How does our program work and what will the children learn?
Our curriculum is based on the observed individual needs and interests of the children in our care, catering to the personal needs of each child. The experiences your child will engage in will include individual, small group and larger group experiences, assisting them in developing the necessary social skills for school readiness, and designed in content to foster all areas of their development.
As the first five years of a child's life are a time when the foundations for future learning and development occur, we take this time to gently nurture and encourage children's development through programs that are stimulating and extremely enjoyable for the children in attendance. The programme enhances your child's socialisation skills, confidence and self esteem, whilst all other areas of development are enhanced through utilisation of our equipment, resources and programming.
Who owns the centre and how is it managed?
The centre is owned by Scott Hookey who has over 17 years experience in the provision of high quality childcare. The company established by Scott, Kids Academy, is managed by Scott, along with Operations Manager, Amanda Grassby B.ED(EC), Robyn Webb, who is our Financial and Administration Manager and Melissa Leonard B.T(EC), our Centre Support. Amanda has over 16 years experience in Early Education in her roles as teacher, Centre Director and Company Manager and has been with us for since 2005, Robyn has been working with Kids Academy since 1993 and Melissa started back in 1998.
Our centres are individually managed at centre level by our experienced Centre Directors.
While we have several centres under one company banner, we believe that child care should be individualised and relevant to the direct community the centre is servicing. It is for this reason that you will find that our centres are still quite individual, with policy and practise where required being developed to meet each centre's unique needs and requirements.
Are you Licensed?
Yes. We are fully licensed with the relevant state Authority and registered for Childcare Benefit (Federal Government childcare subsidies). Our Operational Licenses are displayed for your perusal in each of our Centre Foyers.
We are proud to have received the highest possible rating in the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) child care accreditation process which guarantees your child is receiving the highest quality care and in the safest, professional child care environment.
What is the enrolment procedure?
Contact the Centre Director to enquire about availability. The phone numbers and email addresses for each centre are available right here on the website.
Fill out a Waitlist Application Form (available to be completed online or can be obtained directly from your centre of choice). Return this to the centre either by online submission, post, email or in person.
The Centre Director will contact you to advise you of the current enrolment situation for your chosen centre, and if positions are available a meeting time will be arranged for you to come and visit the centre, to meet our staff and to see the centre in operation. If there are no positions available at that point you will be advised of the current enrolment status of the centre and your Waitlist Form will be placed into our system awaiting positions becoming available that meet your nominated days required.
If we are able to start at the centre immediately the Centre Director will go through the entire enrolment procedure with you to ensure that everything has been completed, and will arrange a time for you to bring your child in for some orientation time, if time allows. We have a very flexible Orientation Program, as we believe that each child and family has individual needs with regards to their orientation. The Centre Director will discuss your needs with you and a plan will be put in place to meet your needs.
The Centre Director will confirm your start date and ensure that the relevant paperwork and Enrolment Fees have been finalised.
What happens once my child is placed on the waiting list?
Once our Centre Director has received your Waitlist application and determines that we are not currently able to meet your care requirements your child will be placed into our Waitlist System. When a position becomes available you will be contacted immediately by the Centre Director with an offer of placement. Please don't hesitate to contact the centre direct if you require additional information or an update on your child's position on the waiting list. Every effort will be made to ensure this application is processed as quickly as possible
What if I have not been contacted after I have submitted a waiting list form?
If you have not been contacted within 3 days and to avoid disappointment, please contact the centre to confirm your application and start date.
What happens if my child falls ill while at the centre?
In the interests of all children and staff in the centre your child will be required to be collected from the centre and taken home if they become unwell while with us. All care will be taken to meet their needs whilst we await your arrival at the centre to collect your child. Unfortunately we are not staffed to adequately care for sick children in the manner they need and deserve. In serious cases of illness the centre may seek immediate medical attention. Further information about this can be obtained from the Centre.
In order to minimise the risk of cross infection sick children must not attend the centre, and you may be asked to take you child home or obtain medical clearance from a Doctor if there are concerns about the wellbeing of a child arriving to care.
In the case of an outbreak of an infectious disease a notice will be displayed in the centre and relevant authorities will be contacted. Details of infectious diseases and the relevant Period of Exclusion are displayed in the foyer of the centre.
As a Parent, how am I included in the Centre?
Our staff and management view the care and education of your child as a partnership that is mutually rewarding and therefore encourages your participation in all aspects of centre life. Parent involvement may be on a casual or formal basis, and we respect your right to be as involved as your personal circumstances will allow. We acknowledge that you as parents are your child's first and mot important teacher and strive to build relationships which will ensure that a collaborative approach to your child's care and learning needs will be undertaken.
Open and mutual communication is essential to providing quality care for your child. Parents are encouraged to discuss any issues with the staff or the Director. Your comments and thoughts about your child's interests and strengths are an important part of our program and staff look forward to sharing the planning of a quality program for your child. Please speak to staff about ways in which you can be involved in at your child's centre.
How do we care for your child?
Kids Academy encourages and supports the primary caregiving method of care across all of our rooms in each of our centres rooms. Upon enrolment, your child will be allocated their regular staff members in their room whom will be their primary caregivers while at childcare. The primary caregivers will take responsibility for your child's physical care, planning an appropriate educational program and most importantly for cerating a trusting reciprocal relationship with your child.
The primary caregivers will also create a positive relationship with you and other family members to support an authentic partnership approach to the care of your child. Primary caregivers will support your child in developing relationships with other staff and children across the centre so that they feel safe and secure whenever they are at childcare.
What is a child's portfolio?
Upon enolrment your child will be provided with a portfolio that will be stored at the centre. Staff will document your child's involvement and learning at the centre in a learning story each month, along with Developmental Observations from which the staff will individually plan for your child. Also included will be work samples from your child and other pages documenting for you and capturing the special times they have enjoyed at Kids Academy for the year. Each year your child will get a new portfolio which will celebrate the new year in a new room. Your child will present you with this special memento at the end of the year so that you can share their learning journey with family. We encourage families to create a page when your child starts care with us to assist with their orientation and to help staff get to know your child and their family.
Children are welcome to take their portfolios home from time to time to share their learning journeys with other family members and friends. As staff value the contribution of family and friends to plan a program of involvement and learning for your child, please let us know when you take the portfolio home and hand it directly to a staff member when you return it to the centre.
What staff do you have at each centre?
The centre employs both qualified and unqualified child care staff, early childhood teachers and support staff. Kids Academy aims to employ more qualified child care staff than required by the regulations for each state and to employ teaching staff to work as part of each team to improve the learning outcomes for the children.
The centre works towards having higher staff to child ratios than legislation requires whenever possible and employs more trained staff than is requried to ensure the quality of our teaching practise.
Relief Staff
Relief staff are required to cover permanent staff leave, ilness and other absences. The centre uses a small pool of regular relievers to ensure continuity of care for your child.
What is the Early Years Learning Framework?
Staff at all our centres use 'Belonging, Being and Becoming - The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia' to guide the planning, implementation and reflection of learning programs for each of our children.
The Early Years Learning Framework describes the principles, practice and outcomes essential to support and enhance young children's learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. The Framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning as play is the best vehicle for young children's learning providing the most appropriate stimulus for brain development. The Framework also recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development.