ORIENTATION
Children from Eeyores and Tiggers Place will be participating in orientation if they are moving up a room for 2020.
We will do this in small groups to ensure ratios are being met. If your child has participated in orientation, we will let you know.
Children participating in orientation for BIG school are to be taken by their parents/family and returned to Hunny Pots by their family. Due to regulations, we cannot take or pick up the children from school orientation. Please ensure you sign in/out upon dropping off and picking up.
New families are invited to attend orientation from the 25/11 to the 6/12. You may hear your children talking about new friends.
ABSENCES/HOLIDAYS
We have had a lot of questions lately regarding family holidays.
The information highlighted below is in your parent handbook. All families signed their consent form, upon enrolment, to say they have read the handbook and agree to the terms.
If a child is to be absent, parents are asked to notify the centre as soon as possible, and inform the centre of the estimated length of absence. Please let the centre know if your child is ill with an infectious disease to allow staff to keep an eye out for similar symptoms in other children.
Absences are still to be paid for e.g.: illness, day off, school holidays or family holidays etc.
If you wish to take an extended holiday and require your position to be available upon return, you will need to pay for this position throughout the leave time. If you choose to cancel your child’s enrolment, we unfortunately cannot guarantee your child’s position on your return.
We respect the family’s decision to either keep the position or cancel their child’s enrolment – however, we always remind each family about our lengthy waitlist. When you have given your three weeks’ notice – we fill this position immediately. It is difficult to get this position back.
2020 ENROLMENTS
As stated in your confirmation email.
No withdrawal of enrolment/reduction of days will be accepted throughout December and January.
Reducing confirmed days for 2020 after the Tuesday 17th September (e.g.: reducing days from 5 days to 2 days) will mean you to forfeit your bond for the days reduced.
Withdrawing your child’s enrolment for 2020 after Tuesday 17th September will forfeit your full bond.
Your child’s current enrolment pattern must be ongoing throughout 2019 to maintain your confirmed 2020 enrolment. Any notice / withdrawal / reduction will void this 2020 confirmation.
Payment of the bond secures your position and confirms your understanding of the above agreement.
POOH’S CORNER CHILDREN
All Pooh’s Corner enrolments finish on Friday 20th December 2019 (unless January care has been arranged and confirmed with Monique) We will be refunding bonds in January 2020. Please let us know via email the bank account you wish to have your bond refunded to.
WITHDRAWAL OF YOUR CHILD/REDUCING DAYS
Parents must give at least three weeks written notice to the Director before withdrawing their child from Hunny Pots. If the child does not attend the Centre during this period, fees are still payable (Please see the below section: A child who has not yet received care or who has ceased receiving care) If the child is withdrawn without notice, three weeks full fees must be paid regardless.
Parents may reduce their child’s days of attendance by giving three weeks’ notice to the Director.
No notice period accepted in December and January for withdrawing or reducing days.
A child who has not yet received care or who has ceased receiving care
Below is from the Child Care Handbook Australian Government Department of Education and Training:
Child Care Subsidy will not be paid for absences where a provider charges a family to reserve a place for a child who has not yet physically started care.
If a child is booked in to start at a service on a particular date, and does not start on that day, no Child Care Subsidy will be paid until the child physically attends a session of care.
Similarly, a child care service is taken to have permanently ceased providing care for a child on the day the child last physically attends a session of care. This means that Child Care Subsidy will not be paid for absences submitted after a child last physically attends a session of care.
If a family has confirmed their child’s last day at a service, but that child does not attend their last booked sessions of care, no Child Care Subsidy will be paid for any days after the child’s last physical attendance at the service.
If a provider continues to charge fees for sessions on days after a child has left the service because the family did not give the agreed period of notice, Child Care Subsidy will not be payable for these sessions of care. If absences are reported in the above circumstances and Child Care Subsidy is incorrectly paid, these amounts will be recovered from the service.
You must attend the last day of care to receive child care subsidy on your last day.
QUALITY AREA SEVEN –
Governance and Leadership.
Please see attached our Governance Policy. This guides and supports the operation of our service.
We have also attached our Philosophy – this statement guides all aspects of the service operations.
We have management systems in place to manage risk and enable effective management and operation of our service. Our policies are researched and sourced appropriately to be the guide of our operations.
We have responsible people on duty who have the role and responsibility to make the effective decisions of the service. (please see who is the Responsible person on duty – located on the big board in the foyer)
Our leadership consists of a strong team of a Director, Educational leaders, assistant directors, room leader and second in charge. This helps us to build and promote a positive organizational culture.
We have a continuous Improvement plan (we call it our QIP, Quality Improvement Plan) – our team add to this consistently through evaluating goals, adding strengths and reflecting on the exceeding themes.
Educational leadership – we have two very dedicated Educational leaders Miss Allison and Miss Jo, who support and lead the development and implementation of the educational program and assessment and planning cycle. They also work in the office – Miss Jo (Monday) and Miss Allison (Wednesday) as assistant directors. They mentor of team of educators to set and achieve individual professional goals.
At Hunny Pots, we strongly believe in professional development training. This is based on the services needs, individual goals and strengths.
We evaluate the professional goals ongoing through the mentoring with the educational leaders but also through our appraisals to ensure each individual plan supports learning and development of each educator.
LATE FEE
It is not acceptable that children are picked up late from the centre. The centre is able to open for specific periods as per our license from the State Government and approval from the Local Councils. Staff are employed to work those hours and have a right to finish work at the agreed time. Late shift staff delayed from finishing on time may suffer public transport delays etc and may have their own family commitments that need to be met.
Late fee: $20 after 6pm (any period of time 6pm to 6.15pm e.g.: you come at 6.05pm it will be $20) after 6.15pm it is $30 from 6.15pm-6.30pm and $2 per minute after 6.30pm. E.g.: if you come at 6.20pm it will be a $50 late fee.
*** It is best to have nearby emergency contacts that can help you pick up your child if you are going to be late.
You must leave the centre prior to normal closing time (not arrive at the centre prior to normal closing time). If you are delayed beyond your normal booking you must ring the centre to notify staff so we can organise appropriate staffing to cope with the change.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Poohs Corner Graduation – Tuesday 19th November 2019 6pm-8pm at Castle Hill Lollipops Playland. Poohs Corner families, please see invite sent.
End of year party at Hunny Pots ELC – Friday 13th December 2019 3.45-5.45pm
Invite sent.
Centre Closure over the Christmas break – We will be operating up to and including Friday 20th December 2019 and reopening on Monday 6th January 2020.
HUNNYPOTS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
Governance Policy
Implementation
Service Structure
Our service has the following organisational structure.
The Approved Provider is: HUNNY POTS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
MANAGEMENT: Simon Atack & Monique Atack.
- The approved provider has a range of responsibilities prescribed in the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations, including keeping accurate records and retaining them for specified timeframes.
Our approved provider is also responsible for:
- ensuring the financial viability of the service
- overseeing control and accountability systems
- supporting the Nominated Supervisor / responsible person/Certified Supervisors in their role and providing resources as appropriate for the effective running of the service.
Our Nominated Supervisor is: Monique Atack
Jo Vannitamby and Allison Gill in Monique’s absence.
The Nominated Supervisor is responsible for the day to day management of our service and has a range of responsibilities prescribed in the national law and regulations.
Responsible people on duty: Monique Atack
Rhiannon Bonning Kim Monaro
Jo Vannitamby Rupinder Sandha Kayley Lawrence
Allison Gill Jessica Arndt
Our Educational Leaders are: Jo and Allison
Our Room Leaders are: Pooh’s Corner – Allison / Kayley
Tigger’s Place – Jo / Rupinder
Eeyore’s Place –Jessica / Kim
Our reporting relationships are:
- Owners who work in the Service will act according to the reporting relationships applicable to those positions.
- The Nominated Supervisor reports to the Approved Provider.
- The Certified Supervisor in day to day charge of the service reports to the Nominated Supervisor.
- Each Room Leader reports to the Nominated Supervisor.
o The Nominated Supervisor has the authority to communicate information about the work and to direct the activities to the Room Leader.
- Educators in the room(s) report to the Room Leader
- Guidelines for Effective Delegation
Our service will:
- identify the work/result to delegate and to whom
Educators/staff will not delegate responsibilities for which they are accountable or work/results that have been delegated to them with their agreement or work/results attached to someone else’s position (unless that person has agreed).
- put the delegation in writing with a clear due date
- discuss the delegation with the educator/staff member whenever possible
- get the educator/staff member’s agreement
for example through signed job descriptions, signed delegation agreements.
The person who delegates remains accountable for making sure the right result is achieved.
- Guidelines for Effective Regulation
Regulating work means monitoring, reviewing, and adjusting it to get the right result.
Our service will:
- regularly review the work process
- give quick, clear, and direct feedback and instruction that is timely and specific
- communicate in writing
- avoid under-regulating, over-regulating and unnecessary meetings.
- Structure the board/partnership/association/management team to add value
To comply with these principles to the best of our ability and to ensure we can discuss issues and (potential) changes to policies, procedures or the regulatory environment, we will schedule regular communication between all members of our management team through meetings, phone communication including SMS messaging, a communication book, written communication such as letters, notices, and electronic communication including email.
- Promote ethical and responsible decision-making
Our service will make decisions which are consistent with our policies, our obligations and requirements under the national education and care law and regulations, our approved learning framework (EYLF) and the ethical standards in our code of conduct.
- Safeguard integrity in financial reporting
Our financial records will be completed/reviewed by an independent book keeper and accountant.
- Make timely and balanced disclosure
Unless there is a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child enrolled at the service, our service will provide at least 14 days notice before making any change to a policy/procedure that may have a significant impact on our provision of education and care or a family’s ability to utilise our service, including making any change that will affect the fees charged or the way fees are collected.
Our service will also:
- advise the regulatory authority of any required notifications including any change to the person designated as the Nominated Supervisor no later than 14 days after the change
- develop a Quality Improvement Plan that is completed regularly, available on request and ready for submission to the Regulatory Authority when requested.
- Respect the rights of shareholders, parents, children
Our service will support and encourage the involvement of parents and families by:
- developing and implementing plans to ensure regular communication with families including advice about events, activities and policy updates
- enabling them to have access and provide input to reviews of policies and procedures
- providing space for private consultations
- providing and displaying a range of information about relevant issues
- ensuring we follow all policies and procedures including the Parental interaction and Involvement Policy and Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.
Our service will respect the rights of children by ensuring:
- the Nominated Supervisor complies with their responsibilities under the national law and regulations
- we follow our policies and procedures including the Relationships with Children Policy, Child Protection Policy and Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.
- our children are provided with the experiences and learning which allows them to develop their identities, wellbeing and social connection.
- Recognise and manage risk
Our service will take every reasonable precaution to protect children from harm and any hazard likely to cause injury. We will follow service policies including those covering Workplace Health and Safety, Child Protection, Excursions and the Delivery and Collection of Children and complete regular risk assessments and safety checks.
- Remunerate fairly and responsibly
Sources
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
National Quality Standard
Early Years Learning Framework
Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations ASX Corporate Governance Council
Last reviewed: October 2019
Date for next review: October 2020
Hunny Pots Early Learning Centre
Hunny Pots ELC Philosophy
The Hunny Pots philosophy has a strong focus on providing a stimulating, caring and fun learning environment for all children.
We aim to provide a high quality professional service that fosters security and care by creating an environment that is warm and home like.
We believe in working in partnership with families. Families are encouraged to collaborate with our educators about their child’s interests and progress. We aim to provide a trustful relationship with parents and the community to work as a team.
Educators believe in providing a warm and friendly environment with cuddles and comfort to assist in allowing each child to feel safe and secure. We aim to be an extension of their family, to be approachable and available.
We acknowledge and respect that each child learns effectively in a stimulating and positive environment. We respect each child learns differently and at different stages. We plan for individual children experiences that are linked to children’s developing skills and interests. These can be spontaneous, follow up experiences, family suggestions and/or children’s interest/choice. We continue to extend the children’s abilities to continue to stimulate their growing minds.
We believe in providing an inclusive environment at Hunny Pots to teach and role model inclusiveness. We encourage children’s self help skills to enable them to become independent and confident children.
Each child’s culture and family values are respected and nurtured. We encourage them to maintain their home language and culture and adapt our program and learning to be inclusive.
As professionals we believe in working in a respectful and friendly environment. Our Hunny Pots family is an extension of our own family. We are guided by teamwork and communicating effectively and respectfully.
Praise and encouragement motivates us by management and families. We strive to continue to learn about our sector through research, professional development training and networking. We believe in all educators working in all rooms over time to encourage their learning for all age groups.
Looking after each other and assisting each other maintains respectful relationships and provides an enjoyable workplace.
Our environment is welcoming and homely but also represents a learning environment. We display children’s work to demonstrate what they are learning about and for children to have pride in their work. We have resources available in all rooms for children’s choice. We believe in providing natural resources to the children’s environment to promote sustainable practices. Our centre prides itself on its cleanliness – we provide a hygienic environment to prevent cross infection of illnesses.
Our furniture is movable to be able to change the set up of the rooms to cater to children’s play areas. Children are invited to be involved in the set up of each play area e.g.: outdoor play. This promotes respect for our resources and packing away effectively.
Our educational programs cover all age groups. We have an infant learning, junior preschool, preschool and school readiness program. These programs cover children’s interest, developmental milestones, inclusion, self help skills, sustainable practices, community, sensory learning, spontaneous experiences and an education program. We believe children Learn through Play. Our daily planning allows us to cater to the moment, to follow and extend experiences immediately. Children and families are encouraged to contribute to our planning for a more holistic program.
Hunny Pots believes learning is an exciting adventure and a lifelong process. We endeavour to encourage a child’s passion for learning to carry with them throughout their life.
Sourced: Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia 2009
Family review
Staff reflection Date reviewed: February 2019.