Privately Owned & Family Run.
The Adney’s have over 40 years experience in the early childhood education and care sector. Erin, Laurence, Chris and Chantal all enjoy playing an active role in different areas of the service. Extensive research has shown that the environment of a child’s earliest years has effects that last a lifetime. The first five years in child’s life are crucial to their development. The experiences children have in their formative years can set children up for a positive primary school experience. Eventually these experiences may ultimately shape them into the adults that they will become.
Our goal for Cessnock Kids is to be a service that provides the highest quality early childhood education and care for young children in our local community. We seek to develop a strong sense of belonging in children, allowing them to enjoy play based experiences encouraging a lifelong love of learning. To meet this goal, we believe that we must create meaningful relationships with every child in a safe, nurturing and welcoming environment empowering them to reach their full potential. We look forward to partnering with families to achieve this goal!
About Our Service
Our Mission Statement
To provide the highest quality early childhood education and care service for young children in our community that instils a lifelong love of learning.
Our Service Philosophy
At Cessnock Kids Preschool & Early Learning Centre we aim to create a warm, welcoming, family orientated and inclusive environment for all children, families, team members and the community as a whole.
In relation to Children
Children’s holistic development and self-worth will be fostered in a safe, positive, nurturing, stimulating and interactive learning environment. Children will be provided with meaningful experiences and be presented with opportunities, Eexplore their interests, expand their knowledge. While developing new skills through planned, spontaneous and child-initiated experiences. Educators aim to build strong respectful and reciprocal relationships with all children, acknowledging the importance of children’s sense of belonging.
In relation to Families
Here at Cessnock Kids we acknowledge the importance that families are, and always will be their child’s first teacher and primary influence over their child. We aim to form respectful partnerships with families built on mutual trust and respect while embracing each family’s values, beliefs and cultural backgrounds. We aim to work collaboratively with families and strive to be supportive to their needs while being informative in providing relevant updated information associated within all areas of the early childhood sector.
In relation to Colleagues and Profession
We aim to model quality practices while valuing each other’s strengths and experienced while building an abundance of professional knowledge and multiple perspectives. We will engage in reflective practices both critically and professionally as a whole and individually, also providing a mentoring initiative regardless of one’s experience, qualification and professional competence. All stakeholders will continually be encouraged to be actively engaging in ongoing review and modification to our service delivery.
In relation to Community
We form respectful partnerships within our local community while collaborating with community agencies and services to develop a lasting and supportive network. We will work in unison with the community to form a better understanding of different cultural beliefs and aim to embed these in our teaching practices. Children’s connectedness and different ways of belonging with people, country and communities helps them to learn
- Warm, friendly, family owned and run service
- Qualified and passionate educators
- Two beautiful playgrounds! Safe age appropriate places for children to explore & develop
- High quality educational care for children 6 weeks to 6 years old
- Full Preschool Program (i.e. school readiness and transition to school program)
- Child centered emergent curriculum inclusive of art, music, language, literacy, self-help, maths, sustainability, science, sports and so much more!
- Delicious seasonal menu following the Munch and Move guidelines, prepared onsite by our own cooks
- Family access to online individual child portfolios
- Nappies, wipes and cot linen provided for all infants under 2 years old
- Use of educationally appropriate resources on our interactive whiteboard and other technologies
Families can contact the Family Assistance Office (FAO) or visit Centrelink to obtain their ‘Customer Reference Number’ (CRN), if they wish to receive reduced child care fees at Cessnock Kids.
Three things determine a family’s level of Child Care Subsidy
- A family’s annual adjusted taxable income determines the percentage of subsidy they are eligible for
- An activity test determines how many hours of subsidised care families can access, up to a maximum of 100 per fortnight, and
- The type of child care service determines the hourly rate cap.
More information about individual subsidy rates and annual cap changes is available at Services Australia. (https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-care-subsidy)
Some basic requirements must be satisfied for an individual to be eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy for a child.
These include
- the age of the child (must be 13 or under and not attending secondary school)
- the child meeting immunisation requirements
- the individual, or their partner, meeting the residency requirements
For more information please contact Centrelink on 136-150 or visit https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/early-education?context=60007
National Quality Framework (NQF)
The National Quality Framework (NQF) was the result of an agreement between all Australian governments to work together to provide better educational and developmental outcomes for children. The NQF introduced a new quality standard in 2012 to improve education and care across long day care, family day care, preschool/kindergarten, and outside school hours care.
The NQF includes
- the National Law and National Regulations
- the National Quality Standard
- an assessment and quality rating process
- nationally approved learning frameworks
(Sourced from http://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/explaining-the-national-quality-framework)
The National Quality Standard (NQS) is a key aspect of the National Quality Framework (NQF) and sets a high, national benchmark for early childhood education and care, and outside school hours care services in Australia.
It gives services and families a better understanding of a quality service, helping families to make informed decisions about the services providing education and care to their child. The NQS brings together the 7 key quality areas that are important to outcomes for children.
- Educational program and practice
- Your child is supported to participate in play and learning
- Children’s health and safety
- Your child is protected from illness and hazards
- Physical environment
- Your child plays in a safe and well maintained environment
- Staffing arrangements
- There are enough qualified staff to give your child the attention they need
- Relationships with children
- Your child is made to feel supported and welcomed
- Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
- Local community involvement and respect and inclusion of all beliefs and values
- Leadership and service management
- Your child is cared for in a positive environmentThe NQS currently contains 18 standards with two or three standards in each quality area. These standards are high-level outcome statements. Under each standard sit elements that describe the outcomes that contribute to the standard being achieved. There are 58 elements in total.
(Sourced form http://acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/the-national-quality-standard and http://www.acecqa.gov.au/families/what-the-nqf-means-for-your-child)
Research shows quality education and care early in life leads to better health, education and employment outcomes later in life. The early years are critical for establishing self-esteem, resilience, healthy growth and capacity to learn.
That’s why the National Quality Framework (NQF) was introduced – to give every child the best start to life and learning. The NQF introduced legal requirements and a new quality standard to improve education and care across long day care, family day care, preschool/kindergarten, and outside school hours care services.
The benefits for parents and children include
- improved educator to child ratios in most services
- greater individual care and attention for children
- educators with increased skills and qualifications
- better support for children’s learning and development
- a ratings system to help parents assess the quality of education and care providers in their area
(Sourced from http://www.acecqa.gov.au/families/what-the-nqf-means-for-your-child)
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is an early childhood curriculum framework, which guides early childhood educators in developing quality, early childhood education programs.
Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework describes the principles, practices and outcomes that support and enhance young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school.
The EYLF has a strong emphasis on play-based learning. The framework also recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development. In addition, the framework has a focus on successful transition to formal schooling.
A Families’ Guide to The Early Years learning Framework has been developed and is available on the Department of Education and Training website. You can also download a copy of the framework.
(Sourced from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf)