Information

Welcome to Mt Royal Early Learning Centre

Early childhood is a time of rapid growth and development and we believe should be a time of exploration, learning and fun. Children in their early years need to be cared for in an environment where they are safe, feel a sense of belonging and are exposed to a wide range of enjoyable learning experiences. At Mt Royal ELC teachers working in partnership with parents and whanau provide an environment which offers children choices and learning opportunities through play whilst promoting a strong commitment to early literacy and numeracy development.

We hope you and your child enjoy your time with us, and we look forward to building a long lasting relationship with your family.

Center Details:

Opening hours: 7:30 – 6:00 pm Monday – Friday (Except Statutory holidays)

For new born children to six years.

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide high quality care and education for children and their families in a safe loving environment.

Our Program:

At Mt Royal ELC we aim to promote the learning and development of all children by providing a planned program of play based learning activities. We have a strong focus on promoting the development of early literacy and numeracy skills and knowledge. A wide range of equipment and resources are provided both indoors and outdoors and children are encouraged to make choices about where, when and who they play with. Children are invited to participate in activities and to share their ideas, passions and interests with others.

Our qualified and experienced teachers observe and assess children on a regular basis and this information is used to inform plans for the daily program. Individual learning and development records are kept for all children and these will be shared with you. Children, parents and whanau are included in decision making and planning for learning. Please feel free to read your child’s personal portfolio at any time.

Our program includes opportunities for children to participate in individual, small group and some times large group learning activities which aim to build children’s cognitive, social, cultural and physical skills, knowledge and understandings of the world. Excursions into the wider community are planned regularly to maintain children’s connections with their local community and areas of interest.

Meals:

As part of developing self help skills and taking responsibility, our centre works closely with all our families and whanau to ensure that they provide healthy and nutritious lunchboxes, containing morning tea, lunch (cooked) and afternoon tea. As often children go through rapid stages of development, we encourage all our parents to provide healthy snacks, fruits and vegetables and a water bottle.

We also place great emphasis on meal times, as an opportunity to develop healthy eating habits for life, engage socially with their peers, learn about the nutritional value of each food item that they may be consuming on any given day. Wonderful conversations happen around the meal tables, and our children really enjoy sharing this valuable time with their friends and teachers.

Fees:

Please contact the Centre for the latest fees and specials.

Enrolment / administration Fee: 

• All fees are required to be paid by internet banking at least one week in advance at all times.
• Fees are required to be paid for all days a child is enrolled regardless of attendance which is affected by health, personal reasons or public holidays.
• The Centre will be closed on all public holidays. However fees are still required to be paid for these days as staff will still need to be paid.
• Written notification is required from families for child absence of three weeks or more for health, holiday or any other reasons.
• Families are required to notify the Centre at least two weeks in advance prior to the child finishing at the Centre.
• Work and Income subsidies are available for families who qualify for this. The Centre will charge full fees until a subsidy has been approved and the Centre has been paid or notified in writing by WINZ. Any subsequent credit due to the family will be credited to the child’s future account.
• Families receiving WINZ subsidies are responsible for ensuring their subsidy is maintained and reviewed as necessary. If a subsidy changes or stops the family will be liable for all fees owing.
• Any delays or under payment by WINZ as a result of family neglect of the subsidy will be charged directly to the family.
• Families will be required to advise the Centre in writing of any changes to their child’s enrolment hours.
• Additional fees may be requested for extra curricular activities such as excursions.
• The fee schedule will be reviewed annually to ensure the Centre is able to meet the needs of the budget and stay in tune with inflation and current market expectations.

Parent Responsibilities:

At Mt Royal ECE we value our relationships with parents and whanau. Your family’s aspirations for your child are paramount, and we aim to work towards achieving these in conjunction with our Centre philosophy and curriculum goals.

Parent information and education evenings are planned throughout the year and also social family gatherings so that you can begin to build relationships with other families and your child’s friends in the Centre.

Settling into the Centre:

How a child settles in an early childhood Centre is an individual process, and will vary for all children. Some children settle quickly and with little fuss, while others require more support over a long period of time. If you are concerned that your child is not settling, or you are finding this process difficult please talk to a staff member as we may be able to offer some strategies and more support.

As the main caregiver for your child, you will know your child best and how they prefer to be comforted during times of stress or discomfort. We aim to work in partnership with parents and whanau to establish settling routines that ensure your child’s physical and emotional needs are met.

When settling your child we recommend the following:
Before your child first starts at the Centre, you may choose to visit with them as much as you like. We recommend that you visit with your child at least two times so that they can become familiar with the people, environment and routines.

• Establish a routine for arrival and departure from the beginning. Talk to your child about coming to the Centre before you get here. When you arrive at the Centre, help your child to put their bag away, put their lunch box in the fridge and then choose an activity they would like to do. Some parents find it helpful to spend a little time with their child in the Centre before leaving, while others find it easier to leave fairly quickly.
• Please do not ever sneak away without saying good bye. Although this may seem easier for you and your child at first, your child may lose trust in you and can eventually become more clingy and upset as they will anticipate that you are going to disappear.
• Your child may like to bring an item from home that provides them with comfort e.g. a blanket or soft toy.
• Do talk to us about your preferences for settling your child. Some children enjoy a hug with a staff member, while others like to wave to you through the windows.
• Call us soon after leaving the Centre if you want to check that your child is ok. We will always be honest about this, and are happy to let your child speak to you on the phone if this does not upset them.

Please be reassured, we are experienced at settling and supporting parents and children through separation in the Centre. Your child’s emotional well being is critical, and we will always provide the comfort and support that is best for you and your child.

Trips and Excursions:

We believe that it is important for children to experience and contribute to the wider community as part of their learning and development journey. From time to time we will plan trips outside of the Centre. You will be notified of these planned trips and written permission will be requested. We may also request a small fee and parent help for some trips.

From time to time we may also take small groups of children for a walk outside the Centre to explore the local environment, to the local library, or to the supermarket with a staff member. You have been asked to provide written permission for these excursions on your child’s enrolment forms. We consider that these everyday experiences are an important part of the early childhood curriculum, and as such are valuable learning opportunities.

What to bring:

At Mt Royal ECE we believe that children learn best when they are able to experiment and explore with all their senses. We will provide aprons for paint and messy activities, but your child may still get wet and dirty from time to time. We therefore ask that you provide your child with at least 3 full changes of clothing every day so that we can keep them warm and dry.

We suggest that you send old clothes that you don’t mind being stained so that your child can become involved in messy activities without fear of damaging their clothes.  All wet or soiled clothing will be sent home for washing in a plastic bag.

In the warm months:

Please provide a sun hat and apply sun block before coming to the Centre in the morning. We will apply more sun block throughout the day.

In the cooler months:

Please provide a warm hat that covers your child’s ears. We also recommend your child bring a pair of gumboots, a rain coat, water proof pants and plenty of warm clothing. We will play outdoors in winter (weather dependent) and your child may get wet. They may also like to have their slippers to wear inside.

For children who require nappies, please provide enough nappies each day to ensure we are able to change your child at appropriate intervals. Most families bring a whole packet to the Centre each week, and we will advise you when these are almost gone. We advise that you provide at least 4 nappies per day to allow for bowel movements and unexpected use of nappies e.g. water play.

Communication:

Open communication is vital to ensure high standards of care for children and their families. We will endeavour to talk to you every day as well as inviting you for a parent/teacher discussion at least once a year. We aim to build relationships with children, their parents, family and whanau that enable us to provide the best possible care and education for all children.

Please talk to us informally every day, but if you have any questions or would like to discuss your child’s care privately please talk to a staff member and we will make time to meet with you.

If you require any further information please call in at the Centre or phone us on 09 8497440