What is outside of school hours care (OSHC)?
Ithaca Creek OSHC is outside of school hours care, which consists of before school care, after school care and vacation care (holiday club).
Rated as “Exceeding” the National Quality Standard, Ithaca Creek State School Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) is a place where children can enjoy play and leisure experiences that allow them to feel safe and relaxed. They also get to interact with friends and Educators, practice social skills, solve problems, try new activities and learn life skills.
Our OSHC staff are highly capable and hold a range of qualifications related to the care of children. All staff members hold a current Blue Card, issued by Public Safety Business Agency.
OSHC is operated by the Ithaca Creek State School P&C Association, approved to operate by the Queensland Government Office for Early Childhood Education and Care (Department of Education and Training) and assessed under the National Quality Standards. We are committed to the principles of quality improvement.
When does OSHC operate?
OSHC runs every school day from 7am to 8.45am and 3pm to 6pm and from 7am to 6pm during school holidays and pupil free days.
We don't run on public holidays and for two weeks over the Christmas holidays.
Our philosophy
Ithaca Creek OSHC is a place where children can enjoy play and leisure experiences that allow them to feel safe and relaxed. They also get to interact with friends and educators, practice social skills, solve problems, try new activities and learn life skills.
Ithaca Creek OSHC believes in the following principles:
- Play, learn, grow – we believe that through interesting and constructive play children can develop their creative, cognitive and social skills and thus grow in knowledge, maturity and self-confidence. Our School’s statement of purpose provides a fitting complement: “We love to learn, we learn to grow, we grow to care, and we strive to improve in all that we do”.
- Trust and mutual respect – we believe that trust and mutual respect underpin all relationships at our Service – among children, between children and adults and among adults. Relationships based on trust and mutual respect promote the physical and psychological wellbeing of children.
- Active and healthy – we believe that physically and mentally active children are healthy children. We also promote the importance of healthy eating.
- Inclusion, participation and collaboration – we believe in equity, fairness and teamwork. We acknowledge that children at our Service are diverse in ages, abilities and circumstances. We make all feel welcome and encourage everyone to have a go at individual and team activities. We recognise that children’s families are their first and most influential teachers and therefore collaborate between educators and families about matters affecting their children.
- Improvement – We believe in the regular review of our policies, procedures and programs so as to improve the services we provide to children and families and welcome constructive feedback.
- Cultural – The service believes that children have the right to have their individual and cultural identity recognised and respected. We seek to embed Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander perspectives in our daily practice.
Where do we operate from?
We operate from a purpose-built space which opened in January 2012. The space is adjacent to the hall. Our licensed capacity is 150.
Who runs OSHC?
The P&C Association is approved to operate the OSHC service. There is a sub-committee specifically for OSHC consisting of volunteer parents that oversees the management of the service. By keeping this service within P&C control, rather than out-sourcing it, we are able to keep fees reasonable and the service responsive to parents needs. The P&C Association hires the staff at the service.