Early Childhood Learning Centre

Inspired Approach

From STEM to art, music, dance and the foundations of literacy and numeracy, Wesley’s approach to early education is holistic, fun and engaging. Our young learners start school with confidence, independence and a positive attitude towards learning.

Learning in Wesley's Early Learning Centres is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy and delivered through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. The IB PYP nurtures and expands young minds with a focus on socio-emotional, physical and cognitive development. The IB PYP provides a comprehensive framework that will guide them throughout Junior School and continue through the IB Middle Years Program in Middle School.

Personalised Learning Goals

At Wesley's Early Learning Centres, educators guide students to explore their individual interests at a pace that is right for them. Each child has an individual learning plan which informs open-ended, play-based activities that are both fun and challenging, supporting students to discover deeper meaning and make connections to their ideas.

The small size of our classes allows our teachers to observe and actively engage with students. Together with families, our teachers develop learning goals for each child to help guide, monitor and review learning progress each term.

Specialist Programs

Each week, children expand their learning through specialist programs, led by highly experienced subject teachers, many of whom will continue to work with the children as they progress through Junior School. Specialist programs include Music, Dance, Drama, Art, Library and Perceptual Motor Program.

Our Perceptual Motor Program guides children in activities such as climbing, ball games and memory games to stimulate motor skills and develop perceptions of height, space, pattern and order. These cognitive skills support children’s learning in other areas such as pencil grip, problem-solving and reading.

Foundations for Learning

Our students ‘learn how to learn’ through educator-led, guided play and independent inquiry. Foundational literacy and numeracy are integrated into the day-to-day program, ensuring that learning becomes a natural part of the children’s daily experiences. Class activities are a mix of structured time with specialist teachers, and less formal learning and play, influenced by children’s interests, questions and ideas.

Engaging daily with books, texts and storytelling techniques develops our young learners’ literacy and vocabulary and accelerates their language development. Our expert educators build children’s confidence and skills in numeracy by embedding counting, sorting and pattern recognition in fun, interactive games and activities.

Socio-emotional growth

Wesley’s approach is holistic, ensuring the development of the whole child. Through our integrated learning and wellbeing program, children harness their emerging capacity to experience, regulate and express a range of emotions, supporting them to develop relationships with their peers and adults and prepare for school.

Children have access to allied health professionals onsite including the School Psychologists, and external occupational therapists and speech therapists.

We work closely with the families of our ECLC children, fostering open communication and a respectful and trusting relationship that creates a strong sense of community.

School-ready

Before the new school year, children spend time in the Prep classroom, meeting their teacher, future peers and learning about what will happen in Prep. It’s also an opportunity for our Prep teachers to get to know each child, assisted by open communication with their colleagues in the ECLC about how each child learns.

Each of Wesley’s ECLCs are located within the Junior Schools of our three metropolitan campuses. As a school-based ECLC, children have access to world-class facilities across the campus which helps build young learners’ confidence in the school environment before Prep begins.

Staff Qualifications

Our educators hold tertiary qualifications in primary and early years’ education.

Each week, they participate in professional learning to ensure Wesley provides best practice teaching and learning for our children.

Our educators work closely with their colleagues in the Junior School to ensure a smooth transition from ECLC to Prep.