Preschool Program – Possums & Bluegums Classrooms

We run a preschool program in the Possum and Bluegum Classrooms for children aged 3 to 5 years. The program runs Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm within our regular hours of 8am to 6pm. Our preschool teachers are bachelor trained and responsible for the educational program and ensuring it is tailored to each child. All children in the MELC preschool classrooms will receive a MELC polo shirt on their first day.

Our general school readiness goals involve teaching and modelling:

 

  • The ability to ask for help when needed,
  • Opportunities to support the development of eye-hand and fine motor skills, such as correct pencil grip and cutting with scissors,
  • Effective social skills to communicate confidently with peers and teachers and to support children in resolving conflict with peers and participating in group activities,
  • The ability to recognise and write their name,
  • Road safety,
  • Child protection,
  • Independence with personal hygiene,
  • Confident emotional capacity to successfully deal with change and transitions,
  • Independence with self-help skills such as putting on their own socks, shoes, jumpers and jackets, looking after their belongings, toileting and opening lunch boxes (in term 4 Bluegums).
    Please note that these goals are general goals which will be supported throughout the year. Each child will be supported to meet these goals based on their individual needs.

    The preschool classrooms daily routine provides opportunities for:

  • Learning classroom etiquette such as the five L’s – Listen, Lips, Look, Lap & Legs
  • Participating in age-appropriate lessons as a group.
  • Sharing their opinion/news/stories in front of their peers.
  • An introduction to phonics, letters, maths, science, and geography. We use the Jolly Phonics program to introduce the children in the preschool class to phonics through songs and games from term 2 & 3.