Our days are busy at St Anthony’s ELC (as they are at any place of learning!) and time to meet as a team is precious! We had our second whole staff meeting for all ELC staff this Wednesday evening and it was a great opportunity to workshop our QIP (Quality Improvement Plan).

One of our big goals for our service this year is around children’s agency.

This is our goal:  For student agency and voice to be supported and embedded in all areas of practice; learning environment, routines and rituals, programming, displays and communication, interactions.

As a team we explored together what agency looks like for Children in the Early Years and where it links to the areas of the National Quality Framework (these are the nation wide standards all Early Childhood services work within).

In this framework agency is defined as being able to make choices and decisions to influence events and have an impact on our world and the settings we move in.

Some of the areas we have identified to work on are;

• Establishing a weekly Community Time on a Wednesday lunchtime. Community time is used as a way to engage students in decision making and planning at the ELC. The children help to run the Community time – choosing our songs, saying a prayer, presenting things they have been learning about and giving a safety report on play in the playground. 
• Caring for Country helpers. We have four helpers in each room with responsibilities to care for aspects of our service; a Green Thumb (to water plants and help with the garden) a Safety Inspector (to support safe play in the playground), a Wildlife Warrior to help with the care of our pets and Cleaning Crew to help with clean up jobs such as sweeping and wiping down tables.
• Reflections on routines and rituals to consider ways we can increase student input, planning and choice throughout the day.
• Children given opportunities to shape learning experiences and initiate play and projects of their own devising.
• Having students help with planning the afternoon tea menu.
• Involving students in setting up Displays and play spaces around the service.

Staffing News

Our lovely Class teacher Kate Strickland who was due to return to the Possums class next term, has extended her maternity leave for another 12months. We are excited to let you know that Emma D’Ambrosio will be continuing in the position of Class Teacher in the Possums class for the duration of this year. We are so blessed to have Miss Emma as part of our teaching team!

Prac Students

Last week the Koala class farewelled Sarah Power, who spent four weeks with the Koala class as a Prac student. Sarah will be back again in August for another week of Prac. 

This week we will be joined by another Prac Student, Angela Uhle. Angela Uhle is studying her Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) at the University of New England. She will be undertaking a Professional Experience Placement with a focus on Leadership in Early Childhood from 10th of June 2025 to 16th of June 2025. Angela will be spending some time in the Bilbies class and Koalas class during this week, working alongside Miss Bec.