Littlehampton Early Learning Centre is a family-owned early education and care service in the Adelaide Hills. We specialise in quality care and education.
What sets us apart from the rest?
From the minute you walk through our door our friendly and professional team will welcome you and your child to what we trust will be an extension of your own home. Littlehampton Early Learning Centre aims to provide consistent, high quality Early Education and Care services for the benefit of children and their families in the Mount Barker area. We will set the benchmark in Early Education and Care services, placing high value on supporting local children and their families and responding with sensitivity to the needs of our community. Our team will strive for service excellence across all aspects of the early childhood educational experience. Our centre is open from 6.30am - 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. We are also open 52 weeks of the year and only closed on Public Holidays.
We're a Long Day Care and Preschool
We provide a nurturing care environment and a leading educational program for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years. Our tailored designed centre allows us to have age-specific rooms that cater for each age group’s developmental needs. We also have extended care hours to provide the flexibility that families need when it comes to childcare requirements. Our preschool/Kindy aged children are provided with an extensive school readiness program which includes computer classes, reading programs, interactive whiteboard and excursions. Our children are provided with healthy meals across the day by our Centre Cook including breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, evening snack. We also provide nappies in our Infants room.
Meet Our Centre Manager
Our Philosophy
At Littlehampton ELC, we strive to provide the highest quality care and early childhood education for all children and families at our service. Our main objective is to help children reach their maximum learning potential and learning outcomes, while belonging, being and becoming unique individuals.
We believe that quality early childhood experiences at home and in early learning centres are critical in contributing positively to the children’s development and wellbeing.
Together we work in partnership with families to ensure a respectful loving, safe and nurturing home like environment, working collaboratively towards achieving all learning outcomes. At Littlehampton ELC, we treat everyone with respect and dignity regardless of their gender, cultural beliefs, socio-economic status or ability.
Our classrooms are designed with real and purposeful activities, to support the child’s learning. Children are constantly encouraged to freely explore their surroundings and to stimulate their learning by connecting with the natural world and growing into active members of the community. Our interactions, experiences, activities, routines and events, planned and unplanned, that occur in our prepared environment, is designed to foster all children’s learning outcomes and wellbeing.
Our primary aim is to provide your child with the building blocks and foundations for good life-readiness and independent experiences, within a safe and home like nurturing environment, with strong relationships being formed between the carer, child and parent through open communication and trust.
Our Values
- We believe that the first six years of a child’s life is crucial to their development and learning potential. During this time, the child’s power of absorption is the highest and is when certain essential skills are more readily learned. A child in this crucial phase, sets the foundation for learning, openness, curiosity and wonder that is lifelong.
- We believe that the Montessori education is “education for life”.
- We believe children who are given the freedom to follow and pursue their interests and challenge their strengths, are generally happy and busy children. Children are encouraged to attempt tasks in a supportive and non-judgmental environment. We will help children reach their full maximum learning potential in all areas of life
- We believe all children should be included. For children requiring additional support we will liaise with their families, as well as local agencies to ensure adequate support is provided with long term goals in place
- We welcome all families into our service at all times and ensure that they feel comfortable and valued. We encourage families to share ideas and receive information concerning the care and education of their child. We believe that parent input and involvement, promotes the strong link between the early childhood program and the family unit.
- We believe that the Montessori learning environment plays a critical role in affecting the potential development and growth of the child. It is through the child’s exploration and discoveries, imagination and creativity that knowledge and concepts are understood. The learning environment is designed to reinforce the child’s independence and natural urge toward developing their self-help skills in a safe and stimulating atmosphere.
- We believe that our educators should be caring, consistent, patient, confident, flexible, accepting and sensitive to the individual needs of the children. This offers security, familiarity, love and trust to all members of our community.
- Our educators represent a diversity of education, training, cultural backgrounds and life experiences. We recognise the varied experience, skills and abilities that the educators bring to the service. We are committed to ongoing professional development and training – supporting one another.
- We aim to provide an inclusive curriculum, that: Reflects the values and beliefs for all educators, children and their families regardless of their gender, cultural background, age, religion, or ability.
- We encourage liaising with other children’s services, local schools, local councils and community support groups on an ongoing basis.