Welcome to Alkimos Baptist College

Establishing Good Foundations

Early Learning Centre 2013

There is mounting evidence from a broad research base in health, developmental psychology, neuroscience and education, of the importance of optimum family and community experiences for children during the earliest years of childhood and development.

There is also the growing understanding of the critical role played by the quality of psychological, emotional and other environmental experiences on early brain development. There is much evidence that these experiences establish a template that has the potential to play a significant role in later life.

Early experiences and the quality of nurturing and cognitive stimulation which children receive in the first few years of schooling may have a big impact on their development and the course they choose to follow in life.

Early Learning Centre Facilities

The Early Learning Centre consists of an air conditioned indoor learning area, with wet area and cooking facilities for both the Kindergarten and Pre Primary and a fenced out-door area with undercover areas, shaded sand pit, track and playground equipment. Children may use other facilities on the College campus for sport, art, music and library studies, but generally stay within their area.

The Kindergarten Learning Program

Kindergarten is a gradual introduction to schooling in a fun, yet structured environment. In planning a 'learning through play' environment for this age group, we aim to take into account the developmental stages of these children.

All children are encouraged to develop their strengths and overcome their weaknesses in a supportive environment.

It was Albert Einstein who said that "imagination is greater than knowledge". We aim to develop a play-based program committed to developing each child's imagination and personality using a differentiated curriculum.

The Pre Primary Learning Program

Pre Primary aims to continue to develop and foster an enjoyment of learning, while encouraging equity and respect for others in the learning environment and community. During this stage of their schooling, children are given opportunity to develop essential foundations on which to build their knowledge, skills and values, particularly in the areas of social and emotional well being, literacy and numeracy. We recognise that children are unique and endeavour to celebrate the unique potential of each child through a curriculum that allows children to explore and discover concepts for themselves with adult guidance.

Early Intervention

Speech and phonological awareness screening will occur, with parent permission, in the middle of the year in Pre Primary, with a professional speech therapist. Some Kindergarten children are also recommended for this screen. We will follow up students requiring assistance in this area. We offer an ongoing support network, with particular attention to early intervention. Kindergarten and Pre Primary students will also be screened for Perceptual Motor Skills within the PMP program. The PIPS - 'Performance Indicators in Primary School' assessment program will be conducted in Term 1 and Term 4 of Pre Primary.

The Occupational Therapist also screens students at our request and with parent permission. The School Nurse checks all Kindergarten students for issues with modalities of ears and eyes, also with parent permission.