Early Learning Centre The most important message ELC Director, Amelia Barrow, has for the parents of boys in the ELC is ‘Don’t worry, you won’t miss out!’
Amelia knows that it’s hard to get little boys to talk about their day, so we give parents visual and written updates about milestones reached, topics explored and activities enjoyed.
We’ll also give you the right questions to ask your son to get him to tell you all about it himself. And we’ll invite you in to join us, now and then!
An ELC experience that suits your son with hours that suit you.
The ELC offers a range of programs that will not only meet the learning needs of preschool boys, but will also have the convenience of care before and after the preschool day.
There are several options on offer, ranging from the existing term-time kinder program to a 48-week long-day service with both kinder and childcare included. The other great news is that with extended hours of care, the program now qualifies for government Child Care Rebates.
Learn more about our long-day program.
If you ask the mums and dads what is the best thing about the ELC at BGS, 9/10 will tell you it’s the staff. The staff in our ELC are special. They are imaginative, energetic, passionate, patient and caring.
We enjoy a strong track record of having basically the same fabulous team in place for a number of years meaning you can feel confident we really will know your little boy and his individual learning needs and personality traits.
Learning in the early years, especially for boys, is all about feeling safe, valued and known.
The BGS ELC was designed with extra large classroom and playground space to accommodate the very physical learning programs – there’s lots of moving, doing and touching to stimulate brain activity.
The ELC boys also enjoy special activities in other facilities around the School – sports ovals, the halls, libraries and specialist learning spaces.
Each week, as well as regular classroom activities your son will enjoy specialist classes of music, physical education, art and library. On top of that, because the ELC is an important part of the bigger school, the boys enjoy a raft of other special activities.
Each boy from the ELC has a ‘buddy’ from either Year 5 or 6 with whom they share a weekly session of work and play.
The boys also take excursions around the school to visit the animals in the science lab, to see the Headmaster and big boys, to watch theatrical rehearsals, enjoy music concerts and simply get to know their way around.
On special occasions, like the annual ELC ‘Footy Day,’ boys from the 1st Football team visit the ELC to coach the little boys. This interaction with ‘big boys’ is a benefit unique to an ELC such as ours.
We know boys love rules and boundaries as it provides them with a sense of security.
The daily routine in the ELC helps each boy know what’s coming up next whether it’s outside play, lunch or rest time and what is expected of him. When boys know what is expected they can prepare their behaviour appropriately.
You will be amazed at how independent your little boy will become in our ELC.
Boys in the ELC learn through play. But that doesn’t mean the boys just do whatever they want or are simply sent outside to play!
Staff plan amazing inside and outside structured play activities to create opportunity for fun while at the same time provide a context in which to practise social skills and an outlet for emotional expression.
Play encourages the boys to think creatively to find solutions to problems and conflict resolution – giving them confidence. Long periods of uninterrupted play can build boys’ concentration and responsibility for their own learning.
