FAQs June 2019 update
Frequently asked questions June 2019 update
Will Curiosity be a separate entity or a part of Good Shepherd Lutheran School?
Although child care and primary school educational environments are legislated differently, Good Shepherd is 'one community' and Curiosity will very much be considered a part of Good Shepherd Lutheran School.
Does my child need to be immunised to attend Curiosity?
To be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy children must meet the Government’s immunisation requirements.
What are the immunisation requirements for the Child Care Subsidy?
To meet the Government’s requirements and be eligible for child care assistance, all of your children aged under 20 must:
- Be up-to-date with the immunisations listed in the Child programs table in the National Immunisation Program, or
- Be on a ‘suitable catch-up schedule’ under the Australian Immunisation Handbook, or
- Have an approved medical exemption, such as a natural immunity or a history of anaphylaxis after a previous vaccine, which is recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
Is long day care available?
Yes, the ELCC is planned to be open from 7.00am - 6.00pm daily for 48 weeks per year.
Will there be a playgroup associated with the ELCC?
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has successfully run our community playgroup 'Little lambs' over many years. As part of the ELCC development, we are ensuring provision for playgroup occupancy. 'Little Lambs' will be welcomed to consider use of this space.
What date will the centre open?
Curiosity is planned to open at a similar time to the commencement of the new school year.
Will children wear a uniform? If so, will it be able to be worn later at school?
As children are only enrolled in Curiosity for 1 or 2 years, the only uniform requirement will be a polo shirt that will clearly identify each child as 'belonging' to the Good Shepherd community. The polo will be specific to Curiosity and will not be worn at school from Foundation.
Other uniform items such as hats, shorts and track pants, will be generic school uniform. These items will be optional, but they may be worn into the school years.
An example of what the polo might look like.
Will Curiosity provide meals?
Children will bring a packed lunch. All other snacks will be provided.
How many days per week will be available to families?
The Curiosity 3 and 4 programs will require a minimum attendance of 30 hours per fortnight (5 days per fortnight). Additional days will be available if vacancies exist. We anticipate vacancies, given this is a start-up project, but we are yet to collect data to understand the extent of contact / engagement families are seeking.
When can we book our contact days for next year?
Some development and approval hurdles still need to be navigated before we can begin this process. Appointment of a Director is also critical to ensure his/her input into the development of schedules and routines.
We will attempt to provide a date for the collection of 'contact day preferences' in our next update.
Will there be opportunity for parents to 'make up' sessions missed if 24 hours notice has been given?
The Good Shepherd approach is to be as family friendly as possible. Where vacancies exist, this would be our intention. We are currently exploring management software that ensures flexibility and efficiency.
Will the current school bus be available to Curiosity students?
No. Bus travel requires a level of maturity and independence not expected in Curiosity age students. We also should not underestimate the value of parents connecting with educators as children enter and exit the centre each day.