Parent Information
All meals are provided at the centre and are prepared on-site, by our lovely cooks. Our main channel of communication is through Kinderm8 an online site where learning and daily routine information is communicated.
Our outdoor environment includes several learning opportunities such as sand and dirt play opportunities. There are many textures including rubber and sand as well as a mini bush walk that offers children exploration in the natural environment with loose parts.
Our Program
At Hills Daycare we strive to implement a play-based curriculum that attends to children's sense of learning and adventure. Programs are run by our educators that include Early Childhood Teacher’s, Diploma and Certificate III qualified staff. Programs are derived based on children's interests and needs and are planned accordingly to allow for ongoing learning.
Our centre program operates in small groups that are ratio sized to ensure quality one-to-one interactions between our educators and children. It also offers opportunities for quality collaboration and small-group interactions.
At Hills Daycare we run a preschool program within our long daycare hours.
Our program is complemented by resources such as Finger Gym, Ant's in the Apple, and designed quality school readiness resources.
At Hills Daycare we implement various incursions that work to extend connections with the wider community. They provide opportunities for children to explore exciting experiences that continue to challenge and drive learning and development. These programs include a sports program that challenges children's gross motor skills and supports their development of fundamental movement skills.
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FingerGym
FingerGym is a fine motor school readiness program that uses fun, creative fine motor experiences to support children's classroom independence. These experiences are crafted by occupational therapists and attend to children's sense of fun and adventure in a play-based learning environment.
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Explorers in Science and the Environment
At Hills Daycare we are passionate about exploring scientific concepts and learning about the environment. We provide opportunities for children to be investigators and experiment in their learning. We are fortunate to have a large outdoor environment where children engage in learning about sustainability and the importance of environmental respect and care.
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Ants in the Apple
Ants in the Apple program support the learning of phonics. Its song and flashcards attend to children's sense of play while catering to diversity with accompanying visuals.
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Our Vision for Reconciliation
Our vision is to honor the history, rights, and connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the land. We strive for inclusivity with an embedded Indigenous-focused curriculum, fostering Reconciliation conversations and awareness among children. Valuing cultural heritage unites Australians, integrated into our philosophy and practices through community engagement. Our child-centered program ensures holistic, quality learning, promoting belonging and inclusion.
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School Readiness and Literacy experiences
School Readiness and Literacy experiences utilise the Ants in the Apple program and designed resources to complement tailored learning for children's different capabilities. These include books and learning of social-emotional skills to develop children’s confidence and allow them to explore their sense of agency and independence in their learning.
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Play-based learning
Play-based learning drives our teaching at Hills Daycare, children are naturally curious, and this type of learning creates an environment for children to feel safe when investigating, problem-solving, creating, and socialising with others.
Our Philosophy
Like every parent wanting the best for their children, at Hills Daycare we strive to offer a high standard and continuity of education and care, in a secure and safe welcoming environment.
Families have been providing their child with valuable knowledge and care since their birth. Through this our service acknowledges the importance of forming a partnership with families and the need to communicate with them. Our relationship with families is inclusive, we believe the diversity within them is what makes our centre a vibrant place. We strongly believe that relationships children have with their families and the wider community are valuable and therefore consider them to be used as the foundation of our curriculum to extend each child’s learning.
Individuality is celebrated at our service, we recognise that each child is unique with their own set of abilities, interests and cultural backgrounds. We value the Indigenous culture and history of the land we are situated on and strive on creating embedded sustainable practices with connection to the land.
We believe in the importance of enhancing a child’s wellbeing, by promoting good health behaviours and creating security in our relationships and environment that allow children to extend their learning.
We offer an atmosphere where children can extend their confidence and overall agency to support their health and wellbeing, whilst fostering their sense of belonging, being, and becoming under the Early Years Learning Framework.
By fostering in each child, a positive approach towards their identity, self-esteem, resilience, and responsibility we believe they can grow their separate identity and abilities as well as still be able to contribute constructively to meaning making.
We will engage in ongoing practices that include reflecting and evaluating our procedures to drive continuous improvement and to ensure each child can maximise their learning opportunities.
We as educators encourage growth and value development that allows us to enhance our ability to support and care for the most crucial focus in our service, the children.
