Introduction

Fostering secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships.

Armidale Out of School Hours Care (OOSH) Service is located at Sandon Public School; we provide after school care and vacation care for school aged children in our community. Our OOSH bus allows us to collect children from surrounding schools and transport them to our quality service at Sandon.

We run a play based educational programme and implement a range of structured activities based on the children’s interest and input to the programme. Our educational programmes are designed to incorporate a balance between indoor and outdoor activities that promote children’s independence, decision making, cognitive and physical development.

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Armidale Out of School Hours Care is generously supported by Sandon Public School, and both after school care and vacation care operate from Sandon Public School Hall.

Address: Erskine & Niagara Streets, Armidale NSW 2350

After School Care: 3:00pm – 6:00pm Monday to Friday

Vacation Care: 8:00am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday during School Vacation periods.
8:00am – 6:00 pm Pupil Free Days and Staff Development Days .

Our Educators provide a stimulating and educational environment in which children can explore their interests, extend on their skills and have fun with their peers.

We provide a nutritious afternoon tea for all children enrolled in the service; children who have allergies are catered for with an alternative meal.

Our service operates in line with the National Education and Care Regulations and National Law.

Armidale OOSH Educators are up-to-date with their training in First Aid, CPR, Child Protection and Working with Children Checks.

Our After School Care Fees are $23.00 a day, with the addition of $1.00 if you are using the OOSH bus for transport. Fees are eligible for Child Care Subsidy and BASC vouchers.

Our Educators design an exciting and educational programme for vacation care, in collaboration with the children and families.

The children attending our vacation care service benefit from a balance of indoor and outdoor experiences, structured activities, free play as well as a variety of excursions and incursions.

Our Vacation care fee is $52.00 a day. Vacation Care fees are eligible for Child Care Subsidy and BASC vouchers.

What is play-based learning?
Children are naturally motivated to play. A play-based programme builds on this motivation, using play as a context for learning. In this context, children can explore, experiment, discover and solve problems in imaginative and playful ways.

A play-based approach involves both child-initiated and Educator-supported learning. The Educator encourages children’s learning and inquiry through interactions that aim to stretch their thinking to higher levels.

Our Out of Hours School Care bus travels to all the local schools.

Children are picked up from their school by two Educators and are signed into our care the moment they step onto the bus. Children are delivered to Armidale OOSH and walk to the service with an Educator, where they are signed in again as they enter the Hall.

The cost of our bus transport is an additional $1.00 per session. 

Armidale OOSH only provides a pick up service; all children are required to be picked up by a parent/guardian or authorised person before 6:00pm who must also sign them out of care.

View our frequently asked questions.
If you can’t find the answer to your question, check out our about us page, give us a call or send an enquiry!

If your child attends Sandon Public School, an appointed teacher will walk the children to the hall from class, where they will be signed into the service by an Armidale OOSH Educator.
Children attending other Armidale schools are collected by our Educators on our bus from their school, and driven to the service. Children are signed into the service’s care as they get onto the bus, and again as they enter the service at Sandon Public School. The bus driver is accompanied by an Educator who supervises children during the trip.
You will be asked to complete an Authorisation for the Transport of Children Form. Authorisations are renewed in Term 1 each year.

Yes, Child Care Subsidy is available for out-of-pocket fees if you are eligible to claim CCS.

To see your families eligibility, click the following link here.

Armidale Out of School Hours Care provides a variety of nutritious snacks for afternoon tea for children enrolled in After School Care. Weekly food menus are displayed for your information. Drinking water is always available to children. Occasional treats such as Birthday Cakes are offered to children on special occasions, with permission from families. In these instances children with specified dietary requirements are offered alternative foods.

Families using Vacation Care are requested to provide children with:

– a healthy, generously packed lunch, morning and afternoon tea, fresh fruit and a refillable water bottle,
– enclosed footwear, preferably sneakers if possible;
– sun hats and sleeved shirts
– no singlets, please, and
– in winter, plenty of warm clothing and a rain jacket.

Children are encouraged not to bring items of value into our service, as we cannot accept any responsibility for their loss or damage. We also suggest that you label all clothing.

Once enrolled, you will be provided with Vacation Care Programmes and Booking Sheets regularly.

Yes, Armidale OOSH accept the BASC vouchers.

Armidale OOSH is rated Meeting the National Quality Area, in all 7 areas.

We run a play based educational programme as well as implementing a range of structured activities based on the children’s interest and input to the programme. Our educational programmes are designed to incorporate a balance between indoor and outdoor activities that promote children’s independence, decision making, cognitive and physical development.

Vacation Care fees are $52.00 per day; excursions planned throughout vacation care come as an additional cost to families that will be

Afterschool care fees are $23.00 a day; if you require transport via our bus there is an additional cost of $1.00

After School Care 3.00 pm – 6.00 pm Monday to Friday

Vacation Care 8.00 am – 6.00 pm Monday to Friday during School Vacation periods. Pupil Free Days and Staff Development Days 8.00 am – 6.00 pm

Families wishing to use our service will be directed to the Coordination Unit office. Should our service be able to accept the children into care, we will provide your family an enrolment package which you should complete and return to us. Call 6772 5300 or email [email protected]

Our Policy and Procedure Portfolio is available to you at the service and via our website; our Policies and procedures are reviewed by Management bi-annually or as the need is identified.

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