Alison’s update
Chief Operating Officer
Welcome to our December 2023 Family Newsletter. Our family survey results are in, and we are very grateful to our families who took the time to provide us with invaluable feedback. Our family survey participation almost doubled compared to last year’s result, rising by 21%, with focus areas across Petit Early Learning Journey for 2024 being Staffing (retention and leadership), Care (connections with children and daily rituals) and Communication (shared moments each day for every child). Visibility of learning remains vital for families, and we will continue to develop this through Storypark and in your child’s studio.
I am also pleased to be able to let you know that our 2023 Employee Engagement Survey showed significant improvement in overall engagement – rising by 11% to exceed the Australian benchmark. We are excited by these results as it confirms that our teams see the actions we have taken as positive changes and are aligned with our focus areas. In 2024 we will continue to concentrate on learning and development with a targeted focus on leadership. You can read more about the survey and some of the positive comments in this month’s culture blog.
Thank you for being so supportive and sharing your child’s journey with us this year. We look forward to our Summer Project Learning program continuing into the new year with more memories and learning stories to share. If your child is transitioning to school, we wish you all the best and hope to hear from you as their learning journey continues. Have a safe and joyful festive season.
Please speak to your Centre Director if you have questions about our Summer Project Learning program, opening hours or your child’s journey with us in 2024. We are always here to help.
End of year message for families
Exceptional performer for December
Liz Wisowaty from Petit Early Learning Journey Wooloowin
Congratulations to Educational Leader Liz Wisowaty from Petit ELJ Wooloowin who is this month’s exceptional performer. Liz is a champion for the education and practice space and reflects the Petit ELJ philosophy in everything she does. She has been adaptive and flexible and continuously overcomes challenges to grow in her role and in support of Petit ELJ Wooloowin. Liz has overcome many hurdles while supporting the team and empowering them in their roles.
What do you like most about being educational leader at Petit ELJ Wooloowin?
I love working as part of a supportive leadership team. We have an amazing group of educators who have been so receptive to growing their knowledge around educational practices and documentation this year. Of course, I’ve also enjoyed getting to know all of the children and families in the centre.
What is your career story?
I started working in the early childhood education and care sector later in life. After finishing school, I first worked in a range of administrative roles for around ten years. I took some time off when I had my first child, and when my daughter was about 12 months old, I decided it would be the right time to go to university and study something I was passionate about. So, I enrolled in my Bachelor of Education. I had my second daughter three years later. While studying, I spent many years working in Inclusion Support in a kindergarten, an area I enjoy. It was a long road, taking nine years to complete while balancing work, study and family life. After graduating, I spent nearly five years as an Early Childhood Teacher. At the start of this year, I began my role at Petit ELJ Wooloowin as Educational Leader, as I realised I really enjoyed supporting other educators’ growth.
What do you consider as the most important aspect of children’s learning?
Children learn best when they feel safe and supported, so promoting children’s sense of belonging is key! Play is also vital for learning, and one of the things I love about working in early childhood is giving children long stretches of uninterrupted time for exploring their interests and discovering new things through play.
What’s your most memorable moment this year?
It is not so much one moment, but I’ve recently been reflecting on where the centre and educators were at the start of the year, and the journey they’ve taken over the year, and it’s been awesome to see so much growth. I can’t wait to see what next year brings!
Queensland’s free kindy 2024
Queensland’s 2024 free kindy is almost here. Enrolments are now open for eligible-aged children attending 40 weeks of government-approved free kindy per year. A qualified early childhood teacher leads the program for 15 hours of instruction per week or a total of 600 hours per year.
Selecting the appropriate kindergarten provider for your child is a significant step. We encourage all Queensland families to talk to your Centre Director about how free kindy will affect your child’s needs and interests.
Petit Early Learning Journey Service of the Year
Congratulations to Petit Early Learning Journey Coffs Harbour for their selection as Petit ELJ’s Service of the Year. This is the first time we have presented this award. The selection was based off four categories and nine metrics. The runner up was Petit ELJ Richmond.
Featured educational program
Learning through curiosity at Petit Early Learning Journey Burleigh
Report from Educational Leader Teresa Morris
While at Petit Early Learning Journey, educators might refer to our “child-led program” or “play-based program”. Some families may wonder about the benefits of this approach and how it works in an early childhood setting.
From the research in early childhood, including guidance from our national Early Years Learning Framework and our own experience working every day with young children, we know meaningful play happens through play, not separately from it.
Within the play-based and child-led approach, children become the centre of their development and embark on a journey of curiosity. At our Petit ELJ centres, children are encouraged to investigate, explore, experiment and create using various engaging and open-ended resources. Through these approaches, we allow children to explore the depths of their imagination and spark their inner curiosity.
Educators recognise the importance of learning through play and curiosity, exploring alongside children at their level and immersing into kindling their findings further through open-ended questions and exquisite intentional teaching moments branching from each child’s interests and needs. We strive to ensure the children feel loved and secure, which creates a supportive environment where they are more likely to excel.
Learning through curiosity moves away from technology, focusing on being in the present moment and fully immersing in the wonder around us. This includes discovery and adventures in our natural environments and natural resources. These important play moments brings our attention to navigating new ideas and strengthening children’s sense of becoming.
Our Petit ELJ Burleigh centre has focused on a few different inquiries, such as “the curiosity approach”, “the learning environment is a place of potential and possibility for learning”, and “risky play”.
Art and creativity using natural and recycled materials have been a huge interest of the children as they utilise resources from our environments to bring their imagination and thoughts to life in various ways. This gives the children time to be curious and initiate their ideas through creative expression through open-ended possibilities.
In our Haven Place studio, we focused on learning through recycled and natural resources. These are wonderful ways for children to explore their environments and curiosity in ways that support their learning and their wellbeing, giving them the confidence to try new experiences.
Community connections
Sustainability project broadens children’s sense of community at Petit Early Learning Journey Kew
Report by Educational Leader Adele D’Cunha
We had a sustainability project where all studios connected with the community to promote sustainability and take care of the environment. The children had been passionate about learning sustainable practices and taking care of the environment, so Haven Place studio’s team organised for a Senior Officer from the Environment Department of Boroondara City Council, Rose, to speak to us about how to sort our bins and why recycling and composting is essential.
The children across all studios had been learning about sustainability, prompting the families to come and interact with our recycling station where they could give us recyclables to make crafts, and exploring recycling in our studios, ensuring we check the labels before we dispose of things. The families have enjoyed continuing the conversation at home, speaking about reducing waste, and collaborating with Lids 4 Kids and Bread Tags for Wheelchairs to promote upcycling.
The recycling station and the bread-tag and bottle-lid drop-off station are still running, and families are welcome to interact whenever they want to. The children have planted herbs in the garden bed on the rooftop playground, and they have moved on to learn more about themselves and their community by having walks to the café and local shops as excursions.
15 Sensory play experiences for babies, toddlers and preschoolers
Children have so much fun with sensory play. Have you ever noticed how they enjoy getting their hands dirty? From digging in the sand with toy shovels…
Latest parent review
Petit Early Learning Journey Forest Hill
“Excellent service through and through. Not only do they provide dynamic, engaging and age appropriate learning program (also for the younger age groups), but also the strong bond and attachment my child has built with the educators across the centre is amazing to witness. Management team is outstanding at coordinating the day to day operations, and are always prompt in their communication with families. The countless events are well thought through and well organised. Centre is well staffed, well resourced, and provides appetising and nutritious meals. We are at ease sending our child to the centre knowing how happy they are which we can see through the daily updates.”
– Lasma Feldmane
Our culture: “I always feel valued and important.” Early childhood professionals proud to be at Petit Early Learning Journey
At Petit ELJ, our beliefs extend to the children, their families and our educators, teachers, chefs, centre leaders and national support office. We take a whole team approach to listening and learning…
Experiences from around our services
Petit Early Learning Journey Richmond embraces creativity and individualism
Children from Petit ELJ Richmond have been exploring their creativity and individualism when making festive decorations. As children grow, they become more independent and develop a sense of agency.
Socialise with us!
Like our Facebook page to follow our early learning journey.
