Set among 100 acres of natural parkland, Cornish College’s Early Learning Centre has earned a reputation as one of Victoria’s most distinctive early years settings.
Welcoming children aged three to five, it brings together the internationally respected Reggio Emilia approach with the Early Years Learning Framework, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and a deep connection to nature. The result is an approach that sees every child as capable, creative and full of potential, with educators working alongside them as partners in learning, rather than directors of it.
Learning begins with children’s natural curiosity. Educators observe, listen and build experiences around emerging interests, allowing projects to evolve over days, weeks or even months as children’s thinking deepens.
“At our Early Learning Centre, connection is what underpins the experience,” says Early Learning Centre director Jeanette Russell. “It is these years that mark the start of a young child’s learning journey at Cornish College. It is a time full of adventure, wonder and awe.
“We nurture each child’s unique strengths and encourage meaningful connections with their peers, teachers and the wider college community, creating a warm and supportive environment where every child feels valued, safe and inspired to thrive.”
That sense of connection extends well beyond the Early Learning Centre gate. Families join a community that runs from early learning right through to Year 12, meaning that the friendships, educators and rhythms a child knows at three can carry through their entire schooling, no daunting transition into a ‘big school’ required.
Then there’s the space itself. Cornish’s children have a working EcoCentre, aquaponics, wetlands, gardens and bushland on their doorstep, plus specialist programs in music and movement. It’s education with room to run, dig, climb and wonder, and the Early Learning Centre has twice been rated as Exceeding the National Quality Standard.
For families considering early learning options for next year, Cornish College’s Early Learning Centre offers something harder to quantify but easy to feel, a place where children aren’t just cared for but are truly known.
Enrolments for 2027 are still open. Email the Cornish College admissions team at admissions@cornishcollege.vic.edu.au or phone 9781 9000.
