Goodstart Early Learning Hoppers Crossing - Heaths Road

🎉 Happy Birthday, Tania! 🎉

Wishing you a very happy birthday and a wonderful year ahead. Thank you for your dedication, kindness, and the positive impact you have had on our team and the children and families we support. We hope your day is filled with happiness, laughter, and all the things that bring you joy.

Enjoy your special day, you deserve to be celebrated! 🩵🎂

Today we welcomed Gurpreet another team member to the union, and it’s a fantastic reminder of the strength we have when we stand together.

Being part of a union is about having a collective voice, advocating for fair conditions, and supporting positive change within our industry. Every new member strengthens our ability to influence decisions that impact educators, children, families, and the wider early learning sector.

Imagine the difference we could make if everyone stood behind us. Together, we can continue to advocate for better outcomes, greater recognition of the important work we do, and a stronger future for our profession.

Thank you to those who have already joined and continue to support the movement. Every voice matters, and every member makes a difference.

Please join us in welcoming Khadija to our Goodstart Hoppers Crossing community.

Khadija is currently studying at Victoria University and will be completing her placement with us over the coming weeks. During her time at the centre, she will be working alongside our educators, building relationships with the children, and gaining valuable experience in early childhood education.

We love supporting students as they begin their journey into the early childhood profession. Hosting student placements helps build confidence, strengthen practical skills, and deepen understanding of quality practice in early learning environments, while also bringing fresh ideas and perspectives into our centre.

If you see Khadija around the centre, please make her feel welcome and say hello. We are excited to have her join our team and look forward to supporting her throughout her placement.

Our children explored the outdoor environment by collecting and investigating leaves. As they gathered leaves of different shapes, sizes, and colours, they were developing their observation skills, curiosity, and connection to the natural world. Collecting and sorting leaves encouraged early mathematical thinking through comparing, categorising, and counting. The experience also supported fine motor development as children used their hands to pick up, carry, and examine the leaves. Through this exploration, children demonstrated a sense of wonder, independence, and appreciation for nature while engaging in meaningful, hands-on learning.

Happy Birthday, Sheryl! 🎉

I hope you’ve had a wonderful day filled with lots of love, laughter, and special moments. Wishing you all the happiness in the world for the year ahead. Enjoy celebrating your special day! 🥳🎂💖

Enjoy your long weekend 🩵

Congratulations to Miranda for achieving her Full Teachers Registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching!
In Victoria, teachers are provisionally registered for 2 years after graduating with their teaching degree. As part of their pathway to becoming a fully registered teacher, they are required to demonstrate that they meet all 7 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the proficient level.

As you can imagine, much time and effort goes into the development of the necessary skills and knowledge to be considered a ‘proficient’ teacher.

We are very proud of the work you have done, Miranda , to achieve your full registration.

Our children are only going to benefit from your passion and dedication to quality education. Please join us in congratulating Miranda 🩵

A big thank you to Manjula for all your support and help over the past few months at our centre. We truly appreciate everything you’ve done and the positive impact you’ve had on our team and children.

Wishing you all the very best for what comes next you will be missed! 💛

Reconciliation Week Kinder Experience – “All In”

This week in our kinder rooms, we are exploring Reconciliation Week through the theme “All In”, focusing on belonging, respect, and connection to Country.

Our learning began with group time discussions where children were introduced to the understanding that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Peoples of Australia. Together, we are learning that Reconciliation Week is a time to listen, learn, and show respect for Country and culture.

Through our “We All Belong to Country” map experience, children created their own “me” symbol and placed it on the map to represent where they live and feel connected. This supported meaningful conversations around belonging, connection, and the idea that we are all part of Country and care for it together.

We extended this learning through First Nations-authored stories, helping children deepen their understanding of culture, connection, and respect in an age-appropriate way.

Throughout the experience, educators gently guided conversations using language such as:
“This is Country.”
“We all belong somewhere.”
“We are all connected.”

The theme “All In” was woven through our learning, helping children understand that reconciliation means everyone is included and everyone has a role to play in listening, learning, respecting, and caring for Country.

In our kinder program, this learning is reflected as-

Children exploring belonging to Country and the idea that reconciliation means we are All In — learning, respecting, and caring together.

As part of our learning during Reconciliation Week, our children explored creative experiences inspired by storytelling, symbols, patterns, and connection to Country. Through our snake painting experience, children used dots, patterns, and colour to represent movement, nature, and storytelling in a respectful and age-appropriate way.