Early Childhood Education and Care Services at Schools

Policy

This policy supports principals and school leaders to work collaboratively with Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services built and funded by the government that are located at or near schools, on government land. This includes Early Learning Victoria (ELV) centres that deliver long day care with an integrated kindergarten program, and Kindergarten on Schools Sites (KOSS) that deliver sessional kindergarten services.

Summary

• Principals are not responsible for the management of ECEC services at schools.
• Schools with co-located ECEC services are encouraged to work in partnership to ensure successful transitions and continuity of learning for children.
• Co-location supports children to have successful transitions from kindergarten to primary school (noting enrolment is only guaranteed if children live in the school zone).
• Co-location supports families to access multiple services for children of different ages at a single site.
• Co-location provides secondary students with the opportunity to expand their understanding of a career in early childhood education (such as work experience placements in the ECEC service).
• ECEC services at schools may be delivered by:
  • Early Learning Victoria (ELV)
  • Third party providers, such as Early Years Management (EYM) organisations, local councils, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) or other not-for-profit kindergarten providers
  • School councils (in limited circumstances), where there is an appropriate skills mix to deliver an ECEC service, and where prior approval has been sought from the Department.
• The ECEC service provider is responsible for the ongoing management of the service.
• Early childhood specialist staff in your Area’s Early Childhood Improvement Branch (ECIB) are also available to provide advice and support.
• This policy does not apply to Outside School Hours Care services.

Details

The department will be building hundreds of new ECEC facilities at or near schools across the state over the next decade, as part of the Best Start, Best Life reforms. The ECEC facilities built by the department includes:

• ELV centres, in which the services are delivered by the Department of Education
• KOSS, in which the services are delivered by third party providers.

Principals

Principals are not responsible for the management, staffing, governance, funding, enrolment or emergency management of co-located ECEC services. However, schools with co-located ECEC services are encouraged to build a collaborative partnership with the service, including supporting continuity of learning and transition into school for younger children, and providing opportunities for training and vocational opportunities for secondary students considering a career in early childhood education.

Providers

While the ECEC service provider is responsible for establishment and ongoing management of the service, schools and services are encouraged to work together to manage the shared space, support safe operations and working together in the best interest of families and the community.

Community

From a community perspective, families may assume the ECEC service is operated by the school. Clear communication regarding responsibilities can help school leaders manage expectations. Schools are encouraged to connect with the ECEC service leaders to establish effective ways of working.

Collaboration

Where services are located within school boundaries, principals and providers should communicate about site access, shared space use and emergency procedures to ensure smooth day-to-day operations and child safety.

The guidance tab provides further information and support on the following topics:

• Building and establishment of the ECEC service
• Ways of working with the ECEC service manager
• Enrolment
• ECEC service session times
• Curriculum and pedagogy.

For additional support, schools can contact their Area Early Childhood Improvement Branch or School Education Improvement Leaders.

ECEC services at schools can be either sessional kindergarten only, sessional kindergarten with wrap-around hours or integrated long day care services. For additional information about kindergarten in Victoria, refer to: Kinder: Best Start, Best Life.

ELV has been established as a division within the Victorian Department of Education to operate the 50 government-owned and operated early learning centres, many of which will be at schools. Further information about ELV centres can be found here: Early Learning Victoria.

Other ECEC services located in department-owned buildings are usually delivered by experienced Early Years Management (EYM) organisations with multiple kindergarten sites. Some services may be operated by a non-EYM not-for-profit kindergarten provider, or the School Council.

Related polices

• Enrolment
• Child Safe Standards
• Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations
• Community Use of Schools – Community Joint Use Agreements
• Community Use of Schools – Hiring and Licensing
• Outside School Hours Care – Decision Making Regarding the Provision of OSHC

Relevant legislation

• Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
• Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011 SI 653)
• Education and Training Reform Act 2006

Contact

• ELV related queries: elv@education.vic.gov.au
• KOSS selection and infrastructure delivery: KOSS@education.vic.gov.au
• KOSS service provider appointments and operational policy:
  • kindergarten.appointments@education.vic.gov.au
  • 03 7022 0024 - Manager Provider Engagement and Partnerships
• General ECEC queries: Early Childhood Improvement Branch or Senior Education Improvement Leader

Guidance

This guidance contains the following chapters:

• Building and establishment of the ECEC service
• Ways of working with the ECEC service manager
• Enrolment
• ECEC service session times
• Curriculum and pedagogy

Building and establishment of the Early Childhood Education and Care service

New Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services are delivered based on demand identified through population and service demand data. The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) leads site selection and infrastructure delivery with most new services delivered through the Kindergartens on School Sites (KOSS) program. Many of the 50 Early Learning Victoria (ELV) centres will also be co-located on or near school grounds. Where a school site is not suitable, the VSBA identifies nearby land.

Principals do not determine whether a school will receive a co-located ECEC service. However, if a school is identified as a preferred location, the VSBA will consult the principal about:

• site-specific concerns
• siting recommendations.

Principals are kept informed of site selection decisions and ministerial announcements by the VBSA. Once the site has been announced, the VSBA provides the principal with an information pack and invites them to participate in design and construction meetings. Where possible, Area Executive Directors and Senior Education Improvement Leaders will support this process.

The VSBA leads delivery from this point and maintains a partnership with the school leadership team, providing:

• regular construction progress updates
• notification of key milestones
• advance notice of site works to minimise operational disruption.

For ELV centres, the ELV engagement team will invite the school leadership team to regular consultation meetings in the lead up to building completion to provide updates on centre establishment and operations.

Providers for KOSS sites are appointed through a department-led selection process. While schools do not choose the provider, principals may be consulted during the process and will be notified of the outcome by their Area Executive Director. Once building is completed, the appointed service provider will move in and set up operations. If principals have any questions about the building site they can contact VSBA representatives.

The department provides school leadership teams with opportunities to attend an induction session towards the end of the year prior to the co-located ECEC service opening.

After construction is completed and before Term 1 begins, the school and service provider can coordinate site access, security protocols and site inductions. Refer to Ways of working with the ECEC Service Manager for suggestions on these discussions.

Ways of working with the ECEC service manager

Where ECEC services are located at schools, principals are not responsible for the day-to-day operations of the service or the maintenance of the kindergarten facilities. However, they are responsible for the overall school site and are therefore encouraged to communicate with the ECEC service about any activities or issues that may impact school operations.

The ECEC Service Manager is responsible for all operational and policy matters relating to the ECEC service. It is recommended that principals or school leaders meet with the ECEC service managers and relevant leadership staff to maintain and establish a collaborative relationship.

Some schools find it helpful to have quarterly meetings and formalise communication protocols.

In the event of unresolved issues:

• Principals can escalate issues to the Senior Education Improvement Leader.
• Third-party ECEC Service Managers can escalate issues to the Early Childhood Improvement Branch Manager.
• ELV service managers can escalate issues to the ELV executive team.

Suggestions for discussion with the ECEC Service Manager

Communication: Connect and swap contact details, key dates and social media links, and discuss how and when communication will occur after establishment.

Child Safety: Victorian legislation requires schools, and other organisations working with children, to take specific steps to minimise the risk of child abuse. For guidance, refer to Working with Children Checks and other Suitability Checks for School Volunteers and Visitors. Schools and ECEC services will each have their own policies for child safety and must comply with the Child Safety Standards.

Enrolment: Enrolments for the ECEC services are managed by the service provider. Explore how to manage ECEC service enrolment enquiries if any come directly to the school. Some service providers will manage enrolments directly and others will go via the local council’s central registration and enrolment scheme (see Enrolment guidance for more detailed information).

Early childhood education and care queries: Families can contact the ECEC service provider for specific enquiries, including ELV or third-party providers. General advice about ECEC is available for families on the Department website, at the kinder or Early Learning Victoria sites.

Emergency management: Each organisation must have their own individual emergency management plan. School leaders and ECEC service managers are recommended to undertake joint emergency management planning. For more information about what this looks like refer to the emergency and critical incident management planning policy, and the resource on emergency management for schools on shared sites.

Occupational health and safety (OHS): Where appropriate, coordinate OHS plans. The ECEC service manager may be included in relevant school OHS meetings if mutually agreed.

Site access: Discuss site access for the provider post construction and before Term 1 commencement. Consider security protocols, site inductions and any contractor or visitor requirements.

Developing shared spaces: Discuss how to manage interactions between school students, children attending the kindergarten service, and families. Ensure child safety and site safety principles are embedded in any shared use.

Traffic management: Identify any traffic concerns related to pick-up/drop-off congestion and coordinate planning with the service and local council, noting that your local council oversees traffic management beyond school boundaries.

Maintenance and utilities: The school is not responsible for ECEC building maintenance and utilities. However, it may be helpful to discuss logistics regarding utilities such as waste management and arrangements for mail.

Enrolment

ECEC enrolments are managed under separate arrangements to school enrolments and the department’s Enrolment Policy for schools.

The ECEC service provider must advise enrolling families that the criteria used to assess enrolment eligibility in the kindergarten and the school are different. Enrolment at the ECEC service does not guarantee enrolment in the school.

Principals should be aware that families may assume attending the co-located kindergarten guarantees school enrolment.

Principals are encouraged to refer families to the department’s Enrolment Policy. It is important to proactively communicate this distinction early and consistently.

Enrolment waitlist for ECEC service at schools

Children may join the enrolment waitlist for the ECEC service through:

• local council’s central registration and enrolment scheme
• ELV
• ECEC service provider.

While the ECEC is under construction, the VSBA project pages have an email subscription option. Families can subscribe for updates to be notified when an ECEC service provider has been appointed and can then contact them directly to join the wait list.

Priority Access

Services offering funded kindergarten places are required to give priority access to children identified in the department’s Priority of access for early childhood education.

Funded kindergarten providers must apply the Department’s Priority of Access policy, including for:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• children at risk of abuse or neglect
• children from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds
• children with additional needs
• children eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy.

After priority children are enrolled, kindergarten services may prioritise others based on their own criteria, such as connection to the service or proximity.

ECEC service session times

Session times are set by the ECEC provider or ELV in accordance with the department’s operational policy settings for Three Year Old Kinder and Pre Prep. Where relevant, session planning may be coordinated with council or other local ECEC services. Schools are encouraged to liaise with ECEC providers to manage:

• child safety around drop-off and pick-up
• site congestion
• community expectations.

Curriculum and pedagogy

During transition periods, early childhood professionals (and primary teachers) apply strategies to support sustained and shared interactions with children, transitioning from play-based learning to more structured, focused learning. A child’s Transition Learning and Development Statement supports and promotes their continuity of learning when transitioning into primary school from ECEC. Continuity of learning between early childhood services and schools can help establish foundations for effective learning throughout life.

Schools with co-located ECEC services are encouraged to build partnerships, strengthen continuity of learning across the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, and encourage Early Childhood and Foundation teachers to connect and collaborate on pedagogical practices. Such partnerships also provide opportunities for teachers to recognise and build on the literacy and numeracy experiences of children prior to school.

Opportunities for collaborative practice may include:

• Shared professional development by early childhood educators and school teachers. Refer to training and support for early childhood professionals for more information about opportunities related to early childhood.
• Shared workshops, involving both parents/carers and children, about the importance of literacy and numeracy as foundational skills, practices and approaches of the updated Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0) and how parents/carers can assist in developing their child’s literacy and numeracy at home.
• Leadership and ‘buddy’ opportunities for senior students which can support relationships between the school and ECEC and assist with transition for those children moving into their Foundation year at the school.
• Supporting children’s transitions to school and applying the guidance provided in the transition to school resource kit or Transition – Early Childhood to School policy.
• Routines and expectations: incorporate or align familiar routines, expectations and experiences across each setting.
• Discuss processes for information sharing about children as they transition to Foundation, particularly those with additional needs, including mobility, to ensure sufficient staffing and facilities will meet their needs.
• Inviting early childhood teachers and educators to collaborate with career practitioners and talk to secondary students about Early Childhood Education careers.
• Vocational opportunities for secondary students considering a career in early childhood education. For example, through work experience or a School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship at the ECEC. The Work Experience policy outlines the requirements for schools in planning for and implementing work experience placements for secondary school students.

Resources

The resources below provide an overview of the compliance and policy requirements for early childhood education providers. Also see: Early childhood education - information for professionals and Best Start Best Life reforms.

Communication packs

• Site announcement - communication pack – this pack includes materials for schools to share with their community following the announcement of a co-located ECEC.
• Construction commencement – communication pack – this pack includes materials for schools to share with their community about the construction of a co-located ECEC.
• Enrolling in new government built ECEC - this fact sheet for schools provides guidance to families interested in joining the waitlist and enrolling their children into new ELV centres and KOSS centres before they open.

Regulation and compliance

• ECEC services are regulated under the National Quality Framework.
• The Department of Education is the Regulatory Authority in Victoria. The Secretary of the department delegates to the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD).
• QARD is also the regulator of Child Safe Standards in the early childhood sector.
• The department shares responsibility for regulation with the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

Advice for ECE service providers

• The Early Years Management (EYM) Policy Framework outlines the partnership approach between EYM organisations, families, the department and local government.
• Early Learning Association Australia is the Victorian peak body championing excellence in early learning for children and supporting parents and service providers.
• Victorian Kindergarten funding eligibility criteria and accountability in receiving funding is outlined in the department’s kindergarten funding guide.
• The roles and responsibilities of the Early Years Manager and Children’s Services Manager can be viewed on the Types of Careers in the Early Childhood Sector webpage.

Further information

Contact your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch or Senior Education Improvement Leader for more information about developing a partnership with the ECEC service at your school.