Underwood Early Learning Centre Jacaranda - Our Centre Rebecca - Early Learning Centre Manager Bec has been working in the childcare industry for Nine years and has been working at Jacaranda ELC since it opened in October 2004. Bec holds an Advanced Diploma of Community Services in Childcare and is continually attending training seminars to broaden her knowledge in all aspects of childcare. Bec has worked as a Group Leader in all age groups allowing her to gain experience in all developmental areas. Bec takes pride in leading a very bubbly and enthusiastic team of qualified team members. At Jacaranda Underwood we believe in providing a safe, secure and welcoming environment for not only the children but also the parents. We feel it is also important to remember that all children are unique and will develop at their own pace with guidance and encouragement. Qualified staff at the centre work in conjunction with the families and children to provide a welcoming environment with high quality, Educational Programmes and Equipment. Julie - Juniors Centre Manager Julie is the Centre Manager at Jacaranda Juniors Underwood. Julie has been working in the child care industry for the past 12 years and enjoys the wonderful interactions she experiences with children, parents and staff on a daily basis.  Julie has a passion for providing high quality care and believes all children have the right to enjoy life and grow and develop into beautiful well adjusted young children.  Julie has completed a variety of courses  including an Advanced Diploma to ensure her early childhood skills are continually updated. Julie is currently studying a Bachelor of Education and looks forward putting her new found skills into action.

Nursery Rooms

6 weeks - 2 years

Smiling, crying, bicycling with their legs and laughing at caregivers are all signals that carers at Jacaranda Underwood recognise infants use to gain and maintain attention. Here at Jacaranda Underwood we have two Nursery rooms, one in our Early Learning Centre and the other in our Juniors Centre. We offer a wide range of activities to cater for each child’s individual needs to reach their milestones. We recognise individuality, as some infants are quiet, while others are active. Each is unique. However, all infants grow and develop in predictable patterns, even though the exact rate varies from infant to infant. Responding in a warm, loving and responsive manner to a crying infant or playing games like patty cake both examples of ways that our carers promote healthy brain development. At Jacaranda Underwood, we aim to work in partnership with families to bring that extra element from home to our centre and encourage regular input from parent’s to develop and extend on children’s interests.

Toddler Rooms

15 months - 2 1/2 years

We have two toddler classrooms at Jacaranda Underwood. One in our Early Learning Centre and one in our juniors. We recognise that all toddler children need nurturing and stimulating learning environments and we cater for this very need. Our staff provide high quality care tailored programs for each child's individuals needs. We offer indoor and outdoor programmed activities based on observations we have made on the children as well as parent input to extend on their development. We plan to achieve things which are very important for each toddler like self help skills such as feeding themselves, packing away after activities, putting their own shoes on and toilet training.

Junior Kindy Rooms

2 1/2 - 3 1/2 years

We have two Junior Kindy rooms at Jacaranda Underwood. One at our Early Learning Centre and one in juniors. We aim to maintain quality care; this meaning is to develop both their minds and bodies in a safe and healthy place. We assist the children in helping them form good attitudes and make gains in social and thinking skills. We assist children in making good choices and aim to extend on their self help skills that are learnt at a younger age. The Group Leaders program to work on developing the children’s fine motor skills by planning activities such as cutting to strengthen their hand eye coordination, developing a pencil grip through painting and drawing, learning their colours, letters and shapes. The Junior Kindy children also work on developing Gross motor skills by enjoying the free choice of outdoor activities. We encourage parent input to give your child the best start in life.

Senior Kindy Room

3 - 4 years

Children at this age are skilled at walking, running and jumping. We concentrate on further developing these skills through co-ordination, balancing, ball skills, hopping and skipping activities. They will be encouraged to learn the skills to solve their own conflicts using words and guidance from staff. We aim for the children to feel safe, secure and loved in a warm and friendly environment. They will build trusting relationships so they can feel comfortable with the staff.

Our aim is to lengthen the children’s attention span to allow them to complete more complicated tasks and activities e.g. puzzles, threading and listening to stories. In the Senior Kindy room the teachers are starting to develop skills used in the preschool room such as pencil grip and expressing their interests through verbal communication.

Preschool Room

4 - 5 years

The Pre School Room provides child centred developmental programs. The activities we provide encourage your child to grow, learn and meet their individual needs and interests as well as helping to prepare them for Prep and Grade 1. The activities provided are based on observations that are done on a regular basis. Comprehensive checklists are kept on each child, as well as developmental profiles. Children build on their knowledge of letters and numbers, and also develop number and letter recognition. They begin to learn the basics of writing, with activities which improve on these skills such as tracing over letters of the alphabet and learning to write their own name. In the Pre School Room, the children play a huge part in the decision making of which types of activities are planned, and what types of group projects they would like to work on.

They are given more responsibility of their room and their belongings, and begin to develop more of the self help skills which will be required in the years to follow. We always encourage parental involvement within our centre, and would love you to come and spend some time with your child in the Pre School Room.