ELC Learning Program
As the beginning stage of your child’s exciting learning journey, St John’s Grammar prioritises the importance of developing an appreciation for learning, in addition to genuine relationships and personal connections.
The ELC offers an outstanding curriculum and service to your children, in an intimate group setting, delivered by fully qualified teachers, giving your child a positive head start on their learning journey.
Each child at St John’s ELC thrives in an enriched learning environment that inspires individual curiosity, exploration and creativity. Resilience, perseverance, confidence and courage are all key learning dispositions our ELC students begin to develop during this pivotal time.
We focus on positive wellbeing, helping your child to understand their identity and equipping them with strategies to enable them to socialise effectively with their peers.
Based on Montessori principles, our fundamental philosophy is to instil a love of learning by providing a planned environment that is multi-sensory, calm and orderly, one that facilitates the natural inquisitiveness of a child and allows for brain encoding through repetition. The structured freedom of our environment is designed to promote the child’s growth of independence and their quest to understand the world around them.
Alongside these Montessori-based principles, the educational program runs hand in hand with the Early Years Learning Framework – Belonging, Being and Becoming, a key component of the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care. This 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.
As the entry point into St John’s Grammar Junior School, the Preschool children regularly attend and take part in Junior School life and special events. Additionally, Junior School specialist teachers undertake regular lessons at the ELC in subjects such as Science and Music. A formal buddy program with the Year 3s also provides another strong connection to the Junior School.
There are two transition points for entry into Reception at the Junior School. There is Term 1 entry for children who turn five before April 30 and mid year entry for those who turn five after 1 May but before the end of October. A structured orientation and transition program is a cornerstone of the Preschool program and is designed to provide a seamless transition into ‘big’ school.
