Molong Preschool began in the Church of England Hall in 1972. The present premises (the old R.S.L. Hall) was purchased in 1975 and has been a happy place for many preschoolers and staff ever since. In 2013 Long Day Care started and the centre changed its name to Molong Early Learning Centre.

Molong Early Learning Centre (MELC) is managed by parents and interested community representatives who form a committee. An executive is elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in March each year. The Management Committee meets monthly.

We are a group of parents, carers, and friends who come together to:

• develop strong relationships between MELC and the community,

• meet and welcome new parents and carers to our community,

• learn the ropes of being a committee member, and

• help provide resources through fundraising initiatives.

We provide high quality care and learning opportunities for children aged between 6 weeks and 6 years. We provide a holistic approach to learning based on the interests, strengths and needs of each child attending our service through observation and communication with their families and the community.

We believe that all children should be provided with opportunities for ‘learning through play’. All children will be provided with the opportunity to experiment, explore, discover, problem solve, communicate and create throughout their daily experiences. We believe that the children’s voices are the most important practices in our program.

In both rooms at our service the educational program reflects the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). This means that educators focus on Belonging, Being and Becoming. Educators will provide a balance of child initiated and spontaneous play experiences throughout each day. We believe in the power of “magical moments” as well as continuity of learning.

At Molong Early Learning Centre we aim to build respectful relationships with children and their families. We value the role families play in a child’s life and aim to build respectful relationships through shared decision making and ‘partnership’ approach. Children and families of all cultural diversities are valued at Molong Early Learning Centre. Any cultural diversity will be incorporated into the program including language and beliefs.

The educators at our service recognise the importance of providing positive guidance as well as ensuring that intentional teaching methods are used throughout the daily routine. Whilst we have a rhythm to our day, the children are encouraged to make choices in their play with the support and flexibility of the educators in the room which may vary the flow of the day.