Our newest Early Childhood Centre and Preschool is located in the leafy suburb of Rivett, conveniently adjacent to the local shopping centre and neighbourhood amenities. It is surrounded by green, open spaces as it overlooks the community Sportsground.
This service has been built for Canberra’s children, designed by experienced Early Childhood Teachers who live and work on Ngunnawal land.
The service follows the 360 ethos which strives to nurture children, support families and build community. We look forward to opening our doors and partnering with local families to achieve excellence in early childhood education.
7.30 am – 6pm
Our priority in our youngest rooms is developing nurturing bonds and ensuring consistency between babies’ home life and their time at the service. We understand that babies can be unpredictable – sleepless nights, teething, developmental leaps. We adopt a flexible approach and wherever possible, routines are developed in consultation with families. Each child’s specific and unique requirements, including family preferences are considered and respected. We follow a primary caregiver model and ensure the same educators remain with the same group of children in their crucial early years.
We understand that our toddlers are learning that the world is larger than them and quite complex at times. With a tangible hands-on approach, our team provides engaging routines utilising real-life resources that allow children to discover how the world works and how and where they fit in. We understand that ‘toddlerhood’ is a time rich in transitions – from cot to bed, bottle to cup, nappies to underwear – and strive to support families and children as these skills emerge and expand. We value the input of our parents, as it has been shown that feelings of security and confidence can be enhanced with consistency between the home and care setting. We will develop in consultation with you, an ‘action plan’ to make sure that these transitions are managed well and are enjoyable for your child.
In our Junior Preschool room, learning journeys begin to take the form of extended whole group projects. We brainstorm, discuss, question, research, regroup and synthesise our learning in the form of a display. Projects may run for any length of time – sometimes over months – depending on the children’s level of interest. Children at this age require a sense of independence. Self-help skills are strengthened through the caring of our belongings, toileting independently, serving ourselves and scraping our bowls at meal times, putting on and taking off our shoes, socks and jackets.
In our Senior Preschool room, we more closely focus on school readiness. Our educators are constantly on the lookout for themes which pop up in children’s conversation that may then be taken and built upon in a project. We are only limited by our imagination! Educators observe children’s interests and decide upon the ways to best incorporate the kindergarten key learning areas (English, Mathematics, Science & Technology, Human Society and Its Environment, Creative Arts and Personal Development, Health & Physical Education) into these themes.
Children, educators and parents perpetually offer suggestions to extend on and continue with the program until this interest wanes. Project work is documented through photos, diary entries, displayed work samples and classroom installations and is available for the children to revisit whenever they request to do so.
The outdoor area will consist of playgrounds, both with an abundance of natural elements to foster children’s appreciation of nature and the outdoors. The nursery playground (for 0-2 years) is a dedicated space for babies to safely explore outside as they become more confident in their gross-motor skills. Highlights of this area will include a ‘touch-and-feel’ edible gardens and sensory, nature-based activities.
The older age groups (over 2 years) enjoy a larger space to support a variety of physical activity and risky play. Risky play involves the development of important life skills such as the assessment of the environment and determining one’s ability to take a positive risk and challenge! Children are invited to undertake risks by navigating themselves through the tree stumps and rocky terrain. Other highlights of the preschool playground include a large rock pit to support construction play, a campfire space for social development and an open grass area for gross motor skills.
Beth is a qualified Early Childhood Teacher, with experience with some of Australia’s largest early childhood education providers in QLD, NSW and the ACT, where she facilitated management and leadership programs, elevated practice in services that were struggling to meet national standards and improved outcomes for children. Beth leads the growth of 360 Early Education in the ACT and also carries responsibility nationally for 360 Early Education curriculum development. As an accomplished writer and mother of three young children, her teaching and parenting memoirs have been published nationally and internationally.
Don’t just take our word for it. We have thrived because of our strong local reputations, thanks to the support and recommendations of our families.
