How a shared campus, nature play and rich community connection are redefining early learning in Caloundra.
The kindergarten year is a significant milestone in a child’s development. This formative chapter is when young minds transition from tentative steps to bold independence, laying the emotional and cognitive foundations for a lifetime of learning.
Situated within the lush grounds of Caloundra City Private School (CCPS), CCPS Little Learners is transforming early childhood education. Led by Centre Director Fabiola Maciel and supported by the broader CCPS leadership team, the Early Learning Centre seamlessly bridges early childcare and primary education by offering a rich, play-based curriculum embedded within a dynamic school environment. Open to all families across the Sunshine Coast, it provides an early learning experience that is distinctly different.
The Golden Thread: A seamless pathway
Transitions can often feel daunting for young children, but at CCPS, the leap into Prep is designed as a natural, joyful next step. Through its specialised Prep Readiness Program, the centre weaves what CCPS calls its “Golden Thread” — a continuous line of values, relationships, and familiar spaces that guide a child from Little Learners through Prep, Junior School, and beyond.
Because the Early Learning Centre and Prep classrooms sit in close physical proximity — their playgrounds positioned right across from one another — familiarity happens organically. Prep students often wave across the fence, and early learning educators work side by side with Prep teachers to share insights into each child’s learning journey.
“Our teams collaborate to understand each child’s individual strengths, interests, and learning needs well before the school year begins. When children enter Prep, it doesn’t feel like a scary new world. It feels like the next natural step in a journey that has already begun.” — Kris Naiker, Deputy Principal – Students.
The shared campus advantage
What immediately sets CCPS Little Learners apart from standalone childcare environments is its physical and cultural integration within the school grounds. Rather than operating in isolation, Little Learners are an active, cherished part of the wider CCPS community.
Being part of the wider CCPS campus gives Little Learners a natural connection to the school community from an early age.
Daily life extends far beyond a traditional classroom footprint. Children regularly explore the broader campus — riding their bikes along safe footpaths, visiting the expansive school library to cultivate an early love of literature, and gathering in the main hall for tri-weekly assemblies where their achievements are celebrated alongside older peers.
“Our main point of difference is that being on school grounds gives our children access to world-class facilities and experiences,” explains Centre Director Fabiola Maciel. “It naturally demystifies the school environment from a very young age.”
Importantly, while the centre enjoys all the perks of a private school campus, Fabiola notes a common local misconception: “Many families assume our centre is exclusively reserved for children continuing to CCPS primary, but that isn’t the case. We are warmly open to all families across the wider community.”
Regular storytime and library experiences help Little Learners build an early love of books and literacy.
Learning beyond the classroom
Education at CCPS Little Learners is not confined by four walls. Embracing the philosophy that curiosity thrives in dynamic environments, the centre offers rich experiential learning programs, highlighted by its signature on-site Bush Kindy.
Unlike programs requiring complex off-site excursions, CCPS features a dedicated Bush Kindy classroom directly on campus. Children step safely into nature without needing to cross roads or board a bus. From exploring local flora to practising risk assessment on natural terrain, outdoor play fosters resilience, spatial awareness, and creative problem-solving. Outfitted in custom rainwear for all-weather exploration, children embrace the outdoors in any season.
“The bush is open for spontaneity,” says Fabiola. “It teaches children self-regulation and gives them room to breathe.”
Extending this ethos of meaningful discovery, Little Learners also participate in a heartwarming intergenerational program, making regular visits to a local aged care community. These visits offer a beautiful opportunity for young children to build empathy, practice gentle communication, and experience the world from a different perspective, forming priceless bonds across generations.
With custom all-weather gear, Little Learners can embrace outdoor exploration in every season.
Connecting with the Aura community
Recognising the rapid growth of surrounding coastal neighbourhoods, CCPS Little Learners is making its unique educational model more accessible than ever. The centre has introduced a new pick-up bus service directly servicing families in the rapidly growing Aura community.
This new initiative provides busy parents living in Aura with a convenient, stress-free transport solution, bringing high-quality early education, nature-based play, and unique private school campus facilities within easy reach of growing local households.
By balancing emotional warmth, nature-based play, and intergenerational connection with the structural benefits of a private school campus, CCPS Little Learners is proving that early education is about far more than school readiness … it is about helping young hearts and minds truly flourish.
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