Early Learning Centre
At St John’s Grammar
St John’s Grammar ELC Overview
Giving a positive start to your child’s education journey, St John’s Grammar School ELC students learn to soar through a strong curriculum, building relationships, and gaining confidence and resilience.
An entry point to St John’s Grammar School, our Early Learning Centre (ELC) provides Montessori-based education programs for 3 and 4 year olds, delivered by qualified teachers. Established student buddy programs and incorporation into Junior School events and life provide a strong connection with the Junior School for the children to make the transition to the Junior School a seamless experience.
Located in a picturesque bushland setting on an acre of land with views across the city of Adelaide and coastline, our students learn from nature-based play and education as they share the land with flora and fauna. The expansive outdoor space allows for an array of nature play activities and adventures.
Together, we make a vibrant St John’s Grammar School Community for each child to connect, thrive and learn to soar.
Full-day bookings on your choice of days
St John’s Grammar School Early Learning Centre offers full-day sessions from Monday to Friday, for both our 3 year old and 4 year old programs during Term time.
The School offers a simple, full-day booking option, on the days that suit you and the number of days that suit you, with a minimum of two days per week. Your booking preferences can be updated each semester if necessary, in line with any changes to your personal circumstances.
The ELC is open from 7.30am to 6pm each day, with a Montessori-based curriculum delivered during the School terms by qualified teachers between 9am and 3.30pm.
ELC Vacation Care Program
To enhance our services to families, St John’s Grammar School also offer an ELC Vacation Care program specific to our 3 and 4 year-old students, separate to our existing Junior School Vacation Care program, which can be booked on a casual, needs basis for each child.
Towards the end of each school term, the ELC Holiday Education Program information is published on our OSHC/Holiday Program page and is also emailed to directly to parents.
Fees and subsidies
The ELC daily fee is $135 per child.
As an approved childcare provider, the St John’s Grammar School ELC offers families an opportunity to claim the Child Care Subsidy, which provides families with financial assistance towards the costs of childcare.
The ELC is also eligible for the Federal Universal Access to Early Childhood Education funding which ensures that every child will continue to have access to a quality preschool program for 600 hours (15 hours a week) in the year before school. ELC accounts are generated through our Finance team and billed weekly in arrears.
More information on eligibility and assistance is available from the Australian Government.
Uniform
The ELC uniform is designed for warmth and comfort. Items of clothing include shorts, t- shirt, tracksuit and rugby top, which can also be worn in the Junior School. For more information about the ELC Uniform and where to purchase, click here.
Toilet training
Prior to entry, children will have commenced toilet training and will be capable of independence when toileting, although we do understand accidents may occasionally happen. As the Centre does not have nappy changing facilities, we are unable to accommodate children wearing nappies.
Food
The ELC provides a fresh fruit snack in the late afternoon with families supplying food for morning snack and lunch. The notion of ‘fresh is best’ is supported by the ELC and food with minimal packaging is also encouraged to instil in children an understanding about waste reduction and environmental impact.
ELC Learning Program
The ELC provides exceptional curriculum and care for your children in a close-knit setting, taught by certified educators, ensuring a positive start to their educational journey.
Each child at St John’s Grammar School’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.
The School focus is 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.
Junior School Transition
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.
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. A formal buddy program with the Year 3s also provides another strong connection to the Junior School.
An acre of land to explore
Located in a picturesque bushland setting with views across the city of Adelaide and coastline, our students learn from nature-based play and education as they share the land with flora and fauna.
A variety of terrains and natural materials cover an acre of land for our children to explore. A flowing creek water course and sandpit sit alongside a mud kitchen and cubby building areas. Underneath grand gum trees, children can roam through native vegetation, and climb rocks and logs.
Two separate areas featuring fixed playground equipment and an open space that can be adapted for use as an oval, obstacle courses, and even as a stage for dramatic play to ensure space for all to enjoy.
Gardening is a focus with an ever-growing vegetable garden offering a multitude of produce for play, cooking and sharing with our families. Garden beds ready for planting are always available with the children able to explore the seasons and plant lifecycles all year round. Visiting gardening experts work alongside our children year-round.
Regardless of the weather, the children are able to play outdoors with a large undercover deck offering heating, blinds and fans for times of inclement weather.
Indoors, light and bright open-plan spaces provide ample and flexible areas for play, creativity and learning. A separate meeting room offers private space for families or allied health professionals to visit and work with children.
