Following the Victorian Government COVID-19 restriction update, all childcare centres across Victoria will be closed except to children whose parents are authorised workers and cannot be supervised at home. Vulnerable children can still attend. A permit system will apply. If you have a child enrolled at one of our centres, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Welcome to the Early Learning Centre (ELC); 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).
