The School of Early Childhood has origins in the Brisbane Kindergarten Training College, founded in 1911. Prior to our incorporation into QUT in 1990, the original College had been re-named the Brisbane Kindergarten Teachers’ College in 1965, and amalgamated with three other teachers’ colleges in 1981 to become known as the Brisbane College of Advanced Education.
The School of Early Childhood is a significant school within QUT and has a strong leadership role in the Early Childhood field throughout Queensland. The School has built on that role to become a major leader in teaching, research and community engagement in the domestic, national and international arenas.
Our staff and the staff from our predecessor institutions have a proud history of taking a major leadership role in the early childhood profession and in the community at large. QUT formally acclaimed this leadership when, in 1994, the research centre of the School, the Centre for Applied Studies in Early Childhood (CASEC), was designated University Research Centre status.
CASEC led the Australian Early Childhood sector through its work in research, development and community service. In 2004 the Faculty of Education consolidated research activities with the inauguration of the Centre for Learning Innovation. School of Early Childhood staff are leading the way in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) research activity and in postgraduate research training managed through this Centre. A large number of PhD, EdD, and MEd research candidates reside in the Centre, and many graduate researchers work in key leadership positions in Australia and in other countries.
Graduates from Early Childhood courses find employment in a wide variety of services for young children, locally, interstate and in other countries. Our alumni work in early primary education settings, long day care centres, preschools, kindergartens, neighbourhood centres, child development clinics and other agencies.
We are a major provider of professional development programs for teachers and parents throughout Queensland, Australia and beyond. Programs are designed to address concerns of educational leaders such as principals, directors and teachers as well as those of parents and other community members. Courses are available in pre-designed or in customised forms.