Sustainability in the ELC

Early childhood is a wonderful time to involve children in education for sustainability and to develop lifelong sustainable practices. This ensures the respect and protection of each other and our planet. 

Our aim in the Early Learning Centre is to promote a positive and proactive attitude towards sustainability. We believe it is important to engage the children in developmentally appropriate practices that meet their level of understanding and help them make connections with prior understandings of the environment and the world around them.  

Children have a natural affinity towards nature. Dirt, water, plants, and small animals attract and hold children’s attention for hours, days, even a lifetime.
Robin C Moore and Herb H Wong 

Sustainability begins with making a connection to nature. The children in Campbell House are given many opportunities to connect with nature through daily experiences. Children engage in planned and spontaneous opportunities to explore, observe, question, and investigate the natural world around them. Children revel in their discoveries of living and non-living things. These discoveries provide provocations for further learning. There are also times when the teaching program pursues learning through planned classroom and outdoor inquiries in relation to sustainability. 

Throughout the year, the children have engaged in a number of investigations in relation to the environment and sustainability. A walk around Campbell House reveals projects and discussions involving the growth of seeds and plants, recycling practices, investigations into the seasonal changes, the study of trees and birds, children saving food scraps for the worm farm and the observation and care of living creatures.  

We have a ‘recycling station’ in the foyer of Campbell House and encourage children and families to bring in recycled materials that can be re-used or re-purposed for a range of projects within our ELC programs. 

As a community, we are committed to empowering the children to believe that they can make a difference to our planet. 

Out of School Hours Care – Term 3 Week 7 Activities and Spring Holidays Vacation Care

Upcoming activities for Term 3 Week 7 are detailed here.

St Catherine’s School offers an Out of School Hours Care program to all ELC and Junior School families. The program is implemented by our provider ‘After the Bell’ and operates within the ELC building. Parents are reminded that if you need to use the Before School Care or After School Care service, registrations need to be made in advance with ‘After the Bell’. Please allow up to five business days for your registration to be processed before your child can begin attending the program. Registration is free. All families are encouraged to register so that they can use this service in the event that you are unable to pick up your child.

Before School Care – 7.00am to 8.45am

After School Care – 3.00pm to 6.00pm

Registrations can be completed via the ‘After the Bell’ website.

Please phone 9758 6744 for all inquiries.

Book online now to secure your place at After the Bell for vacation care this school holidays. Bookings can be made here.

 

 

Ms Sarah Bethune, Head of Early Learning