Only About Children Highett
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Only About Children Highett Centre overview
Welcome to Only About Children Highett!
Only About Children Highett is a warm and inviting child care centre where children are cared for by qualified and passionate educators. The safe and home-like environment facilitates play-based learning that is both structured and unstructured. Children from six weeks to school age are able to attend from 7am to 6:30 pm with all meals and snacks provided.
In the large outdoor play spaces, the children are free to dig in the sandpit, water the plants in the vegetable garden, or ride on the bike track. Inside, the light-filled spaces use natural materials to encourage play and interaction with friends. Educators enjoy taking the children out in the local community for excursions and community activities that build on the children’s interests. This includes regular visits to the local primary schools, to prepare the children for their own transition to school.
Centre Extras
- Dietitian designed menu prepared in-house
- In-house allied health specialists
- Nursery/Toddler/Preschool curriculum
- Incursions & excursions
- School readiness program
- Focus on nature & sustainability
- Nappies, formula, linen & sunscreen
- Daily photos & updates via parent app
This two level purpose-built campus is just a short walk to Highett Station and bus interchange, with Woolworths just across the road. The centre offers covered parking, pram storage and lift access to make drop off and pick up times run smoothly. Why not book a tour today?
Fees & Vacancies
Enquire & enrol to get a week on Care For Kids*
*T&Cs apply
Enquire & enrol to get a week on Care For Kids*
*T&Cs apply
Enquire & enrol to get a week on Care For Kids*
*T&Cs apply
Enquire & enrol to get a week on Care For Kids*
*T&Cs apply
Only About Children Highett Service features
See more (10)Only About Children Highett service include:
Get to know us
About the curriculum
About the curriculum
Only About Children consider themselves much more than just child care. They are a place for children to grow, learn, make friends, explore the world and become school-ready. The children are exposed to a vast array of programs and inclusions as part of the daily fee.
The Grow Curriculum is the centre’s unique educational framework and the basis for essential early years learning and development. It includes core practices and programs that children are immersed in daily, through a balance of structured and unstructured play-based learning. It is guided by the Australian Early Years Learning Framework. Spanning nursery, toddler, preschool and school readiness ages.
The 4 key areas of the curriculum are:
- Left Brain Logic – Literacy & Language, Exploration & STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math) and Sustainability
- Right Brain Creativity – Music, Dramatic Play and Art
- Health and Wellbeing – Physical Activity and Nutrition
- Social Development, Trust, Respect & Relationships and Resilience & Mindfulness
To support the Grow Curriculum, the centre also has relationships with local schools to help with the transition to school, including school readiness workshops for families.
Programs
Programs
Morning
Sam is nine months old and loves his days at Only About Children, especially when he is greeted with a warm welcome from his caregiver! To start the day the educators have set out open ended musical instruments for the nursery children to explore with purpose and concentration. Sam chooses an egg shaker and enjoys the sound it makes as he moves it from side to side. One-on-one time, group play and aged based learning are a priority at this age.
Sam then joins his friends who are enjoying a story with their educator, as part of the centre’s ‘Book of the Month’ program. Today it is “I Need a Hug”, about a tiny porcupine who wants a cuddle. Nursery children are introduced to literacy early on allowing them to become familiar with the concepts, text and illustrations.
Lunch & Sleep Time
As much as possible, routines are based on each child’s home routine. After a healthy lunch Sam goes down for his sleep in the nursery cot room. Sam loves that his educator gives him a big hug and checks on him while he sleeps. Cot linen, nappies and formula are all provided. He just brings his sleeping bag and comforter.
Afternoon
Sam and his friends head outside to the grassed area where the environment has been carefully designed to be safe, challenging and stimulating for children 0-2 years. As well as being full of fun outdoor activities it supports the development of motor skills, resilience and individual confidence.
Morning
Alex is two and a half years old and loves to join his fellow room friends for breakfast before heading out to the toddler play environment for an abundance of open ended materials and experiences. Alex and his mates are free to discover the space safely and independently with educator supervision.
The educators like to arrange activities in small groups in intentional teaching settings to support the children with their growing curiosity and sense of self. Today Alex’s group is collecting different shaped leaves that they will use in a creative project.
Lunch & Rest Time
Alex loves to help the educators weed and water the herb garden. Today he picks some of the mint to taste. He takes the rest inside to the campus cook to use in the cacao mint muffins for afternoon tea. For lunch Alex eats his favourite Chicken and Mushroom Risotto.
Busy toddlers need time to rest so this is integrated into every day. Alex has dropped his day sleep so enjoys quiet reading and relaxation.
Afternoon
The children are sitting on the mat with their educator to enjoy some nursery. Alex sings along to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and copies the educator’s hand movements.
Morning
Tess is 5 years old and likes to start her day with her Educator and small group playing numeracy and literacy activities as part of the broader campus school readiness program.
Lunch & Learn
The educators discuss ways that children can contribute to reducing climate change. Tess suggests that people could take shorter showers to save water, and her friends agree that they will try that too. Sustainability practices are so embedded in the day that Tess’s group empty the water cups straight into the garden after lunch.
Afternoon
Tess loves the friendships she has made at the centre, and gets great joy out of sharing their creative passions through daily music and drama. These programs also support Tess in her social, emotional and physical wellbeing too. All of which are so important for their next stage in life - school!
Meet the team
Meet the team
At Only About Children, the qualified and passionate educators seek to create a nurturing learning environment for the children in their care. They are committed to helping each child reach their full potential.
The educators help the children to feel safe, nurtured, stimulated and happy. They follow an innovative play-based curriculum, and use a small group learning environment where children’s successes, skills and challenges are monitored on an ongoing basis. Families can enjoy daily photos and updates from the centre, through their free app.
Health & nutrition
Health & nutrition
Only About Children offers a seasonal menu designed by a dietitian. All meals and snacks are prepared fresh daily in the centre, including breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack. The centre’s nutrition program is designed to meet individual dietary requirements.
The centre offers a health program which supports each child’s physical health and emotional wellbeing. Children are supported with allied health professionals in areas such as Nutrition, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy & Vision.
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491 Highett RoadHighett, VIC, 3190
Centre Reviews
Outstanding external views can’t wait to send my children here one day wow we Outstanding external views can’t wait to send my children here one day wow we
We have been going to OAC Highett since it opened in 2017/2018 and have loved our years there. The quality of care, service... We have been going to OAC Highett since it opened in 2017/2018 and have loved our years there. The quality of care, service and amenities are really great. Our little ones love their time there from the educators, the community, the program, the menu, everything. True it had some transition through the lockdowns but the centre has done well to weather that storm and is stronger because of it. The daily reporting and extra comms from the centre keep us informed every step of the way. Thank you Allana and the team, we really appreciate you all! Read more
Hi, thank you so much for your amazing review of Only About Children Highett and for being part of the Only About Children family for the past 6 years! Like all other childcare centres we were impacted by Covid but have come out better and stronger thanks to the amazing work of Allana and the great team of Educators at this campus. Thanks once again for sharing your experience. Kind regards Fiona