About Us
Indigo Early Learning Centre ELC is a family owned business that takes pride in the high quality of holistic care and learning we provide. Our priority is to offer you and your child a well resourced, professionally informed and inclusive education in a nurturing environment with a strong focus on play and fun! Children have the opportunity to explore and positively interact in an open learning setting that actively encourages the building of respectful relationships with their peers, their teachers and the community.
Community Recognition
Service Information
Indigo caters for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years. We have a service located at Green Point and another service located at Forresters Beach.
Indigo ELC Green Point is open from 6.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, (52 weeks of the year) and closed on NSW public holidays. Indigo ELC Forrresters Beach is open from 6.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, (52 weeks of the year) and closed on NSW public holidays.
Our Educators
Educators are chosen for their commitment to quality child care and their ability to work as a team. Indigo educators are selected for their knowledge, qualifications, experience, professionalism, love for teaching, and their capacity to genuinely engage with children. They are diverse and interesting people whose backgrounds are reflective of the increasingly multicultural nature of Australia. Educators participate in regular continuing professional development and are encouraged to undertake further formal study in early childhood education. A full list of educators’ qualifications and their registration status is accessible via our Indigo ELC App.
Our Leadership Team
Day to day management of our service is the responsibility of our Nominated Supervisor (NS) assisted by our dedicated team of Room Leaders and our family friendly, responsive and efficient Office Staff.
The professional development of staff in relation to aligning practice with current trends in early childhood learning, quality assurance activities, class programming, and familiarisation with new equipment and technology, plus supporting staff engagement with centre innovations and policy changes is led by our Educational Leader in collaboration with our NS and Operations Manager.
Overall management of Indigo, which includes alignment with national standards for service accreditation under the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA); quality assurance planning; updating of service policies and procedures; and, financial monitoring is undertaken by our Operations Manager who has formal qualifications and considerable experience in early childhood education and business management.
Our Vision
The collective vision of Indigo ELC is to provide a strong and stable foundation for children to experience care and development through a combination of expert staff, purpose designed quality facilities and educational programs to stimulate self-esteem, social and communication skills, creativity and a connection to the natural environment. We always aim to be at the forefront of the industry by providing truly great education and resources for children and attracting excellent staff by being an employer of choice.
Our Philosophy
The philosophy that guides our practices and daily curriculum decisions is underpinned by Reggio Emilia perspectives on early learning, is informed by the national Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), and incorporates the viewpoints and expectations of our educators, the children, their families and the wider community.
Our philosophy at Indigo reflects our commitment to nurturing each child’s capacity for creativity, curiosity, resilience, caring and positive relationships, construction of early learning, and confident transition to school through inclusive child-led individual and collaborative play, children’s spontaneous experiences and emerging interests, and child-initiated projects. For this to be genuinely successful we also value working in partnership with parents to ensure each child’s knowledge, ideas, culture, abilities and interests informs the foundation of their learning.
At the core of our work is the belief that early learning is most effectively engaged in a natural indoor-outdoor setting enriched with authentic materials and opened-ended loose-parts play resources.
Embedded in the design of our setting and processes is a demonstrated and sensitive respect for the ecology of our world through sustainable practices and the products used throughout the Centre’s daily activities.
Our educational Program
At Indigo, we follow the Australian national Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) as the benchmark for guiding and monitoring your child’s emerging learning trajectory, and documenting whole class programming. The aim of the framework is to extend and enrich children’s learning from birth to Five years and through their transition to school.
We are committed to providing a responsive educational program, which caters for each child’s individual needs, abilities and interests while being mindful of the value of shared group and whole class learning opportunities
Children are encouraged to be responsible for their own learning through their choices in experiences and unfolding interests. We use conversation and play as the basis for learning that engages children with teachers as partners seeking out ideas, opinions, thoughts and questions. Independence and self-help skills are ingrained in our children by assisting with daily routines, such as looking after the Centre’s turtles, chickens and rabbit, and supporting children to pursue their interest-based questions and projects.
During the day educators often use iPad photography to capture the learning process as it unfolds and inturn interpret this in terms of children’s development and learning.
Our educators are given regular time off the floor to document children’ spontaneous interests and activities and plan activities that compliment and extend their emerging interests plus ensure children’s development is nurtured.
Our School Readiness Program
The Indigo School Readiness Program has been designed in collaboration with our own Early Childhood University trained teachers and Tertiary trained Diploma staff plus feedback from local primary teachers and school deputies. This collaborative approach has ensured we are offering a research-informed, best-practice, relevant school readiness program that truly meets the needs of each child and the expectations of the local schools.
Fundamentals in literacy and numeracy are at the heart of the program, but special focus is also placed on nurturing social competence, self-esteem and resilience. These form the core for a smooth transition to ‘big school’.
When outside follow-up might be helpful
Educators are always available to discuss any aspect of learning and development that concerns you as a parent. If we notice any areas of concern about your child we will raise these with you and suggest further assistance that might be helpful, such as, speech therapy. We understand such issues can be sensitive and respect that it is always your decision to follow these up.
Family communication
Our engagement with you through conversation, comments and feedback are welcomed as the essential fabric that weaves us together during our shared journey of wholistic care and development for your child at Indigo. Educators and Office Staff are your first point of daily contact at drop off and pick-up time. Photos, videos and documentation of your child’s activities plus centre news updates are posted to you daily via our very own Indigo ELC App. An electronic Indigo family newsletter is posted to you weekly. Parent information about child learning and development, useful resources and community contacts and events are uploaded for your easy online access via our Indigo ELC App. .