Frequently Asked Questions

We are proudly family owned and operated and have won many awards over the past twenty years for our high quality, boutique approach to early learning. At the helm of Peppermint Grove is our wonderful Miss Dom. We believe that our children and educators should have nothing but the best resources, training and support at their disposal and we can't wait to dazzle our families.

Whilst we are awaiting the completion of the building works as well as our Service Approval, we are able to take ‘Expression of Interest Forms’.

We will have very limited positions available in our centres so we advise you to apply as early as possible.

Should we have a position available for your child we will invite you to fill out a pre-enrolment form so that your family will be ready to commence their journey with us in early 2025.

Please click here to complete the form..

We will be open from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday.

We close for one week between Christmas and New Year as well as public holidays.

Currently we offer positions to children aged 3-5. We also have a very small number of positions available for children aged 2.

You can call us any time on 0400 123 703 or email gm@thegroveelc.com.au

You can complete our online expression of interest form under the ‘enrolments’ tab. We will then be in contact with you regarding a position for your child at Peppermint Grove. We invite you to come for a tour of the centre, to be in the environment and be able to chat face to face with the educators and ask any further questions you may have.
When you are ready to continue with your enrolment and your desired days are available, enrolment forms will be given to you to complete. Once these are returned with all of the relevant paperwork we can secure your position and discuss a start date.

Fees will be deducted from the account that you nominate fortnightly in advance.

You can drop your child off at Peppermint Grove from 6:30am. You will need to pick up your child by 5:50pm as 6pm is when the centre closes.

There will be CCT cameras on the external entryway to the building and within the foyer. The entrance to the centre will be locked, and you will require a pin to be able to enter using the keypad. This pin will only be given to permanent family members who regularly do pick up and drop off to the centre.

When dropping off and picking up your child you will be required to sign your child in/out of the centre using a digital attendance register. This will also record who did the drop off and pick up.

We understand that things happen, and at times you may require someone else to pick up your child. On your child’s enrolment form you have an option, and we encourage you to have at least one ‘emergency contact’. You can complete this section, and then on the day just let our Educators know in the morning who the alternative person will be, or you may send through an email with their details or simply give us a phone call prior to them arriving for pick up. We can then let your child know so that they are prepared for the change in their routine. When this person arrives, if they are unfamiliar to us at the centre we will always ask for identification, and check that their detail matches that to the information you have provided on their enrolment form, the email you sent through your verbal communication.

Yes, if your child has been on the medication for at least 24hours. The medication though will need to have a chemist label attached to it which clearly states the child’s name, and the dosage that needs to be administered. You will need to directly hand the medication to an Educator so that it can be stored in a place inaccessible to the children. A Medication form will then need to be completed before you leave.

There is no need for your child to bring food into the centre. We provide options for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and later afternoon tea snack. We have a range of nutritious snacks to offer which are available throughout the day if you’re child is hungry before the next ‘meal’ is ready.

We encourage this so that we can ensure the safety of each of our children, catering for those with and without allergies and specific lifestyle choices.

If you are concerned about whether your child will enjoy the food from the menu, please know that we monitor how much and what each child has consumed. We have such a variety of options that we will always ensure they have eaten enough to feel satisfied to continue with their day.

We do provide an assortment of cereals and toast for the children who arrive early in the morning.

To be able to truly be immersed in the opportunities that the Preschool rooms at Peppermint Grove have to offer, your child will need to be toilet trained. Our Educators are well trained in this area. At Peppermint Grove we are very happy to meet with you to formulate a plan and timeline that will quickly have your child progress from pull ups to being fully toilet trained. Please also see the below links for some great tips and advice on supporting your child through this process.

• Toilet training: when and how to do it | Raising Children Network
  
  
• Toilet training:  tips and suggestions | healthdirect  

Photos of our dedicated Educators will be on display in the foyer of Peppermint Grove. Then as you move to your child’s room, there will be  photographs of your child’s specific Educators, along with the days they will be present and working alongside your child.

We will have an electronic system in which a daily journal will be shared with you each day. This will outline experiences, projects and key learning opportunities that your child has been involved in for that day. In addition to the daily journal, learning stories will be written each month for your child, being more focused on your child as they work individually and within a group.

Each day you will need to pack a water bottle, a hat, a number of full changes of clothes for little accidents and messy play, a sheet and a little blanket (in the cooler weather) for rest time. Please ensure all belongings are clearly labeled with your child’s name so that we can support them in becoming more responsible for taking care of their own things, and they can be returned to you each day.

Sometimes a comforter is necessary for a child to feel a little more safe and secure, especially in a new place. If they require a comforter for rest time we support this, and will work together with you and your child to suit their individual needs.

We strongly encourage all toys from home to stay at home. We have many valuable resources at the centre to cater for each child’s individual interests, so it is not necessary for them to bring their own from home. Furthermore, by bringing in toys from home can often cause more distress in the day than comfort to both your child and others as they play and if items get misplaced.

Yes. A child’s family are the most important and influential part of their world, we see how valuable you are and welcome you, or any other family member. You may have an interest, skill, talent or knowledge that you would like to share with our children and Educators, and we celebrate this! Once you have provided us with your regulatory approval to work with vulnerable people (we can help you with this), you may like reading stories, or playing an instrument, or singing, your passion may be in the garden, or painting…the possibilities are endless. You may like to just come and be amongst the children and support their investigations. Please come and chat with us to arrange further details.

Through the year their will be supportive group chats and gatherings organised and families will be advised on these dates. Family members can speak with any of the educators at anytime and families can reflect on the daily practices used in the Pandani Montessori environment.