ECEC Provider in Focus: Aurora Early Education

Aurora Early Education is a long day care provider with three services in Victoria in Doncaster, Rowville and the Melbourne CBD.  

What is the history of Aurora Early Education? 

Aurora Early Education opened its first service in 2012, owned and operated by Sheela Edwards working in partnership with daughter Simone. Ms Edwards had recently moved to Australia from England. Her move into early childhood services once in Australia also represented a big career change, with Ms Edwards working in corporate finance and accounting for blue chip companies throughout her career in England.

“I had a friend who was in early childhood and she asked me a question: “You’ve got the background to understand compliance and legislation and all of that. Why would you not look at early childhood?” And I sort of sat there  thinking, “Oh, that’s interesting”. Early childhood is probably the right place for me because I have an opportunity to actually make an impact. I have an opportunity to actually help the development of the human brain in whatever capacity I can. And that’s how I started exploring this space,” Ms Edwards explained.

The first Aurora service in Rowville opened in 2012, followed by Doncaster in 2019, and Aurora QV in Melbourne’s CBD in 2022.

What is the Aurora vision and approach to early learning? 

All aspects of the Aurora brand centre on three pillars – care, connect, create. These pillars drive everything done by the Aurora team. 

Alongside this, a sense of community is a significant driving force which Aurora strives to instill in its learners, developing deep connections between parents and families; and through an advisory board which is governed by parents and grandparents, along with a children’s advisory board and the active incorporation of community focused activities and community visits in programming. 

Aurora aims to deliver a diverse, fun and challenging curriculum, creating a stimulating, nurturing and varied environment, with lasting relationships and connections to the community. 

Key focus areas of social, emotional, physical and cognitive development are included in the curriculum offering to emphasise principles of holistic development and love for learning. 

What is Aurora’s approach to professional development for educators? 

“I often talk about your own personal barometer,” Sheela said. “You need to develop that because that’s what is going to guide you. That’s the only thing that’s going to be there to say you need to turn left, you need to turn right, you need to go back, you need to go forward.

“I think that’s what my life journey or my life quest is, to help the educators to give them the strength and the knowledge that they need to be able to be strong leaders.”

Educators are supported to grow as leaders, to know and understand their beliefs and how strong they feel and believe in what they have to deliver. As a staff team, and as individuals, Aurora team members participate in fun, engaging training sessions which support their professional growth. 

Are there any unique aspects to the Aurora offer? 

The name of Aurora Early Education is inspired by the northern lights of the Aurora Borealis, eastern philosophies, and the five elements of nature. 

“The importance of light in our life, the importance of warmth and the importance of water; all those sorts of things. And so, the logo itself has got those elements. When we designed the logo, it took a long time to get us to where we were. We didn’t want harsh lines. You will see that the colours actually flow into one another to become another colour,” Ms Edwards explained. 

“As we worked on the various elements we included our staff in these discussions and they loved it,” she continued. 

“They are very much aligned with what Aurora represents. So, of course, I wish I had the time to explain in depth to our parents when they come on a tour – but we try our best to try and give them a glimpse of what we stand for and I know the rest will come from their own experience with us. And that’s what we do, really. Reflective practice is something that is in-built into the service philosophy and like everything we need to give it time.”

To learn more about Aurora Early Education, please visit the website. 

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