Hills Early Learning Centre

Name: Charlotte Leahy

Tell us about your career in Early Childhood. How long have you been working in the industry?

I have been working in the Early Childhood industry since 2014.

My entire childhood involved early childhood education as my mum was also an educator, and from a very young age I knew this was where I belong. During my journey I have been an Educator, Lead Educator, Educational Leader, Assistant Director and now Director, I have a strong understanding of each position and the dedication and passion required to fulfil such roles.

Tell us about the relevant qualifications you hold that assists you in your position?
I hold a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and am a Certified Bush Kindy Leader. I have current First Aid, CPR, Asthma, Anaphylaxis and Child Protection Certificates. Throughout my time in the profession, I’ve actively pursued numerous development courses to expand my expertise in the field.

When did you first join the QCCS team?
I joined QCCS in May 2023 when Hills Early Learning Centre very first opened its doors. 

What do you find most rewarding about your career in Early Childhood?
It is a huge privilege to be entrusted with other people’s children and having a firsthand opportunity to contribute to their first years of life. I pride myself on building relationships with children and families and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a smile on the children’s faces when they see you. 

Why should families choose Hills Early Learning Centre?
At Hills Early Learning Centre we strive to provide meaningful relationships between our children, families and educators. We value the importance of partnerships and believe these are enriched throughout the valuable contributions from our families and educators. We work with integrity and trust to create respectful and harmonious environments. We have a strong connection with nature and our land all while valuing each child as the individual they are and empower them to be the best versions of themselves.

Why do you choose to work for QCCS?
QCCS has strong embedded values that align with my own personal philosophy, truly valuing children and fostering a sense of belonging and security for all. QCCS has a strong commitment to providing high-quality early childhood education and care. As a Director, I am passionate about offering children the best possible start in life, and I believe in the importance of quality early learning experiences.

Welcome to the Hills Early Learning Centre. Our beautiful Centre is located in the heart of Jimboomba; on the campus grounds of the Hills International College (adjacent to the college Administration building.)

We are easily accessible for parents and staff of the Hills International College however we are also open to the local and surrounding communities. 

Our purpose-built centre has 5 studios, catering for 84 children aged from birth to 5years. We provide a one of a kind indoor / outdoor program with our spacious verandahs being an extension of our studios.  

Our aim is to provide the highest quality of care to our children, their families, and our local community. 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). 

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.

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 from our Healthy Cooking Company including breakfast bar, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.
• Sun Safety is a priority with a large percentage of the playgrounds covered with artificial and natural shade.
• Transition to school programs along with transition statement

Sustainability Journey:
Our Centre is 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
• Purpose built sustainability zone 
• Child tended vegetable and herb gardens, sharing our harvest with families and children
• 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 Centre has our own pet Chickens (Bok Bok, Cookie, George, Hillary) which enable the children to learn about the environment and how to live an eco-friendly way. The children get involved by collecting the eggs and taking out the scraps. Chickens are a fantastic learning experience that our teachers incorporate into their programs daily.

Any queries or to book a tour please email hills@qccs.com.au

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 w
• 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.

Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA)
Our Centre also boasts a second language program (Chinese). 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 next door to the private bush land adjacent to the Centre. 

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. 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
Hills Early Learning 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, during term 4 in line with the Queensland school terms and taught by fully qualified swimming instructors.

Veggie Fun Program
Veggie Fun for Everyone is a 12-week food literacy program run in our Kindergarten Room, created by our very own Heathy 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.

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.

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