Aspire Early Education & Kindergarten Ashbury, Armstrong Creek

⏰ A Friendly CCS Reminder

With 30 June fast approaching, now is a great time to check that you're on track with your Child Care Subsidy (CCS) requirements.

Taking action before key deadlines can help avoid interruptions to your subsidy and unexpected childcare costs.

Families are encouraged to:
✔ Review your CCS details
✔ Confirm your income information with Services Australia
✔ Lodge any required tax returns
✔ Familiarise yourself with absence day requirements

If you have questions about CCS or need support understanding what actions may apply to your family, our team is always happy to help.

Connecting through culture, music, storytelling and shared learning.
As part of our National Reconciliation Week celebrations, our kindergarten children were privileged to participate in the Didge, Beats & Culture experience with Sean Candy from First Nations Incursions.
Children were captivated by the powerful sounds of the yidaki (didgeridoo) and explored a range of traditional cultural items including clap sticks, boomerangs, woven artefacts, emu eggs, kangaroo skin, possum skin and wallaby skin. Through music, movement, storytelling and hands-on exploration, children gained a deeper appreciation of Aboriginal cultures, traditions and ways of sharing knowledge across generations.
The experience sparked curiosity encouraged respectful conversations and provided meaningful opportunities for children to learn about connection to Country, culture and community.
We sincerely thank Sean for sharing his knowledge, stories and passion with our children, creating an experience that was both engaging and memorable.
Learning together, listening deeply and walking forward with respect are important steps on our shared journey of reconciliation.

Our kindergarten children enjoyed participating in Ditto's Keep Safe Adventure Show, an engaging and interactive experience designed to support children's understanding of personal safety and wellbeing.
Through songs, storytelling, movement and discussion, children explored important concepts including feeling safe, identifying trusted adults, recognizing emotions, and understanding how to seek help when needed. The experience encouraged children to build confidence, resilience and communication skills in a positive and age-appropriate way.
We thank the Bravehearts team for delivering such a meaningful and engaging program that supports children's wellbeing and empowers them with valuable lifelong skills.

Dear Aspire Ashbury Families,
A quick reminder that Aspire Ashbury will be closed on Monday, 8th June, for the King's Birthday public holiday.
We hope this provides an opportunity for our families to enjoy some extra time together. Our team looks forward to welcoming everyone back to the centre on Tuesday, 9th June, when we will resume our normal operating hours of 6:30am – 6:30pm.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and for being such a valued part of our Aspire Ashbury community.
Wishing you a wonderful long weekend

Bridging Now to Next: Every Print Tells a Story, We Walk Together

As part of National Reconciliation Week 2026, the children in our Wombat Toddler Room explored clay through a hands-on sensory experience. By mixing water into the clay, the children transformed it into a smooth, earthy paste before squishing, pressing, stamping, and tracking their way through the experience using their hands, feet, and toy trucks.

Some children jumped straight in, delighting in the feel of the clay between their fingers and toes, while others carefully explored by creating tracks and pathways with trucks. Each footprint, handprint, and track was unique, celebrating the different ways children learn, explore, and express themselves.

Together, these individual marks became our We Walk Together collage—where every print tells a story and every contribution matters. Inspired by this year's National Reconciliation Week theme, Bridging Now to Next, the experience encouraged connection, belonging, and learning together as we acknowledge and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, histories, and continuing connections to Country.

A special milestone for Aspire Ashbury as we hosted our very first Bush Kinder session.

We loved welcoming Possum Pete, who introduced the children to Goim galiwan and Goim ngurgang (Male and Female Kangaroos) and Ngaambulmum (Koalas). A highlight was holding a real emu egg shell, creating curiosity and excitement.

A meaningful and hands-on experience connecting children to nature, culture and learning.

We are very excited for our bush kinder sessions this term.
Thank you Possum Pete

We understand that families have busy schedules, so that’s why for one week only, we are opening our Aspire Ashbury doors for evening tours! ✨

Join us to explore the indoor and outdoor environments, speak to our team, and learn more about our Aspire curriculum and programs.

Click the link below to book in your tour time:
https://www.aspireearlyeducation.vic.edu.au/book-a-tour/

✨ A reminder Aspire Ashbury will be closed Friday, 3rd April and Monday, 6th April for the Public Holidays.

We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Easter long weekend 🐰🐣

Exciting news! ✨ Our Kinder Committee is launching in Term 2, and we’re inviting expressions of interest from our kinder children to join.
Having a Kinder Committee within a centre brings amazing benefits, including fostering a strong sense of community, encouraging collaboration between children and educators, and creating a supportive environment where every child has a voice!

We cannot wait to have some great conversations and hear wonderful ideas from our kindergarten children.