Overview
Centre Philosophy
Our Kindergarten proudly stands on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge them as traditional Owners. We wish to pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging.
In relation to family and community, we will:
- Nurture what has begun in the home environment and recognise parents as active participants in the children’s learning process, by involving them in the planning cycle.
- Maintain a respectful and positive relationship and interactions with children and their families.
- Gain knowledge of and consider community and family values, beliefs and customs, as these are all important to children’s sense of belonging and identity.
- Ensure that parents and children feel welcome at all times, and invite them to be engaged and involved in all aspects of the Kindergarten year. This includes family gatherings, sharing cultural practices or special talents, community events and fundraising.
- Collaborate with other services, such as Early Intervention, Pre-School Field Officer and Maternal & Child Health Nurse to support the needs of children and their families. We believe strongly in the need to maintain relationships with local schools to support children’s transition to school.
We are committed to rights of all children to feel safe and be safe at all times, including:
- Promoting the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
- Promoting the cultural safety of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- Promoting the safety and wellbeing of all children including those with a disability.
In relation to children’s learning and play, we believe:
- That children should be given time and space to engage in the program without being hurried – to revisit and to live and have fun in the moment.
- In providing children with life skills, not just skills needed for academic achievement.
- That it is important to listen to children, and allow them to be involved in decisions that affect them.
- In having high expectations of children as capable on-going learners, and believe they should be supported to reach their full potential.
- Physical exercise is imperative for health, growth, learning and development.
- In providing the opportunity to challenge and support children to take calculated risks.
- In providing a play-based program, which is underpinned by the Early Years Learning Framework and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. Our program emerges from the interests of the children, and has a balance of child-initiated experiences and intentional teaching.
- That as children are individuals, and developing at different rates, the program and routines may look slightly different between groups.
As teachers and educators through our practices we are:
- Responsive to children, extending and scaffolding their play, as well as building on their needs and their interests.
- We observe children, assess and document their learning and plan experiences and environments in order to allow children to develop their sense of identity and community, wellbeing, learning and communication skills.
- Committed to reflecting on our practices, and to remain up-to-date in our professional development and knowledge.
In relation to our environment, we:
- Believe in the environment as a teacher, and that the room and grounds should be inspiring children to discover, create and explore.
- Engage in sustainable practices, and help the children understand the importance of looking after and respecting the environment for future generations.
- Believe strongly in the use of natural and recycled resources, and keeping materials and equipment as “real” as possible.
