Alpina Street Early Learning Centre

At our centre, we foster a welcoming and inclusive environment where parents and families feel comfortable and encouraged to become actively involved. We offer flexible hours and provide dedicated support for all children during drop-offs and when entering their learning environments.

We utilise Storypark to strengthen communication with families, inviting them to share photos and document aspects of their home and family life. This helps build a deeper connection between educators, children, and families.

In collaboration with our families and educators, we create meaningful celebrations that reflect our community and ensure that we are genuinely listening to and valuing the voices of our families.

Throughout the year, families are offered collaborative meetings with their child’s educators. These meetings provide an opportunity to set shared goals, celebrate achievements, and discuss additional ways to support each child’s growth and development.

Alpina Street Early Learning Centre strives to create a collaborative environment which provides the highest quality of childcare within a warm and nurturing environment where the rights of the child are paramount, children are successful, active participants, decision makers, competent and capable learners and family values are reflected.

Alpina Street ELC acknowledges Aboriginal peoples as the First Peoples of this Country and the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians, Owners and knowledge holders of the land and waterways within the area. Alpina Street ELC pays respect to all Aboriginal Elders, past and present and respects the deep cultural and spiritual connection Aboriginal people have with this Country.

Children’s individual interests are encouraged and explored to motivate them in their play. Children are provided with an abundance of opportunities through play to confidently explore and construct ideas and concepts which relate to the world around them. Children are encouraged to be curious, to question and experiment and to explore their individual creativity and potential. There is an emphasis on formal/informal and direct/indirect teaching opportunities.

Our programs are guided by both the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and the National Quality Framework; Belonging, Being and Becoming. These frameworks embrace an integrated approach to learning and teaching ensuring that play is used to facilitate children’s learning across all domains of development.

We acknowledge that the family is each child’s first teacher, whatever structure this takes and recognise that this is the child’s most significant relationship. Our belief is that all children should be cared for without bias and that cultural, linguistic and individual diversities should be embraced, acknowledged and welcomed. We highly value the link between a family, an early learning environment, the wider community and school. We strive to develop partnerships and active participation with all these groups to provide the best start for each child.

In relation to Educators, at Alpina Street we expect and enable educators to keep up with current ideas, philosophies and educational practice to strive to create a centre of excellence. Educators work collaboratively, sharing knowledge and expertise and aim to create an environment of trust and respect with an emphasis on open communication.

Finally, in relation to the environment, at Alpina Street ELC we recognise that both indoor and outdoor environments play a vital role in supporting learning and promoting physical wellbeing and strongly encourage the active use of our extensive outdoor space. Across the centre, we are developing the promotion of natural and recycled materials, support a workplace that is environmentally aware, and promote sustainable practices, minimising waste and recycling.