Cherry Blossom ELC is a Munch & Move–affiliated service, demonstrating our strong commitment to promoting children’s physical health, wellbeing, and lifelong healthy habits.The service provides morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea. Our approach places particular emphasis on providing nutritious, balanced meals that support children’s growth and development throughout the day.

Cherry Blossom ELC partners with Minni Meals, a Munch & Move–affiliated catering service, to provide children with nutritious, well‑balanced lunches that support healthy growth and daily wellbeing. This partnership ensures our meal offerings align with recognised best‑practice guidelines for children’s nutrition and physical health, reinforcing our commitment to fostering healthy habits from an early age.

All team members have completed Munch & Move program training, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to embed healthy eating, physical activity, and fundamental movement principles into everyday practice, including regular cooking classes

Our curriculum is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework and enriched by Sociocultural Theory and Reggio Emilia–inspired practice, positioning the environment as the “third teacher” and framing learning as a collaborative, interactive, and exploratory process. Educators provide intentional, temporary scaffolding through skilled questioning and responsive support, ensuring each child is empowered to construct knowledge through meaningful play and inquiry.

Play is regarded as fundamental to children’s learning, reflecting the belief that “play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood” (Fred Rogers, 1995). This philosophy underpins every aspect of the program and reinforces the value of child‑led exploration.

Cherry Blossom ELC is affiliated with Little Scientists Australia and delivers a STEM‑focused project‑based learning program, facilitated by a Little Scientists–trained Early Childhood Teacher. This approach nurtures curiosity, problem‑solving, and scientific thinking through hands‑on investigation.

The curriculum also emphasises learning through natural environments, embedding a love of nature, sustainable practices, and Indigenous perspectives. The Yarnkaporta 8 Ways of Learning framework is woven throughout the educational program, supporting culturally responsive, holistic, and interconnected learning experiences.

The school readiness program is delivered by qualified, highly experienced educators and overseen by an Early Childhood Teacher and Educational Leader with 18 years of experience in the early childhood sector. This depth of expertise ensures children receive a purposeful, developmentally informed transition-to-school experience.

The program is strengthened through close collaboration with local Start Strong kindergarten programs, including planned visits both from and to nearby primary schools—most notably Leura Public School—as part of a structured orientation process. These partnerships help children build familiarity with school environments, routines, and expectations.

Learning experiences place a strong emphasis on early literacy and numeracy, delivered through a rich variety of modalities such as board games, creative arts, drama, dance, and movement-based activities. This multimodal approach supports different learning styles and ensures children develop foundational skills in engaging, meaningful ways.

Our centre philosophy is grounded in four core pillars: Relationships, Environment, Community, and Education. These components collectively guide our practices, decision‑making, and the learning experiences we create for children.

Relationships
At Cherry Blossom ELC, reciprocal and supportive relationships between educators, children, families, and the wider community form the foundation of our practice. We prioritise trust, open communication, and genuine partnership, recognising that strong relationships are essential to children’s sense of belonging, wellbeing, and learning.

Environment and Sustainability
We are committed to fostering an environmentally responsible culture within our centre. This includes actively reducing the use of plastics, embedding sustainable practices into daily routines, and nurturing children’s understanding of their role as custodians of the natural world. Our goal is to model and promote behaviours that contribute to a more sustainable future.

Community
We deeply value the cultural diversity within our community and strive to ensure it is meaningfully reflected throughout our environment and curriculum. By celebrating diverse perspectives, traditions, and identities, we create an inclusive learning space where every child and family feels respected, represented, and connected.

Education

Cherry Blossom ELC upholds the belief that play is the cornerstone of early childhood education, providing the essential foundation for children to grow into capable, confident, and successful lifelong learners. Through play, children develop critical thinking, social competence, creativity, resilience, and a deep sense of agency—skills that underpin all future learning and wellbeing.

Safety is paramount at Cherry Blossom ELC, and our educators are committed to ensuring every child feels safe, secure, and supported through vigilant supervision, thorough risk assessments, up‑to‑date child protection training, and an ongoing commitment to continuous quality improvement and professional development. At the same time, we recognise the importance of nurturing each child’s emerging autonomy, resilience, and agency, supporting them to develop a confident sense of self.

Our outdoor environment is intentionally designed to be natural and minimally padded, encouraging exploration, age‑appropriate risk‑taking, and opportunities for children to develop strategies that support their own physical health, personal safety, and overall wellbeing. This approach empowers children to understand their capabilities and make informed decisions in real‑world contexts.

We also provide rich learning experiences beyond the centre through regular excursions, allowing children to explore the local neighbourhood, build a sense of connection to their community, and strengthen their physical development and wellbeing through active engagement with the world around them.

"Our son has been with Cherry Blossom Early Learning Centre for two years, and we really appreciate the care the team puts into creating diverse educational activities. We absolutely love the daily photo and video updates! He constantly comes home with new skills, and his communication is thriving. The staff are lovely and demonstrate genuine warmth and care for our family."

Tara Schmidt