available to meet with parents at a mutually convenient time throughout the year to discuss their child's learning and development

Portfolio meetings are held annually

Food & Nutrition

A full-time cook is employed by the Centre to provide nutritious, balanced meals for the children. The menus are on a 4 weekly rotation for summer and winter. Meals provided are breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and late afternoon tea.

Children are encouraged to taste all foods, but are never forced. The Centre aims to provide food from various cultures. If you would like to provide suggestions of cultural meals that your child enjoys, please feel free to speak to the Director. Children are encouraged to become independent with their eating skills. Staff eat with the children to encourage good habits and a social, family atmosphere.

As ample food is provided during the day, parents are requested not to bring sweets, cakes, chips or any other foods. There are many children that have allergies to certain foods, so it is helpful if we can control the food that is in the Centre. Children on special diets or with allergies can be catered for. These needs should be discussed with the Director.

Babies on Formula/Breast Feeding

Please provide a clearly labeled bottle and formula powder in measured amounts. We will make up your child's bottle as needed, washing and sterilising the bottle in between feeds. The staff will write up your child’s routine from the day for you to check in the afternoon so that you will know what feeds, sleep, etc. they have had.

We follow your baby's individual routine. Mothers wishing to breastfeed their baby are welcome to do so at anytime.

Health & Safety

The Centre adheres to the Infection Control Policy and Health Policy which are based on Department of Health guidelines on infectious diseases and exclusion from schools. Copies of these policies are available from the Parent Library.

Should your child become ill while at the Centre, you will be contacted by phone to come and collect him/her or arrange for someone else to collect your child as soon as possible. If parents cannot be contacted, then the next person on your emergency contact list from your enrolment form will be contacted.

These policies are designed to keep our children and staff healthy.

Medication

If medication is to be given at the Centre, parents must complete a Medication Form which is located in the form folder in all the rooms. No prescribed medication other than that stored in a container with the original pharmacy dispensed label will be given. The label must include the child's name and clear dosage instructions and medication must also be in date.

Immunisation

Immunisation records are started from your child’s Blue Book at enrolment. If your child has further immunisations during their time at Aero Kids, please bring in the Blue Book so that we can update your child’s information.

For more information visit:

Immunise Australia Program:
www.immunise.health.gov.au

Kidsafe - The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia:
www.greenweb.com.au/kidsafe

A child who is not immunised or whose immunisations are not up to date may be excluded during an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease.