Blairholme
Preparing for a life of learning
Our co-educational Early Learning and Kindergarten programs have been a vital part of Lauriston since 1992.
Our Blairholme Early Learning Centre speaks to our commitment to the learning of our young people from their earliest years, and the value of a Lauriston education which aims to acknowledge their role as active participants in their learning and growth as individuals.
In 2025 we are excited to unify our extended hours daycare and our 3 and 4 year old Kindergarten programs in our new facility, Blairholme Early Learning Centre.
Blairholme Early Learning Centre has given us an opportunity to bring together our early learning programs to a learning environment that will enable us to fulfill our curriculum and wellbeing plans and promote collaborative working relationships between our children, educators and parents.
When your child becomes a part of our community, our dedicated and passionate educators seek to both know and understand them. It’s a connection that allows us to help reveal their ideas, positively challenge their thinking, and develop their sense of identity.
Our babies, toddlers and pre-kinders are nurtured and cared for by passionate educators who support and guide our youngest children to learn, explore and reach important milestones.
Our dynamic 3 and 4 year old Kindergarten curriculums emphasise interaction with people, materials, and real-life situations to help each child establish their foundational physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
We are proud that our Early Learning programs at Lauriston have created generations of confident, lifelong learners, ready to embrace the next chapter of their educational journey.
We also have a strong and inclusive network of parents who find friendships and community at Lauriston. Importantly, we work closely with you as parents to ensure your child is ready to thrive in Prep and beyond.
Susan Just Principal
Our Philosophy
Inspired by Reggio Emilia, Blairholme is a celebration of childhood.
Blairholme is a place of warmth, fun, joy, and laughter. A safe place, where each child is encouraged and respected for who they are.
At Lauriston, our Early Learning programs are grounded in robust inquiry and playbased learnings which support children as they are challenged to solve problems and engage with their community and the environment. This combination of an expertly planned curriculum with rich learning environments means our children can immerse themselves in both child and teacher-led play, learning to embrace new experiences, build social skills and develop their curiosity.
The end result is children who can express themselves with confidence, develop foundational skills in literacy and numeracy and above all, find the joy in learning.
Reflecting the importance of a child’s earliest years, our new building re-imagines the learning and play spaces to ensure your child is supported by the very latest facilities.
We’d love to welcome you to Blairholme Early Learning Centre so you can see for yourself the inclusive community we nurture and the depth and breadth of learning opportunities available to your child.
Sarah Boardman, Fiona Ireland and Amanda Jones Co-Directors of Blairholme Early Learning Centre
The vital early years
The role that a quality early learning program plays in establishing a child’s self-esteem, resilience and future capacity to learn is impossible to underestimate.
At the heart of such an education is a team of skilled educators and at Lauriston, we have Australia’s best. Educators who listen and collaborate with each child to identify their interests and ideas and use these as a catalyst for planning robust opportunities to learn. By establishing this relationship with each child, they can guide them in achieving tasks, while developing their skills, aptitudes, and confidence.
Getting the balance right between structured and free play is also a crucial part of what we do. Children’s freedom to express themselves through play is fundamental to the development of their intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills. Indeed, of those, emotional maturity is perhaps the key to determining a child’s readiness for school.
A quality early years education helps children manage the social demands of the learning environment, learn to form healthy relationships, build the resilience to recover from disappointment or sadness, overcome frustration, and express anger in acceptable ways.
The imperative to give all children a strong early start is more and more pressing. Children’s early experiences have a profound and long-lasting impact on individual children’s wellbeing and happiness during childhood, as well as their later life outcomes, including education, employment, health, citizenship and life satisfaction.
OECD Early Learning Matters Report, 2018
The Lauriston difference
The learning programs we offer at Blairholme are highly developed and focused on supporting children in their critical early years. Our team of skilled and experienced educators make the most of this important developmental window, to ensure our children thrive in Prep and beyond.
A well-rounded, holistic education
Along with the vital work of developing children’s confidence and independence, we have planned programs to develop prenumeracy and literacy capabilities, skills in STEM, the creative arts, and celebrate culture to broaden children’s understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Our programs are broad, enhanced by our connection to wider School facilities, including a dedicated STEM lab, gym, pool, music, and drama facilities. Specialist classes offered to our kindergarten children include Music, Drama and Physical Education. Our infants and toddlers engage in a planned movement program to enhance their gross motor development.
Our holistic approach also makes sure children develop emotional awareness, maturity and social competence. It’s how they learn to manage and respond to their emotions and develop experience of social interactions, so that they can reach their full potential.
An experienced team of educators
Professionally qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable, most of the educators have spent years within the Lauriston teaching community and enjoy an excellent reputation for their enthusiastic, nurturing and dedicated approach. In addition to permanent educators, children are guided by others who support general learning and run specialist programs.
An individual approach
At Blairholme, our educators actively seek and build upon the interests and knowledge of each individual child. Our smaller group sizes are an important part of this. They allow our educators the time and space to build strong connections that help us understand each child and their creative abilities. It’s an approach that helps children who are ready to learn at an enhanced rate, while also catering for those who may need extra support.
Guided, play-based learning
There’s ample research to suggest play is one of the most important ways children learn to negotiate their own interests, find out where they belong in the world and build their confidence and resilience. At Lauriston, we encourage learning through purposeful play guided by the educator. This helps children develop the ability to regulate their emotions, see the perspectives of others, negotiate and compromise and ultimately, learn to confidently make their own decisions.
Inspired by Reggio Emilia
‘The Hundred Languages of Children’ by Reggio Emilia founder, Loris Malaguzzi, lies at the heart of the Blairholme philosophy. It’s been described as the symbolic languages children use to express their knowledge and interests through art, conversations, early writing, dramatic play, music, and dance. Our educators provide the children with many opportunities to express themselves through their creativity and the insights they share.
A sense of community
We foster in our children a sense of gratitude for their situation and empathy with others. A big part of this is the chance for our children to make a hands-on contribution to a host of grassroots charity organisations through our Girls In Values Education (GIVE) program.
A love of the environment
Along with parents and educators, the Reggio Emilia philosophy sees the environment as a child’s third teacher. Within our rooms and outdoor spaces, we create situations that encourage a child’s love of investigation while teaching a respect for the objects, furniture and resources which help to develop their social, emotional, and intellectual capacities. The outdoor environment is equally respected, as both our educators and children reflect on the natural world and what it can teach.
A focus on wellbeing
Recognising a child’s diverse needs and celebrating his or her achievements are key points in our program’s philosophy. Both help to build self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Emotional and social skills strengthen further through our focus on kindness and connection with nature. Together, they create a sense of wellbeing and ensures children are ready for the challenges that lie beyond our ELC gate.
Making connections
Lauriston is an inclusive, family-centred community. When their children join this community, our parents join a group of likeminded people where they can find lifelong friends. Along with our parents’ What’s App groups, Lauriston educators provide regular webinars for parents to increase their knowledge of topical issues such as understanding anxiety.
Literacy and numeracy
Language skills and mathematical proficiency are two of the keys that unlock a child’s future.
At Blairholme, we establish the foundations of literacy by building children’s communication and language skills from an early age. Central to this is the shared enjoyment of texts; extending children’s vocabulary, developing an awareness of grammar, honing listening skills, and building familiarity with new communication technologies. We do this by listening and talking in small groups, reading stories and discussing them, sharing what we notice about our world with others, using technology, and weaving real world examples into play, such as menus and signage.
Mathematical concepts such as distance, weight and quantities are learned naturally through guided play. It allows every child to develop a solid understanding of numbers, learn to count fluently, and then reason and problem solve using simple mathematical challenges as they progress through the Centre.
The language of kindness
At Blairholme, children learn that making friends is deeply rooted in acts of kindness, showing empathy, understanding and caring about each other.
Important life values, such as kindness and empathy, are more important now than ever before. Our aim is to instil in our children the sense of wellbeing that flows from kind acts and kind thoughts.
We teach that kind words come from a happy place within us and celebrate the many small acts of kindness we perform each day, such as smiling, greeting each other, opening a door, and using manners.
STEM learning
Many things children do in daily play build the foundations of a STEM education.
At Blairholme, our role as educators is to plan activities that stimulate a child’s natural curiosity. This is crucial to building the higherlevel thinking and problem-solving skills that allow children to create and innovate with confidence.
One example is our block area. It’s an environment that children naturally gravitate to from our youngest learners, where they explore, design and build increasingly intricate structures. Just by having fun, children learn about the concepts of stability and balance, the properties of materials, and develop their number and spatial reasoning skills.
Our younger children explore cause and effect through a range of hands on, tactile learning experiences to build foundations for ongoing STEM learning. Simple educational robotics called Bee-Bots and Cubetto are available to provide older children with an introduction to the basics of computer coding. Kindergarten children also regularly visit the School’s FabLearn Lab where they gain experience of simple design concepts using the 3D printer.
Building and exploring STEM concepts alongside the children allows us to guide their creativity, develop their problem-solving skills, and hone their abilities to predict, hypothesise, and experiment. Learning is driven by the children, who are supported to incorporate confident STEM thinking into their play.
Co-Curricular Activities | 4 Year Old Kindergarten
Lauriston is proud to offer a diverse range of co-curricular programs that inpire students to try something new or expand their knowledge of a much loved hobby.
Bush Kindergarten takes place at the unique learning environment of the Urban Forest between Waverley and Dandenong Roads.
It’s a place where children learn to take calculated risks and enhance their imaginative play. As a perfectly balanced play space, nature enables children to problemsolve and become independent, while enjoying uninterrupted time to pursue games of imagination and creativity.
It’s also ideal for developing strong core muscles, good posture, and helps with fine motor skills that ultimately lead to effective handwriting.
Urban Adventures offers opportunities for children to become familiar with and utilise places, resources and people that can be found in our local community to enhance their development through authentic, hands-on learning experiences.
Regular adventures into the community will be based on children’s current inquiries and include spaces and places that can be safely reached either on foot or via public transport. Experiences may include visits to local parks, shops, markets, meeting local police or firefighters at their stations, and building an intergenerational program.
Lauriston’s other co-curricular programs include Dance & Movement, along with Swimming lessons.
Growing evidence suggests that exposure to greenspace, such as forests, parks, and gardens, has a positive effect on early childhood development. Exposure to greenspace is associated with better wellbeing; reduced behavioural problems; and improvements in attention and working memory.
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Assessing the association between lifetime exposure to greenspace and early childhood development. Published by Elsevier Ltd. 2021
Celebrating difference
Our focus on cultural awareness explores culture, identity, language and traditions of the many cultures of our community.
We’re fortunate and privileged to welcome Murrundindi, elder of the Wurundjeri tribe that lived on the land we now occupy, into Blairholme each year.
Murrundindi spends time with each group of children, sharing stories, his language, and the history of his culture as he leads the children through many authentic activities such as ochre painting, weaving, cooking lemon myrtle damper, making tea, and playing Indigenous games.
Artist in residence
Exploring the many languages of children, the artist is able to find each child’s voice in the creative output.
Along with feeding their sense of wonder and curiosity, the process of creating art expands a child’s ability to interact with the world around them, encouraging exploration and collaboration.
Former artists in residence include sculptor Deborah Edwards and children’s author and illustrator Andrew Plant.
The artists, through their medium of choice, use their expertise to guide and support each child’s unique strengths and perspectives to create a final meaningful piece of art. These creative outputs live on in Blairholme, adding to the vibrancy of the spaces and forming a reminder of each group of young artists that come through the Blairholme doors.
Extended Hours Care | Six Weeks to Three Years Old
The extended operating hours of 7:30am – 6:00pm allow families to balance supporting their child’s development with work-life commitments.
The Blairholme journey can begin at six weeks old
The newly renovated Blairholme allows the entire early learning program to operate under the one roof, from six weeks old through to 4 year old kindergarten.
Our Snugglepot and Gumnut children reside in the two front rooms of the original building, with direct access to the heritage verandah. Additionally, the Snugglepot children have a dedicated sleep room. Closely located is a full-service kitchen, main reception area and the Bilbies room, which has its’ own external play area and access to the front garden via the eastern side of the building.
Our programs include:
Snugglepots | 6 weeks – 18 months old
Maximum 12 children per day
Gumnuts | 18 months – 2.5 years old
Maximum 18 children per day
Bilbies | 2.5 years – 4 years old
Maximum 20 children per day
Three and Four Year Old Kindergarten
Our Kindergarten’s hours of 8:45am – 3:00pm reflect and respect the significant capacities of children to learn and develop in their early years.
3 Year Old Kindergarten
• Maximum 19 children per group
• Three days – two options available
• Four days – one option available
4 Year Old Kindergarten
• Maximum 22 children per group
• Four days – Monday to Thursday
• Co-curricular programs include Bush Kindergarten, Dance and Movement, Swimming and Urban Adventures - all with limited places.
Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)
Kindergarten families are supported by the Lauriston OSHC program. Nurturing, consistent educators care for the children who attend outside the normal kindergarten hours. The program is about rest and relaxation at the end of a busy day.
We also operate a program throughout the school holidays for children enrolled in Blairholme. This program operates from 7:30am - 6:00pm on weekdays.
Parent communication
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Connecting parents with learning outcomes
Communication with parents is a vital part of every child’s learning experience. We use the Seesaw app to capture a daily learning moment from each group and we create a reflective learning journal for each child, which highlights in more detail their inquiries.
Formal individual assessments occur each semester, and meetings with parents to discuss the results, are arranged to ensure individual support is provided if needed. We also run a pathway to Prep program to support both parents and children through the transition to Junior School.
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Lauriston Girls’ School 38 Huntingtower Road Armadale VIC 3143 Australia
+61 3 9864 7555 admissions@lauriston.vic.edu.au lauriston.vic.edu.au
ABN 15 004 264 402 CRICOS No. 00152F
Primary Years Course Code: 015713K
Secondary Years Course Code: 005356J
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Land, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, the Boonwurrung and the Taungurung peoples of the Kulin Nations, whose sovereignty was never ceded, and pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of First Nations Peoples. We also recognise their continuing connection to Country and culture.
We acknowledge that our community is diverse; and Lauriston values an inclusive and accepting environment for all ages, genders, abilities, races, religions, sexualities and cultures.