Park Environment

Located in one of Melbourne’s most picturesque parks and within a stone’s throw of the CBD, the Centre makes full use of its Park environment to educate children about natural habitats and care for the environment. Each morning at drop off parents sign a special column in their child’s sign in sheet giving permission for Educators to take the children into the Park. The children are taken on regular nature walks to experience the local wildlife, such as kookaburras, possums, lorikeets and insects and to observe the changing seasons reflected in nature. Park Rangers, on our doorstep, also provide excellent co-curricular experiences educating children further about their ark environment and its inhabitants. We also use the park land for our community gatherings and sporting events throughout the year. An important day on the Events Calendar early in the year is the social morning in the Park to welcome new families and to build connections within the community that benefit children, parents and the extended family. Further events throughout the year are held in the Park including, Fish and Chips evenings, picnics and sporting events, 3-5 year old groups play kickstart soccer outside weekly.

Environmental Focus

Together with the City of Melbourne, Fawkner Park Children’s Centre has been working towards creating a safer, more environmentally friendly and sustainable building.

The modern extension of the Centre has been designed to save energy and water and provide a healthy indoor environment.

To make the building more comfortable, the design maximizes Winter sun access and minimizes Summer sun penetration into the building. It also features low and high opening windows which improves air movement.

Environmentally friendly and recycled materials were used wherever possible. Low VOC (Volatile organic compounds) paint, marmolium made from recycled rubber components and carpets were used to reduce chemical exposure.

Energy is saved by using natural light, installing solar panels to reduce energy footprint to produce consumable electricity, installing low energy light fittings with sensors, fitting double glazing to external windows and insulation in the roof and external walls.

Gas hot water is used throughout the building.

Water saving is achieved by collecting water from the roof with storage in water tanks, which is then used to flush the toilets and by having sensor low water flow timer taps to children’s hand basins.

Events Calendar

EXTRA CURRICULAR ENRICHMENT PROGRAM – A regular program of workshops and visitors to the Centre broadens children’s experiences and enriches the program. Incursions are planned throughout the year and include music performances, drama workshops, puppet shows, storytelling, healthy eating and environmental education sessions, to mention just a few.

Healthy eating

All meals are prepared by a qualified cook in our kitchen on the premises. Healthy low sugar, seasonal meals are prepared daily reflecting community cultural diversity.

Allergies, intolerances and parental food preferences are taken into account.

Children have morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack each day.

Our Teachers

The majority of our teachers hold Degree level qualifications. Many teachers also have specialist qualifications in areas other than Early Childhood. We offer excellent child/teacher ratios as a result of employing well above the required level of trained and experienced educators.

Many teachers in the team hold specialist roles such as;

Educational Leader – leads the development and implementation of the educational program/curriculum. Responsibilities include establishing systems across the Centre to ensure reflective practice and continuity of learning from room to room and the transition to school.

Educational Leader (Junior Garden) – This incorporates being a professional role model for high quality education and care for young children. This also includes sharing knowledge of child development and demonstrating effective approaches to documenting children’s learning specifically to Storypark, the Centre’s online teaching and learning tool.

Sustainability Coordinator – maintains up to date knowledge and supports Fawkner Park Community in embedding sustainability into everyday teaching and learning.

Small group learning

Small group learning is used as a partner to extend upon children’s knowledge and discovery. Intentional teaching defines small group learning. Focus is placed on developing social skills through numeracy and literacy, dramatic play and learning about the environment.
A dedicated parents resource/ small group learning room provides a space for Kinder children to participate in regular small group Art experiences as well as foreign language learning.

Inhouse Programs

Fawkner Park Children’s Centre prides itself on a varied and extensive extra curricula incursions program to complement the well planned educational experiences and environments.
Regular programs include music, indoor sports, outdoor soccer, as well as a diverse Calendar of Events throughout the year.

Community

The Centre is a cooperative and is run by a parent management committee. One of the benefits of being in a cooperative is that the members have a common goal. Fawkner Park Children’s Centre is proud of the fact that its parent members are heavily involved in the operation of the Centre, both through the Committee of Management – consisting of parents elected by parents – and through the Regular General Meetings of members of the Cooperative. We encourage parents to think of themselves not as customers of the Centre but as part owners of the Centre, in partnership with a group of like-minded owners.

Sustainability

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At Fawkner Park Children’s Centre we are committed towards embedding sustainable practices into our program and planning. Every child, regardless of age, has the opportunity to plant, cultivate and ultimately harvest their own fruits, vegetables and herbs. We believe that these hands-on experiences are vital in ensuring a sustainable future.

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Our location in the grounds of Fawkner Park gives us the unique opportunity to take our children out of the classroom and into nature. We explore the park and all it has to offer, believing that nurturing a love for the outdoor environment is undeniably important. As well as developing a respect for the natural environment, we touch on the interdependence between land, people and animals, knowing that this will help to develop a sense of care and respect for natural and constructed environments.

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We believe that sustainability is a vital part of early childhood education and take great pleasure in incorporating sustainable practices into all that we do.