ILO Norlane Open on Sep 2020

Owners of an early education centre in Lara, based on the internationally renowned Finnish model of curriculum, have announced plans to open a further two centres in the Geelong region.
HEI Schools is an international preschool concept originating from Finland, co-founded by the University of Helsinki and experienced educational and design experts.
Embracing Nordic values of accessibility and openness, HEI Schools intends to bring the excellence of Finnish early childhood education to Geelong, with new centres intended for Norlane and Waurn Ponds. 
Opened since December 2019, HEI Schools Lara Early Learning Centre is Australia’s first purpose-built early learning centre, modelled on the Finnish curriculum which is regarded as one of the best in the world.  HEI Schools’ first Australian school was opened in February 2019, in a pre-existing space in the Melbourne suburb of Emerald.
The Lara centre located on Buckingham St, caters for up to 131 children and has continued to support local families with childcare during the COVID-19 crisis. 
HEI Schools Lara Early Learning Centre Director Julie Whitehead said “despite being significantly impacted in the early days of the COVID-19 restrictions, our Lara admission numbers have bounced back and now surpass our pre-pandemic figures”.
“HEI Schools Lara Early Learning Centre has been embraced by so many wonderful local families since we opened in December.  We are very excited to be opening two further centres in the region and being able to share the excellence of the Finnish early childhood education with many more families in the Geelong community.”
Childcare was free for Australian families from early April to July 12. During this time, the centre received a fixed amount of funding from the Government - about 50 per cent of their usual funding.
“While it wasn’t an easy situation financially to operate the centre, we kept our doors open. Helping to support the community, including the families of essential workers, during these challenging times has been extremely important to us,” Ms Whitehead said.
Owners of the Lara centre, private stakeholder group Finnish Early Childhood Education (Australia) PTY LTD, plan to open a centre in Norlane later this year, with another planned for Waurn Ponds in the middle of 2021.
The new centres, like Lara, will focus on education and care for children aged 12 weeks up to school age (six years), supporting them as active participants in their own learning.
The centres will all include a four-year kindergarten program, with plans for a three-year program to be added in 2022 as part of the Victorian Government initiative.  
In September/October ILO Early Education Centre is scheduled to open in Norlane (Gerbera Avenue), accommodating up to 122 children.
 “ILO” means joy in Finnish language and we believe that joy is the fundamental element of learning, especially for children,” Finnish mentor teacher, Finnish Early Childhood Education (Australia) PTY LTD, Niina Jaakkola said.
 “The Norlane centre will blend Finnish early childhood education concepts with other elements such as science and technology, foreign languages and mathematics.”
Construction of the HEI Schools Waurn Ponds Early Education Centre is due to commence next month, with completion and opening expected around the middle of 2021. Close to Deakin University, the Ghazeepore Road centre will be able to accommodate 120 children, focusing on the Finnish early childhood concept.
Lara mother Kat Herbert has two children enrolled at the Lara Early Learning Centre.
“There’s childcare centres that just babysit your children, and then there are childcare centres that nurture and treat your children like the sponges they are by guiding their learning and just being there for them, while they try to work out the complex world we live in,” she said.
“HEI Schools is definitely the latter. I’m so happy they’ve opened in Lara.”
The three early learning centres will promote holistic growth, learning, development and the well-being of the children.
“Families want and expect the best education for their child and this type of care should begin on their first day of early learning,” Ms Whitehead said.
There are currently 10 HEI Schools around the world including centres in Asia, Europe, the Pacific Islands and South America. Plans are in place for a further seven, including a centre in Martin Place, Sydney.
Ms Whitehead said their educators were “focused on encouraging children to have rights, have an identity and make choices about their learning”.
“Our mission is to bring up children who are not only capable of adapting to the changing world, but changing the world themselves,” she said.
“We also focus on providing a rich foundation for the progress of their emotional development, skills and competence as active learners.”
“HEI Schools values a child’s perspective, creativity and play, exploration, encouragement and social and emotional skills.”
Ms Jaakkola added “a significant component of the HEI Schools philosophy is recognising the importance that if a child feels safe and secure then they will thrive in their learning”.
HEI Schools had gained world renowned recognition as a world leader in education and has been selected by global education non-profit HundrED 2020 as one of the 100 brightest innovative organisations in the world.
 “At HEI Schools the teacher sits on the floor and are actively playing, talking, observing and engaging with the children.
“Everything has been especially designed to be no higher than window height, so that it is purposeful to the child and their learning and not overly stimulating,” Ms Jaakkola said.

For more information about ILO Early Education Centre, contact mentor teacher Niina Jaakkola (niinaj@heischools.com.au)