OOSH / Vacation Care

General overview

All of our centres operate above the minimum ratios required with the expert educators continually providing Best Practice outcomes! Each centre has

• Daily programmed activities based upon the children’s interests with scaffold learning. Daily activity programme plans which are displayed in each room. We encourage parents, guardians and families to view this program and add to if they would like
• An individual portfolio is kept for each child documenting their individual learning journey within the centre and the community
• My Time Our Place Framework for School Aged Children.
• Centre’s operate indoor / outdoor programmes which allows children choice and to be active participants in their own learning journeys.

Out of School Hours Care – Also known as OOSH!

Cessnock Multipurpose Children’s Centre operates 3 OOSH locations for children attending kindergarten to year 6 (high school entry)

1. Dudley Street – servicing St Patrick’s Primary School, Kearsley Public School, Cessnock Public School, St Philip’s Christian College

2. Nulkaba Public School – servicing Nulkaba Public School

3. Bellbird Public School – servicing Bellbird Public School, Millfield Public School, Ellalong Public School, Paxton Public School, Laguna Public School

4. Cessnock West Public School – servicing Cessnock West Public School, Cessnock East Public School, Kitchener Public School

Before School Care – 6.30am – School Opening Hours

Children experience a homelike environment in the hours before starting school with breakfast provided until 7.15am and a large choice of educational activities. An educator will accompany your child to school and drop to the teacher on duty on one of the centre’s dedicated vehicles.

After School Care – From School Finishing to 6.00pm

An educator will collect your child from school on one of the centre’s dedicated vehicles and return them to their OOSH Centre. OOSH provides a nutritional Chef prepared afternoon tea and a wide range of educational activities under the My Time Our Place framework that are child driven and interest based for the children to participate in.

Vacation Care

Vacation Care operated during the school holidays between the hours of 6.30am and 6.00pm and is well known for its outstanding excursion. Programs and booking forms are released prior to each vacation period. Excursion bookings must have a signed permission note returned at the time of booking. Excursion places are limited and filled on a first in best dressed basis. A wide range of educational activities and excursions are available and guided by the My Time Our Place Framework that are child driven and interest based.

Children are required to wear a sunhat, enclosed shoes and to bring a packed lunch each day that meets the Good for Kids, Good for Life guidelines. Vacation Care provides a nutritional Chef prepared afternoon tea and drinks for the children.