Keiki Early Learning – FAQ

Ideally, you want to start looking as early as possible. Some of our schools have a waiting list, so it’s best to express your interest early, even if you’re not yet sure when you want to commence care. If you’re pregnant, you can enter your due date as an expected birth date.

We do not have a minimum booking – you can book one day per week to full time – we aim to meet your families’ needs.

We are fortunate to employ a highly qualified team. Some of the qualifications our educators boast are Masters Degree in Education, Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies), Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) Children and Family Studies, Degree in Early Childhood Teaching, Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, Certificate IV in Early Childhood Education and Care and Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Educators have successfully gained a Working With Children’s Check and hold formal certification in First Aid and Asthma Management & Anaphylaxis.

Our cooks are experienced and passionate with providing children with nutritious and delicious food. All menus are developed with balance and children’s daily dietary requirements in mind. Please see our food and nutrition page for a sample menu and more information.

Our centres differ slightly on inclusions so depending on the service location, you may need to pack a lunch or snack for your child. This usually applies to our Vacation Care, One-Plus and Three-Plus locations. For services catering to ages 0-5 and providing all meals, Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea are offered, as well as a small snack in the evening for children who attend later than 5pm. Dietary, cultural and medical needs are also catered for at the centres. We encourage families to discuss their child’s individual needs during the orientation process. All rooms have a copy of the child’s dietary requirements and food allergies.

Keiki Early Learning schools follow flexible routines. This ensures we are meeting every child’s individual needs.

Children in the baby’s room follow their individual home routine. As they progress to the Toddler’s room, we begin to blend this routine with a more general routine that follows regular mealtimes and sleep patterns. Pre-Kindy and Kindy children have a routine that encourages self-regulation and independence through self serving. Routines enhance a sense of security and help children become prepared for a school environment.

We’ve made it easy for you and have direct debit implemented via bank account or credit card. All you need to do is fill out an Ezidebit form or provide your details within Xplor, our dedicated and secure app. Payments are made fortnightly in advance at the Early Learning schools and the Three Plus School Readiness Program, while the Outside School Hours Care’s payments are made weekly. All payments and statements are easily accessible via Xplor.

At Keiki Early Learning schools, we believe education begins at birth. We follow the Early Years Learning Framework at all Early Learning schools, along with our proven Keiki Preschool program. The Outside School Hours Care services follow the My Time, Our Place Framework for school aged children. We believe in play-based learning which ensures that our curriculum is a balance of child led and educator intentional teaching. This offers children the opportunity to participate in active learning whilst having the support and challenge they need from educators. We incorporate elements of the Reggio Emilia approach into our learning to ensure that children have the opportunity to immerse themselves in learning that is rich in creativity whilst offering depth, appropriate challenge and fun. Our secure online portfolio gives you 24/7 access to information on your child’s learning and play.

Yes, we do. All early learning services provide our unique Keiki Preschool Program to help prepare your child for school. Even if your child has not attended a centre in their younger years, they can be enrolled in our program for pre-kindy aged children. The Preschool program is led by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher and designed to give your child the foundation skills, social skills and confidence to transition successfully into formal schooling.

Each room offers information about your child’s care and learning for the day in various formats. The curriculum displayed at your centre forms part of the planning cycle and documents the activities of the room for that day. Educators will also take the time to chat in person with you at collection and drop off times every day. We use Xplor as a secure online portfolio giving you 24/7 access to information on your child’s learning and play. We hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Children’s safety is of utmost importance, which is why we follow a year round sun protection policy. We spend a lot of time outdoors, so families are asked to bring in a sun hat for their child each day and to apply sunscreen before they arrive at the centre. Sunscreen is reapplied regularly throughout the day. Clothing covering shoulders is required, as is a water bottle.

All families are asked to provide a few spare sets of clothes; children are encouraged to enjoy messy play and sometimes there are spillages or accidents. A sunhat and drink bottle filled with water must be provided each day. If your child has sensitive skin or allergies, we ask that families bring their own sunscreen and/or nappy cream. If your child wears nappies these will need to be provided, and babies will also require their own bottle/s including the required amount of formula or breast milk per day, if applicable. Please check with your centre if a packed lunch is required as this varies by service.

We recommend a minimum of two orientation sessions. These sessions will allow your child and you to get to know the educators, the routine and the children in the room before commencing care. Children may attend as many orientation sessions or playdates as they require to help them transition into care.