Glass House Early Education Centre

Glass House Early Education Centre
2 Page Street
Glass House Mountains Queensland 4518
Australia
Phone: (07) 5438 7311
Email: glasshouse@qccs.com.au
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/7758jjar6GZERNzo8
  • Our Director
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    Name: Allison Baynham

    Tell us about your career in Early Childhood. How long have you been working in the industry?
    I have been in the industry since 2005 starting as a float educator and working my way up to centre manager. I have worked in both early childhood centres as well as OSHC centres with my passion being in the early childhood sector.

    Tell us about the relevant qualifications you hold that assists you in your position?
    I hold a diploma in Early childhood and education and care as well as a diploma in School age care which has helped me develop a good understanding of children from 6 weeks all the way up to 12 years of age. 

    When did you first join the QCCS team?
    20/02/23

    What do you find most rewarding about your career in Early Childhood?
    What I find most rewarding about my career in early childhood is watching the children learn and grow into confident young people and know that I’ve made a difference in their lives.

    Why should families choose Glass House Early Education Centre?
    At Glass House Early Education and Care we are creating a nurturing, happy and positive environment for children to play, learn and have fun. We look at our centre being your child’s home away from home.

    Why do you choose to work for QCCS?
    I chose to work for QCCS as I was looking for a more challenging role with a supportive company to help me achieve my goals of creating a warm and welcoming environment for children to learn.

     

     

  • Our Centre
  • Welcome to Glasshouse Early Education Centre and Preschool! Our Centre is centrally located in the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains. We are on the main road just 450m from the Glasshouse Mountains State School, in close proximity to local shops (950m away) and 550m to our local railway station.

    Our aim is to provide the highest standard of care to you, the families, as well as to the children who are within our care. Our Centre celebrates diversity, welcoming families with different cultures and backgrounds.

    Our hours of operation are from 6:30am to 6:30pm. We are open Monday through to Friday, 52 weeks a year (excluding public holidays). Our Centre opened in October 2006 and caters for 151 children aged from birth to school age. We provide before and after school care to school age children as well as vacation care in the school holidays.

    We offer a free courtesy bus service which transports children to and from the local schools in the area. We also have the option to transport children to and from home for families who have no access to transport or in emergency situations (conditions apply). The schools we currently service are Glasshouse State School, Beerburrum State School and Glasshouse Christian College.

    As security is one of our priorities, our Centre has a security door access system which only allows authorised parents/guardians to drop off and collect their child/ren from the Centre via a personal pin code.

    At QCCS we understand the importance of building relationships with the Aboriginal Communities by valuing their histories, cultures and their people to help build a more respecting and understanding future for all Australians. Acknowledging Country is a common practice in our services where we respect the continuing connection of Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners and Custodians to the land on which our services stands. 

    Our Team:
    Our team are qualified, friendly and caring staff who are committed to continually improving their skills and knowledge by frequently attending in-service training and seminars. All staff are required to have an up to date First Aid, CPR and Blue Card. All new employees of QCCS attend an Induction Session prior to commencing at any of our Child Care Centres; thus, ensuring they will be well equipped to step into their new role. In addition, we provide regular professional opportunities as well as monthly Centre Director and staff meetings to ensure that all our employees are up to date with industry developments.

    Our Centre aims to be at the forefront of industry developments and trends. Therefore, at QCCS your child will benefit from an array of experiences:

    • Interactive smart boards
    • Dynamic Emergent Curriculum based on the Early Years Learning Framework and Kindergarten Guidelines
    • Individual child portfolios. QCCS realises how important it is to be kept informed on your child’s progress and daily activities.
    • Healthy nutritious meals including breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.
    • Sun Safety is a priority with a large percentage of the playgrounds covered with artificial and natural shade. Each Centre aims to avoid sun exposure between 9am-3pm to give the children that added level of sun protection.
    • Transition to school programs along with transition statements

    Sustainability Focus:
    Our Centres are passionate about teaching sustainable behaviours, instilling the knowledge and values that help support sustainable environments. Just some of the sustainable practices that you can expect to see in our services include:

    • Educating our children in the use of compost systems within their rooms
    • Child tended vegetable and herb gardens, sharing our harvest with families and children
    • Appointment of our children to monitor the electricity and water use within our Centre
    • Use of recycled materials in our art and craft activities
    • Use of donated items by our local communities and businesses
    • Use of equipment made from recycled materials
  • Our Program
  • We are committed to the implementation of the National Early Years Learning Framework and operate an Emergent Curriculum. Our program is based on the individual needs of the children in our care. Our program is balanced and developmentally appropriate. It has variations, providing for a wide range of individual experiences. These experiences give the children the opportunity to make choices and take on new challenges. Our centre programs are based on the individual child, thus ensuring it does not exclude any one child. Our goal is to inspire delight, curiosity, and inquiry in the classroom. We are very proud to offer the below to all our families at no additional costs:

     

    Kindergarten Program
    Our Centre is pleased to be operating a Queensland Government approved Kindergarten Program with a qualified Early Childhood Teacher. This program is aimed at preparing our pre-prep children for primary school. Our Centre implements the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline and focuses on building upon children’s learning and development including literacy and numeracy skills as well as exploring the foundations of mathematics and science. We are committed to developing and building on community partnerships with local schools, Teachers and families to ensure children are being well prepared for their school years.

    Families with eligible children attending an approved Kindergarten Program may be entitled to a QKFS Plus Kindy Support Subsidy to assist with the out of pocket expenses of attending the program. To be eligible, families must either:

    • Hold a current Health Care Card, Veterans Affairs Card or Australian Government Pension Concession Card
    • Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 
    • Have three or more children enrolled in the same year (must be the same age)

    Your Centre Director can provide you with further information regarding this subsidy.

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    Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA)
    Our Centre also boasts a second language program (Indonesian), we are proud participants in the Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) initiative. ELLA is an Australian Government initiative aimed at reviving the teaching of foreign languages in Australian schools, with the aim of significantly increasing the number of Year 12 students studying a language other than English within a decade.

    Bush Kindy Program
    Our children eagerly anticipate their fortnightly Bush Kindy Sessions. Each session runs for approximately two hours and begins with a short walk to the Page Street Nature Reserve. 

    As part of our Bush Kindy Program we learn all about the world around us and connect with nature whilst always acknowledging the traditional landowners – the Kabi Kabi people. Children are given the chance to explore and learn new things, climbing, running and inadvertently expanding upon their gross motor skills. Exploring the plants, trees, rocks and water creates spontaneous conversation, interactions and valuable risk-taking opportunities. The sessions are unstructured and initiated by the children, to inspire problem solving and promote self-confidence.

    Observing insects/animals in their natural habitat is often a highlight for the children, their excitement and intrigue is always evident in their laughter and smiles. The Educators encourage their inquisitive instincts and questions.

    There are many known physical and social benefits to exploring nature and evidence shows that exposure to nature can reduce stress and increase academic performance. This is especially important in the technology driven world we live in where screen time is ever increasing for adults and children alike.

    Swimming Program
    Glasshouse Early Education Centre has partnered with a local swim centre to provide swimming lessons for children aged 3 to 5 years. The aim of swimming lessons is to teach children how to be safe in and around water. The program runs weekly, all year round, in 5-week blocks and taught by fully qualified swimming instructors.

    Barefoot Nursery

    Our Centre runs a ‘Barefoot Nursery’. Upon entry to the Nursery all Educators, guardians and visitors are required to remove their shoes or place a covering over them. Our babies are sensory explorers; therefore, it is important to us to keep our nursery room floors and environment clean and hygienic. The exceptional cleanliness of the ‘Barefoot Nursery’ concept allows our infants to freely investigate their surroundings without being exposed to unnecessary germs and bacteria.

    Vegie Fun Program
    Vegie Fun for Everyone is a 12-week food literacy program run in our Kindergarten Room, created by our very own Healthy Cooking Company designed to develop a positive attitude toward vegetables in children. The Kindergarten children will be encouraged to explore vegetables, leading to positive experiences and self-directed tasting.

    Perceptual Motor Program
    Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) activities form a part of our daily routine as your child’s Educators aim to help them become physically active and promote healthy growth as well as development of bones, muscles, flexibility, balance, posture and cardiovascular fitness. It can also help establish connections between different parts of the brain that develop memory and language.

  • Healthy Eating
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    We believe food ingredients should come from the kitchen, not from a lab. From this belief came the inspiration to open our own production kitchen, the Healthy Cooking Company. We aim to create and promote natural and wholesome food with a number of health benefits:

    • Organic baby food
    • Preservative Free
    • No artificial flavours
    • Low in sodium & refined sugar
    • Naturally sweetened with honey

    We promise that our nutrition labels will be free of numbers, so there will be no need to decipher nasty food additives. We are dedicated to providing delicious food that your children will love. Parents can rest assured that their little ones are being provided with a good start with healthy, nutritious morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea meals provided.

    As Educators, we believe in teaching children that physical activity can be fun as well as good for our bodies and minds. As a result we coordinate exciting exercise programs within our centres that have been developed by our Sports Dietitian in consultation with Primary School Physical Education Teachers. We want the children in our care to experience the numerous health benefits that regular physical activity can provide such as:

    • Stronger muscles and bones
    • Long term positive attitude towards exercise
    • Reduction in the likelihood of becoming overweight
    • Reduction in the likelihood of developing illnesses and diseases


    Through this we aim to incorporate at least three hours of physical activity each day into our room routines and programs with:

    • Morning physical activity routine
    • General indoor physical activity
    • Outdoor experiences
    Alyssa MacdonaldAlyssa Macdonald
    09:20 01 Feb 23
    I have 2 children that go here and although the changes they have been through lately have been a lot they have always eased my concerns. The front staff make me and my boys feel welcome every day.It’s hard to leave your kids daily but the way they care and cuddle them and show my boys love is ridiculous. The girls are so sweet and make the boys feel loved and comfortable and that even though mum is at work they are safe and content. I honestly couldn’t ask for more.Best Venere, best support for all the single mums out there
    Natalee NakiraNatalee Nakira
    03:33 01 Feb 23
    If I could put 0 I would !!. This centre is the most unprofessional centre ever. I had my son in it since he was 2 years old. And the whole way there was nothing but issues. Theres been many things ive let slide over the years, but the icing on the cake is that I sent my son to a local school who unfortunately doesn't do afterschool care and this place was the only local daycare in the area that did afterscool care and now being told they will no longer be continuing it what the hell are working parents in the area going to do now? over the years I've seen inconsistency with staff to the point i pulled my daughter out because i do not trust them.Headoffice is a nightmare to deal with especially one area manager who I over heard tell a parent she doesn't care about their children she cares about ratios. So no as a parent who used to love the centre i now dread dealing with them, also not to mention the way managers talk to their staff in front of parents, the way parents are ignored the way they use other children's nappies on other kids. Iwould avoid this centre all costs tbh seek elsewhere. I don't normally give bad reviews but there's been to much that happened over the years.
    Chantal FicheraChantal Fichera
    09:23 04 Nov 22
    Our daughter can be quite shy and reluctant to go to people but she adores Miss Jenna and lights up when she sees her. Miss Jenna went above and beyond to return our daughters favourite stuffed toy to us on her way home so she wouldn't be without at bedtime!The activities Miss Jenna and Miss Beth plan for the nursery are fun, engaging and encourage both independent and shared play. We appreciative how the staff welcome our feedback and make a conscious effort to resolve our concerns and support our routine.
    Renee MareeRenee Maree
    05:13 18 Aug 22
    We would like to thank Glasshouse Early Education very much for everything and let them know that our son absolutely loves going to day care and loves his carers. He knows his routine in the morning and is always waiting by the door near his bag with a big smile on his face ready to go for the day. Hopefully he will love his new day care in Central Queensland as much as he loves it at this centre.
    Aleisha TuaineAleisha Tuaine
    10:19 23 Aug 20
    From when we first visited, we loved the family feeling of Glasshouse Early Education Centre! It's lovely to walk in each morning and have staff from all rooms be able to greet your child by name and it helped reassure us that our son was getting the best of care. We've been to a few different centres and felt like our child was just one of many, but we never felt like that here.As our son grew, it was wonderful to see him form relationships with the different educators in his rooms. We aren't naive - we know that our boy can be a handful (if you can catch him!), however, he was always treated with patience and care and was excited to come each day. We really appreciated the effort that was put in each day to create fun and exciting activities.The team have managed to create a daycare centre that feels more like a family home and we can't recommend Glasshouse Mountains Early Education Centre highly enough!
    Bree-Arna DakinBree-Arna Dakin
    08:17 30 Jun 20
    I cannot say enough great things about our experience with this childcare centre. Such a great welcoming environment with helpful, lovely and friendly staff members. The staff have been nothing but extremely accommodating, and provide a safe and positive learning environment for my son each and everyday.
    Deanne ShawDeanne Shaw
    10:39 23 Jun 20
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