BY BENJAMIN BALK, KINDICARE

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 

A single sex early learning centre that takes a modern approach to boyhood has been named the best in Tasmania in the 2022 KindiCare Excellence Awards.

Hutchins Early Learning Centre led the State with a Rating of 9.5. Goodstart Early Learning Prospect Vale and Giggles Early Learning were tied runners-up and winners in the Regional Tasmania Category.

The KindiCare app and Childcare Comparison Website, developed by founder and CEO Benjamin Balk to make the process of selecting a quality early learning centre more transparent for parents, has revolutionised the early learning search journey for Australian families.

The KindiCare Excellence Awards recognise the top performing early learning services across the nation based on their Kindicare Rating. The KindiCare Rating provides a unique score for every early learning service that is based on their current and historical assessment and ratings under the National Quality Framework from ACECQA, parent and community feedback and reviews, the stability and length of operation of the service as well as other characteristics known about a service – providing a comprehensive real time picture of quality and value for money that’s easy for parents to understand.

Hutchins Early Learning Centre Director of Kindergarten and Children’s Services, Naomi Pritchard-Tiller says children are encouraged to follow their interest and be who they want to be.

“We thought a lot about what we can offer as a single sex early learning centre in the 21^st Century,” said Ms Pritchard-Tiller. “There is no stereotyping of what a boy is; we teach the children that there are many different ways to be, to learn and to express your ideas as a person.

“One thing that’s unique is that we are part of a larger school. Our Children’s Service is for children in pre-kinder, kinder, out of school hours care and vacation care. However, we have Prep, Years One and Two in our building. Children can start with us when they are three and then continue through the Hutchins School, leaving when they are 18.”

The interaction between all ages, with the youngest students able to see what their future holds and older students lending support at special events like Book Week, enables a relaxed transition to formal education.

The early learning centre also provides out of school hours care for the wider community and boys and girls from other schools attend the vacation care program.

“We offer a really amazing holiday program, which is definitely part of our success,” said Ms Pritchard-Tiller. “We like to run the vacation care program as if the children were at home and give them opportunities for relaxation and also adventure.

“Our Hobart location means that it only takes an hour by bus to get to a national park with gorgeous waterfalls or a beach with opportunities for crab-hunting, and this creates really special experiences for ages three and up.”

Mr Balk said that the 2022 KindiCare Awards this year recognised just over 2,000 early learning services nationally who achieved a KindiCare Rating of 9.0 or above. About 10% of services nationally were recognised with an Excellent Award with the top 2% of the nation’s best performing early learning services receiving the newly introduced Outstanding Award for achieving a KindiCare Rating of 9.5 or above.

“It is fantastic to be able to recognise the hard work and dedication of the childcare providers, educators and staff at these top performing centres nationally who strive every day to give the best possible start to learning for children across Australia,” said Mr Balk.

View the 2022 KindICare Excellence Awards Tasmanian Winners and Finalists >>>