Explore & Develop Emu Plains - Early Learning Centre

Welcome to Explore & Develop Emu Plains - Early Learning Centre! Our centre is conveniently located at the foot of the Blue Mountains on the Great Western Highway in Emu Plains, Australia. We provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years old, Monday to Friday from 7.00am to 6.00pm.

Our goal is to create a welcoming home-like environment where children and families feel a sense of belonging and community. We have dedicated owners who are on-site daily, along with a team of experienced and highly qualified educators.

At Explore & Develop Emu Plains, we follow an emergent curriculum. This means that our educators develop and deliver an education and care program based on the culture, interests, abilities, and needs of each individual child. Our program evolves over time to support each child's learning progress. We place a specific emphasis on play-based learning, allowing children to explore, wonder, and be curious in their environment. This approach supports children in problem-solving, rational thinking, trial and error, and much more.

We believe that educator involvement is crucial to supporting each child's learning. Through play and interests, children learn to be independent in their learning while recognizing when they need assistance. This allows our educators to foster and scaffold children's learning effectively.

Building strong partnerships with families is another important component of our curriculum. We value genuine communication and actively seek ways to listen to and engage with families. We want our families to feel valued, respected, and empowered in their role as parents/guardians. By working together, families have a better understanding of their child's learning and development, and children are more likely to reach their full potential.

Our educational curriculum is guided by Australia's National Curriculum: The Early Years Learning Framework (ELYF). This framework supports our team of early childhood educators in extending and enriching children's learning, from birth through to transitioning to school.

We also strive to engage with our local community, as our curriculum includes teaching and connecting children to the world around them. This fosters curiosity and fuels their inquiring minds. We actively participate in local community events, such as Relay for Life, 65 Roses Day, and NAIDOC Cup. We plan to continue these partnerships at our Emu Plains centre.

We believe in the inclusion of indigenous perspectives and culture, which has many benefits for all children. Explore & Develop as a group has a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and working party, and our Emu Plains service will develop its own RAP.

Our indoor and outdoor environments have been thoughtfully designed to provide nurturing and stimulating spaces. They incorporate appropriate levels of challenge and risk, engaging children's natural curiosity and promoting independent exploration.

Cathy Spain leads our team of educators and staff at Emu Plains. She is a qualified early childhood teacher with extensive experience in the field. Diane Pelle, a proud mother, owns and operates Explore & Develop Emu Plains, Penrith, and Penrith South. With over 15 years of experience in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector, Diane is passionate about providing care and education to all children and families at our centre.

Building trusting and collaborative relationships with children, families, educators, and staff is of utmost importance to Diane. She believes these relationships are fundamental in achieving quality outcomes for children and running a successful business. It is a privilege for her to be trusted with the education and care of your child, and she hopes to become a valued extension of your family.

At Explore & Develop, we understand the importance of allowing children to grow at their own pace and in their own time. We believe that learning should occur in an unrushed environment, providing every child with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Join us at Explore & Develop Emu Plains - Early Learning Centre, where we treasure the time it takes for children to grow and provide a nurturing and stimulating environment for their development.