Enrolment

At Leaping Learners we offer permanent enrolments and a minimum of 2 days is suggested to support each child’s settling in, involvement in the developmental programs offered and to assist in the development of friendships.

We encourage all families to visit the centre for a tour at any time without the need for an appointment. Come and have a chat and a look around and we can show you what we offer.

If you would like to register your interest in a place at one of our centres or you have any questions, please give us a call or alternatively please fill out the required fields on the “Contact Us” page and one of our service Directors will then be in touch to discuss your needs.

Due to demand for places in certain age groups, it may be necessary to place your child’s name on our waiting list until a vacancy becomes available.

Once your child has been offered a position at Leaping Learners, you will be given an enrolment form and will also need to provide us with a copy of your child’s current and up to date Immunisation History Statement (we can NOT accept Blue Books) and Birth Certificate. A Bond of $100 plus a $50 Enrolment Fee will need to be paid to secure your place.

After you enrol you will be provided with an Enrolment Pack and centre Handbook. And we can organise your Orientation visits.

We recommend that you should create or access your Centrelink Online account in MyGov to lodge a Child Care Subsidy (CCS) claim prior to enrolling your child. You will also need to login into to your MyGov account after you enrol to “confirm” the enrolment details that we have submitted. Once the enrolment is confirmed, entitlements to Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy will be calculated and child care fee assistance payments can begin.

Orientation

An Orientation process is provided at Leaping Learners Early Education Centre (once your bond and enrolment fee has been paid) You and your child are invited to participate in our child care centre orientation program. Orientation takes place from 9.30am to 11.00am daily, so you and your child can experience the day at Leaping Learners Child Care Centre.

The following outlines some helpful hints for parents on settling their child into preschool care:

  1. Make sure you familiarise your child with the environment and the people in the early learning centre (children and adults) by coming in for visits before commencing care.
  2. Ease your child into day care with short stays to begin with.
  3. Provide a favourite toy, blanket or comforter to support your child when they are separating from you or settling to sleep. This can help your child feel more secure.
  4. If your child is unsettled, short visits with you at our day care centre help your child to gain trust with an unfamiliar environment. These visits can be made on a day when your child is not booked to attend.
  5. Interactions between child care staff and parents or staff and other children can produce positive role models and be reassuring. This experience can help to establish trust in an unfamiliar setting.
  6. Try to talk at home about child care. Mention the names of the early learning centre staff and other children. Talk about the things the child will be able to do at child care that are fun and enjoyable.
    Talk to the preschool staff about your child, for example, what they like to do, and successful ways of settling them to sleep, foods they like and dislike and so on. This helps day care centre staff to get to know your child.
  7. When leaving your child it is best to make sure you say goodbye and then leave. Hesitating and not going after you have said your goodbyes, if a child is upset, only confuses them. Reassure your child that everything is alright and you will return later, this can help them to settle.
  8. At first some children protest strongly while others may take a day or two to realise that you are leaving them and begin to protest after several days. Children soon learn that you do return in the early education centre and in the mean time they are well cared for. 

Hours of Operation

Leaping Learners Hours:

7.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday (Camden Park and Mount Annan)

6.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday (Leumeah, Camden & Appin)

Leaping Learners is open 51 weeks per year and closed on public holidays and one week over the Christmas/New Year Break.

Payment of Fees

At Leaping Learners Early Education Centre we strive to provide High Quality Childcare, so we ask for your cooperation in prompt payment of fees, which can be made by Ezidebit, Eftpos, if you wish to pay by direct deposit please ask for bank details.

Fees are payable for public holidays, sick days and if your child is absent on booked days. Fees are not charged in periods of centre closure such as the Christmas/New Year 1 week break

Ratios

All staffing ratios meet the licensing requirements from the Department of Education and Training

Staff: child Ratio

  • 0-2 years old 1:4
  • 2-3 years old 1:5
  • 3-4 years old 1:10
  • 4-5years old 1:10
  • 5-12years old 1:15
  • We also employ additional floaters within all centres for extra support and 1:1 interactions with the children.

Daily Fees

Daily Fees are inclusive of nappies, wipes, all meals, sunscreen and tissues and some incursions.

 

Government Assistance (CCS)

Child Care Subsidy is Government Assistance to help with the cost of child care and is paid directly to your approved child care provider to reduce the fees you pay. Eligibility will depend on the following:

The CCS percentage is the amount subsidised and is worked out on your family income estimate. It will apply to either your hourly fee or the relevant hourly rate cap, whichever is lower.

You can get an estimate of what your family may be entitled to by entering your details into the Services Australia Payment and Service Finder.

5% of your subsidy will be withheld by the Government to help reduce the likelihood of you getting an overpayment. You’re able to vary this amount up to twice a year to suit your circumstances using your Centrelink online account through myGov

You will need to submit a new claim for Child Care Subsidy if you are starting child care for the first time. You can submit a new Child Care Subsidy claim using your Centrelink online account through myGov.

If your family earns over $188,163 there will be an annual cap of $10,373 per child each financial year.

 

Sun Smart Centre

Our Early Education Centre is a Cancer Council Approved Sun Smart Centre. Leaping Learners have a “No Hat No Play” Policy. This means that children who do not bring a hat to Preschool, must play in the shade. We adhere to a strict Sun Smart Policy, which has been developed to ensure that all children are protected from skin damage caused by the harmful UV rays of the sun. 

Should your child be allergic to common brands of sunscreen, we ask that you send specific sunscreen for your child. 

  • Children must wear a hat outside the at all times, even if it is overcast weather.
  • Children will be required to bring and wear hats which protect the face, neck and ears. Must be a bucket or legionnaires hat.
  • It is the parents responsibility to provide a hat for their children, hats must be clearly labelled with their name.
  • Hats must go home weekly to be washed and returned the following week.
  • Children who don’t have a hat will be encouraged not to play in the sun, the childcare centre follows the policy “no hat, no play”.
  • Clothing – Singlet tops and thongs must not be worn. Please do not send your child in these as they are not appropriate. 

Get to Know Our Centres

Mount Annan

Camden

Leumeah

Appin

Wilton

Picton