By PEACE IJIYERA
WILLOW Grove Primary School and Newborough East Primary School will soon be home to a new kindergarten and early learning and childcare centre.
Both facilities are due to be in operation from day one of Term 1 next year.
The early learning and childcare centre in Newborough is part of a $3.8 billion state government investment into early childhood infrastructure.
The kindergarten in Willow Grove is part of a $580 million investment the state government made to support the introduction of three-year-old kinder.
Member for Eastern Victorian Region, Harriet Shing says this will “benefit communities and generations to come”.
The site at Willow Grove Primary School (construction yet to commence) will have one classroom with space for up to 59 children.
With plans to build the kinder where the basketball court currently is, the basketball court will be relocated to another area of the school.
Willow Grove Primary School Principal Tamara Halket welcomed the development.
“It’s important that the kids have that opportunity to transition so that they can be more confident and comfortable as they continue their learning journey,” she said.
Ms Shing said developments like these in smaller communities are needed.
“Willow Grove is such a wonderful community and its growing. And when communities grow, they also need the facilities that will help people not to have to travel big distances to support their families. Whether its bringing local jobs into an area or providing opportunities for kindergarten or schooling closer to home, this is an investment that really will make a positive difference.”
Construction at Newborough East Primary School has begun, with foundations layed and building works in progress.
This facility will provide long day care and three and four-year-old kindergarten programs. The centre will be able to accommodate up to 130 children.
More than just a learning centre, it will also have space for family and child services like child health and allied health. The facility will also be open for use by the wider community.
Ms Shing said that new facilities should be multipurpose.
“When we build new schools and new kindergartens, we want those facilities to be used for as many hours a day as possible and we also want the communities to be able to embrace those new facilities in a range of different ways,” she said.
“So, when we build everything from new early learning centres through to secondary schools and gyms, we want to make sure that the community can access these spaces and that might be for any number of different reasons, there might be yoga or Thai Chi, there might be senior citizens events, there might be opportunities for scouts to use those areas, and that then really does mean that early learning centres and schools remain the heart of our communities.”
Ensuring children and families have access to helpful services is also a priority.
“When we have connection to services, we know that the outcomes are better not just for kids but for families.
“Being able to provide that early support, which is already part of our first 1000 days screenings and assessments means that we can understand what each child needs and we can link people up with the services and supports that they require.
“This sits alongside the investments that we’ve made, including as part of mental health practitioners in schools, and we’re determined to continue to provide that support to families closer to home.
“We need to make sure that it is safer, easier and more affordable for people to get the things that they need. And this is where a range of government programs, just like those health and allied care supports, located at early learning centres will make all the difference,” Minister Shing said.
Newborough East Primary School Principal Julie Skee said services like these are “absolutely vital to the success of our children and our families”.
All three women leaders were synonymous on the fact that a smooth transition from kinder to primary school is important for children.
“It’s a better start for our students. So, it builds strong relationships, strong partnerships, and it starts to familiarise our students even before they hit the primary school sector,” Ms Skee said.
“I think it’s exciting that we’re going to have a nice seamless transition from preschool to primary school.”
A better start for students at the centre is in line with future plans to see increased hours of four-year-old kinder. This will be known as pre-prep, where eligible children can receive extra hours of four-year-old kinder.
As part of the state governments Best Start, Best Life reforms, priority children in the Latrobe Valley will be able to have 16 to 20 hours of pre-prep and access to this from 2028.
