Curriculum
ECE Curriculum
Your young child learns under the ECE curriculum - Te Whāriki. Learning for very young children is not based on specific areas like maths and science, learning happens everywhere and all of the time. Our centre aims to support that learning and extend it. We provide planned and spontaneous experiences and activities for children to develop their own knowledge, skills and attitudes that support them to become confident learners. We are working towards developing your child's love for learning that will stay with them throughout their lives.
How does this help my child?
Learning at ECE Early Childhood Education services helps your child to:
become involved/find an interest
persist with difficulty (for example,
by having ideas for problem-solving)communicate their ideas (for example, through language or art)
take responsibility (for example, respond to others and assess their own achievements).
be curious
Each child learns in their own way and teachers build on children's strengths and interests. Children are supported to make choices and encouraged to take responsibility for their learning.
Today, parents, family/whānau and early childhood education services all play a part in educating and caring for young children. Te Whāriki provides ECE services with a framework to fulfil their role. Parents can also use the same ideas to support their child's learning at home. Te Whāriki is the early childhood education sector's curriculum framework. It covers the education and care of children from birth to school age and is used by most ECE services in New Zealand to guide the learning opportunities they provide for children. At Eden Early Learning, we embrace Te Whāriki as a holistic and working document. A copy of Te Whāriki is available for parents to read. Please ask your child's teacher.
Assessment, evaluation and observation
Assessments, evaluations and observations for your child will be done continually throughout the year. These will be recorded into your child's online learning journey profile. They are a wonderful reflective journal of your child's learning and development at Eden Early Learning.
We welcome parents to be a part of the decision making for their child's care and learning, creating an ongoing working relationship between child, parents and teachers. The content of a portfolio is determined by each child's attendance time at the centre.
Medicines
All medication administered to children at the centre (prescription or non-prescription) requires parent/caregiver authorization. Please see a teacher in your child's class to discuss your child's medication needs. We will only administer medicine according to the doctor or manufacturer instructions.
If your child suffers from a chronic illness and requires medication such as stated in the Category (iii) individual health plan form. This will enable teachers to clearly understand your child's medication and illness needs. We will also need to discuss any medical training (if any) that staff will need to know to be able to care for your child's health.
Category 1 Medicines
Definition – a non-prescription preparation (Arnica cream, antiseptic liquid, insect bite treatment spray etc) that is:
not ingested;
used for the ‘first aid’ treatment of minor injuries; and
provided by the service and kept in the first aid cabinet.
Authority required – a written authority from a parent given at enrolment to the use of specific preparations on their child for the period that they are enrolled. The service must provide (at enrolment, or whenever there is a change) specific information to parents about the Category (i) preparations that will be used.
Category 2 MEdicines
Definition – a prescription (such as antibiotics, eye/ear drops etc) or non-prescription (such as paracetamol liquid, cough syrup etc) medicine that is:
used for a specified period of time to treat a specific condition or symptom; and
provided by a parent for the use of that child only or, in relation to Rongoa Māori (Māori plant medicines), that is prepared by other adults at the service.
Authority required – a written authority from a parent given at the beginning of each day the medicine is administered, detailing what (name of medicine), how (method and dose), and when (time or specific symptoms/circumstances) medicine is to be given.
Category 3 Medicines
Definition – a prescription (such as asthma inhalers, epilepsy medication etc) or non-prescription (such as antihistamine syrup, lanolin cream etc) medicine that is:
used for the ongoing treatment of a pre-diagnosed condition (such as asthma, epilepsy, allergic reaction, diabetes, eczema etc); and
provided by a parent for the use of that child only.
Authority required – a written authority from a parent given at enrolment as part of an individual health plan, or whenever there is a change, detailing what (name of medicine), how (method and dose), and when (time or specific symptoms / circumstances) the medicine should be given. (Ref Criterion Appendix 3 Hs28)
Security & Privacy
Collecting your child from the centre
Our staff will only allow an authorized person, nominated by you to collect your child from the centre. The nominated person must be at least 17 years old. Nominated persons are stated on your enrolment agreement.
Any changes to this list must be made on an amendment form. If you would like a person who is not nominated on your enrolment agreement to collect your child (eg. visiting grandparent), YOU MUST notify the centre prior to their arrival, before your child will be released. You will be required to complete an amendment form when you are next at reception.
Sign in and out/register
Our reception area is at our entry door. Our reception area offers us security in knowing who comes and goes in our centre. Our digital sign in and out tablet is at reception. YOU MUST sign your child in on arrival and out on departure. All other visitors MUST sign in and out. Whānau will need to physically sign the weekly attendance sheet for the previous week, this is a Ministry of Education requirement.
Privacy
Photographs may be taken from time to time for our centre newsletter, for portfolio and assessment work, and for displays on the walls in our centre. We require you to sign a Privacy consent form allowing us to use your child's photograph and their name in this manner. Private cameras are not allowed in the centre unless by prior arrangement with management. Parents may ask for permission to take photographs of their child during a special event (e.g. birthdays).
By signing our Privacy consent form, these photographs may be taken. Please discuss this with staff if you have any further queries.
Health & Safety
Sun Safety
In the summer months we supply sunblock for all children if your child is sensitive to the brand we are using you are welcome to supply another type that we can apply to your child regularly to protect their skin from the damaging sun. We recommend children bring their own rash t-shirts or long sleeves so they can participate in water fun activities to stay cool and protected from the elements. In the warmer hotter weather we hang the colourful shade sales to provide some cooler shaded areas for children and kaiako to play and explore outside. Children are encouraged and expected to wear sun hats while playing in the sunshine outdoors. Whānau will need to supply a bucket, wide brimmed, or legionnaires style hat, and we have plenty of spare hats for children if theirs is forgotten or misplaced.
Accidents
All practicable steps will be taken to get immediate medical assistance for a child who is badly hurt in an accident or becomes seriously ill. A parent/caregiver will be notified immediately. A record of all accidents and serious illness will be taken. Parents are asked to sign the accident or illness register. We use ice and arnica for any bumps/bruises and Tui Baby Balm for nappy rash. As these are a category 1 medication (ref Licensing Criteria Appendix 3 HS28) we require parent consent upon enrolment.
Fire Evacuation, Earthquake and Emergency REsponse
All evacuation exits are clearly marked by Exit signs. Please read the Evacuation Procedures displayed throughout the centre. The Assembly points are the rear playground in each teaching unit. Each child will participate in regular trial evacuations throughout the the year. Trial evacuations will be held in the centre each month. Teachers will implement strategies to support children in the evacuation process. All staff will be given Fire Evacuation Training on employment and ongoing training will occur throughout the year.
Parking
We have many car park spaces and a quick stop park directly in front of the centre. The gates are sometimes closed for the tamariki to use the car park.
Trips
Our local community is full of discovery and exploration for educational purposes for our young children. There may be times when teachers would like to take the children to visit some of these exciting places. It is important to note that all Trips are rigorously assessed for risk. During the planning process teachers must complete a Excursion Risk Assessment Form which helps us to assess possible dangers to child safety and how can each child’s individual needs be met.
The minimum adult to child ratio for trip/excursion is as follows:
Over 3 years
1 Adult to 6 Children or 2 Adults to 16 children
1 Adult to 2 Children if the trips are to the swimming pool or near a large body of water.
2 to 3 years
1 Adult to 6 Children or
1 Adult to 2 Children if the trips is to the beach or swimming pool or near a large body of water.
If the manager rates the trip as a high risk, the ratio will reflect more strict supervision, for example 1 adult to 2 children or 1 adult to 1 child
A minimum of 2 adults must attend any trip with one being a qualified teacher who holds a current first aid certificate.
Children who remain at the centre will be attended by a teacher who holds a current first aid certificate.
Each trip proposal must be approved by management before it can proceed.
A notice will be displayed on your child’s room entry door detailing, where we have gone, what time we left, what time we will return and our contact mobile phone number at the venue.
Parent Approval will be required for all planned excursions prior to a trip commencing. Spontaneous excursions are signed for at enrolment.
Teachers will complete the Excursion Risk Assessment Form and gain management approval before proceeding with an excursion.
For more information please see the Excursions Policy which can be viewed in the policy folder at reception.
Illness and medication
A child's well being is paramount. All practicable steps are taken to ensure that children do not come into contact with any person (adult or child) on the premises who is suffering from a disease or condition likely to be passed onto children and likely to have a detrimental effect on them. If a child becomes unwell while attending the centre they will be kept at a safe distance from other children (to minimise the spread of infection). Parents/Caregivers will be contacted to collect their child without delay. If you child is sick please keep them at home. Please do not be offended if we refuse care for this reason.
For your information the following symptoms are indicators of communicable illness:
High temperature, upset stomach, inflamed throat or eyes, diarrhoea or vomiting, yellow or green nose discharge.
Head lice (nits/kutus) are a recurring problem in schools and early learning centres. They often prefer clean, healthy heads, however, if live lice are found on your child's head you will be phoned and asked to collect your child. Your child can return to Eden Early Learning after their hair has been treated. This helps prevent the rapid spread of these annoying critters. Pamphlets on head lice facts and treatment can be found at reception (see Child Health Policy and Head Lice Policy). We also supply nitenz nit treatment shampoo for sale.
First Aid
Our main First Aid kit is located in the laundry room. There are also smaller versions of the main first aid kit available in all teaching units. It is regularly checked and restocked. Our qualified teachers are First Aid qualified, however, we recommend that all of our teachers are First Aid qualified. First Aid certificates must be renewed every two years.