A special announcement regarding early childhood education services and COVID-19
The University of Melbourne is committed to continuing to support families who use and rely on the University’s early childhood education services across the three centres, namely the Early Learning Centre, Queensberry Children’s Centre and Swanston Street Children’s Centre.
The Vice Chancellor’s 23 March message requested that University of Melbourne staff, wherever possible, work from home. At the same time the Vice Chancellor reiterated the State Government’s advice that early childhood education services are considered an essential service and will continue to operate.
Acknowledging that these are unprecedented times, the University has agreed, effective from 23 March, to waive fees for those children not currently attending early childhood education services at the University. In addition, the University will consider earlier instances, before 23 March, where it can be demonstrated that the child did not attend because their attendance would have represented an increased health risk to the child or their family, or where a University staff member commenced working from home with relevant approval prior to 23 March as result of an underlying health condition.
Importantly, unless advised otherwise by Government, the University’s early childhood services will remain open for existing enrolments and the University will continue to waive fees for families no longer requiring the service in the current environment.
For families who are supporting essential University services and priority research, the University will consider on a case-by-case basis the provision of advice on available services close to home or the workplace.
For now families do not need to take any specific actions in regards to this announcement, and staff will begin processing the waivers based on the attendance records since the 23rd of March.
Early Learning Centre Open Day 2020
Saturday 9th May, 11 - 12pm.
Welcome to the Early Learning Centre (ELC), which is the University of Melbourne’s research and demonstration kindergarten.
The ELC provides long-day education and care program for 89 two to five year old children per day.
Approximately 170 children are enrolled on either a full time or part-time basis.
The ELC provides an exemplary educational experience in a humanistic and environmentally mindful setting.
Growing and learning at the ELC instils in children personal qualities such as empathy, integrity, respect and tolerance. The aim is to enable children to become confident enthusiastic learners, who are flexible, open-minded and able to navigate change in a fast moving world.
The programs are designed, implemented and evaluated by Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) early childhood teachers who adopt an inquiry approach to teaching and learning which encourages multi-modal in depth investigations which integrate language, mathematics, the arts, science, information communication technology and education for sustainability (EfS).
Children participate in a range of community oriented programs beyond the ELC, including the Learning in Nature & Community Connections Programs.
Specialist teachers offer a range of enrichment classes in 2D & 3D art, dance, music and Chinese language.
In 2018, the ELC was awarded the Exceeding Rating in all Quality Areas by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
