Indigenous Acknowledgement: Here is the land, here is the sky. Here are my friends and here am I. We thank you Dharug people for the land on which we learn and play. Hand up, hands down. We are on Dharug ground. We see you Dharug people, We hear you Dharug people, And we thank you Dharug people.
DEVELOPMENTAL RECORDS
We have been ahead with our developmental observations for our children; this helps if staffing arrangements change, and we don’t compromise our quality of observations. It also supports our educators in having extra time for observations and other regulatory paperwork.
Half yearly developmental summative assessments were completed by our educators and overseen by our Educational leaders Miss Allison and Miss Jo. They were printed for their portfolios and available for families to see, set new goals and provide feedback – assisting us with our critical reflection of developmental summative assessments.
Our portfolios are always available for families to view upon request; however, upon previous years reflections, our families appreciate a reminder to come on in, sit down to read and set new goals. The feedback also encourages our team; all their hard work is recognised. Thank you to the families for your amazing feedback!
FEE INCREASE
Fee increase will occur the week commencing 8th July 2024
| ROOM | AGE GROUP | DAILY RATE
|
| EEYORE’S SPOT | 0-2 YRS | $151 |
| EEYORES SPOT | 2-3YRS | $146 |
| TIGGER’S PLACE | 3-4YRS | $136 |
| POOH’S CORNER | 4-5 YRS | $136 |
Families will receive a new CWA (Complying written agreement) week commencing 1st July – for new fee structure for week commencing 8th July 2024.
New CWAs will be handed to families to sign.
STEPS EYE TESTING FOR 4 YEAR OLDS
On Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th August we will have NSW Health nurses conducting eye testing for 4 year olds.
Permission forms will be handed out closer to the date.
RE ENROLMENT FOR 2025
Re enrolment forms will be handed out in August for 2025 enrolment.
Please start thinking of your 2025 requirements.
PHOTO DAYS
GS imaging will come in (morning) Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd of August for our school photos.
This is completely optional for families to purchase.
All children attending the days of photos, will have their photos taken for the class photo.
Times and ordering envelopes will be handed out and advised closer to the date.
STAFF TRAINING
All staff have completed webinars on code of ethics
Staff have started listening to Podcasts from the Koori curriculum
Allison has continued her webinar series networking with other centres based on the new EYLF V2
OUR SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL-
Last October we went through assessment and rating, and we received exceeding rating which we are so proud of. A final report was sent through giving us feedback on what they saw. Over the next few newsletters, you will be able to read the different comments across the 7 quality areas.
Quality Area 1 Education program and practice
Standard 1.1 – the educational program enhances the child’s learning and development
Educators across all rooms demonstrate a strong commitment to ensuring the service philosophy guides and supports the implementation of a child-centred, culturally rich, holistic program that reflects the key principles of the Early Years Learning Framework. Educators are guided by the ideas and voices of the individual children and their families and use critical reflection of their practices and key ideas attained through professional research as a tool to influence and strengthen practices.
Standard 1.2 -educators facilitate and extend upon each child’s learning and development
Educators use all aspects of the program to undertake intentional teaching, planned or spontaneous, and draw on professional learning and research to reflect on, solidify and make changes to their practices, in alignment with their philosophy. Everyday interactions and routines, like the yarning circles, are used to stimulate children’s thinking through open-ended questions and provocations that inform future learning experiences. Consideration is given to each child’s individual learning needs to ensure all children are supported to be included in decision making on topics that are important to them, which is evident through the project work across the service.
Standard 1.3 – Educators and co-ordinators take a planned and reflective approach to implementing the program for each child
Educators work collaboratively in implementing and reviewing a clear assessment and planning cycle for each child within the educational program, based on their goals and individual children’s goals which have been developed in consultation with the families. Educators are guided by the educational leaders in the implementation of critical reflection and have systems in place to ensure this is something that is consistently embedded in practice. There are various opportunities available for families to be informed about their child’s learning and development, including educators verbally informing families whenever possible and by sharing observations through their online platforms.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
At Hunny Pots ELC we have a strong passion with engaging with our community. We have reached out to both Holy Cross and Caddies Creek school. Miss Jo had the opportunity to meet the leaders of learning Jessica and Pauline from Holy Cross Primary school. We exchanged ideas on how we can strengthen Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander culture and perspectives within our education communities.
Miss Jo shared some of the Goals in Our Reconciliation action plan and Jessica and Pauline shared Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations we can connect with.
Miss Jo also invited the school to come over and view our program and engage in the Reconciliation experiences. We had the year 6 class come in with Pauline and had a great cultural insight of how Hunny Pots Early learning centre embed Aboriginal and Torres strait islander perspectives. The school students engaged in cooking Damper, reading Indigenous stories to the children, creating handprints to show our continuous support for Reconciliation, and helping to uproot our ginger plant. The school also took a small Native ginger plant and some ginger back to the School. What amazing connections we have built.
A small group of children had their first excursion to Holy Cross where they got to explore a school environment. We had the senior band come and play their instruments for the children and year 1 students came with their music teacher to sing different actions songs which our children joined in. We are in the process of organising excursion to Caddies creek. The connections we have made are so beneficial to our centre and children but also to their school as well developing their leadership skills and confidence.
RESPONSIBLE PERSON ON DUTY
As part of regulations, we are required to have a responsible person on duty. We have a number of staff that can be responsible person on duty; this allows for embedded practices of responsibility. On our display board in the foyer, you are able to see who our responsible people for the day are.
Through collaborative discussions and reflection; to provide opportunities for our staff to increase their skills and responsibilities towards leadership we have decided to also have people in charge in the afternoons. This will help assist with making sure all our duties are occurring, planning is happening, delegating for a smooth afternoon. We will continue to reflect upon this modifying if needed.
STAFF NEWS
Miss Emma had her last day on Friday 14th June to go on a European adventure!
Miss Elle has also gone a European adventure and will return early September.
Miss Chloe has moved to Tiggers, providing consistency in our practices within the centre.
WINTER IS COMING
We do go outside in the Winter months – we ask for children to be dressed appropriately for outside play. We encourage active play outside to stay fit and healthy!
We also teach the children to take off clothing layers when inside.
Being outside, having room ventilation decreases the spread of germs.
It also helps us to stay active during the cooler weather.
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’ written notice to the Director.
No notice period accepted in December and January for withdrawing or reducing days.
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. Please attend your last day of attendance for child care subsidy reasons.
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.
ILLNESS
A timely reminder to ensure all children with an illness stay at home to rest and recover.
A very big thank you to our families for your proactive efforts in keeping your unwell children at home. We have certainly noticed many children absent due to colds and flu in the past few weeks. By keeping your children home to rest and recover, you are helping your families and other children in our care by not infecting others.
Please remember, if your child has Panadol or Nurofen in their system, they are not to come to Hunny Pots. You are only masking the symptoms and the illness will spread to other children and our educators.
We are able to administer prescribed antibiotics (after your child has been taking it for 24hours); you will need to complete a medication form (near the sign in/out sheets in foyer).
We are unable to administer any over the counter medication at Hunny Pots e.g.: cough mixtures etc.
We are only able to administer Panadol at Hunny Pots if a child has a temperature of 38 degrees or above and with parent consent/ once and arrange for pick up.
If your child presents any illness symptoms, we will call you to arrange an immediate pick up. They are unable to attend for a full business day eg: sent home on Wednesday – they cannot return until Friday pending on last temperature/symptom.
We will also give you a courtesy call if your child is feeling “off” – no immediate pick up is needed.
IMMUNISATION = ENROLMENT
Please ensure that throughout the year if your child receives an immunisation e.g.: 12 months, 18months or 4years, you will need to provide your child’s immunisation status record to us.
Due to Government regulations, we are unable to enroll unimmunised children – failure to provide immunisation records = no enrolment.
You are required to keep your child at home for 24hours to monitor any side effects after immunisation/flu shot etc. (please see policy).
We appreciate your cooperation.
These practices are in place to protect all children, families and our educators from the spread of illness.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
EVENTS
July
Well being week and portfolio viewing 1st – 5th July
Naidoc Week 7th-14th July
Nyumbar Aboriginal education 9th July
Bike day (children request) 16th July
National Pyjama Day 22nd July
School tree 26th July
National Tree Day 28th July
International day of friendship 30th July
August
Steps Eye testing Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th August
Aboriginal Children’s day 4th August
International Day of worlds Indigenous people 9th August
Red Nose day 9th August WEAR RED
National Science Week 10th-18th August
Crazy scientists show 14th August
Book week 17th – 23th August Dress up as your favourite book character Wednesday 21st August
Monday 5th August – Hunny Pots ELC school readiness talk 4pm and 6pm. (two sessions available for families – pending on RSVP numbers)
RE-ENROLMENT FORMS WILL BE HANDED OUT FOR 2025
Photo days Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd August
Holy cross school readiness information talk Wednesday 28th @4pm
Father’s day afternoon tea – Wednesday 28th August
SAVE THE DATES:
Lollipops Playland Poohs Corner Graduation – Thursday 12th December 2024 6-8pm
CLOSURE DATES FOR 2024/2025 – Last day for 2024 Friday 20th December 2024 – we reopen Monday 6th January 2025.