Our Philosophy

In relation to children, East Brunswick Kindergarten and Childcare Centre will:

·         Encourage children to become motivated learners by providing opportunities through unstructured play.

·         Recognise that children are competent and capable learners.

·         Recognise and value that children are unique individuals and learn and develop in a variety of different rates.

·         Support and encourage the child’s interests to be the motivation for their play. This emerging curriculum assists in attaining and promoting independence, self-help skills, responsible decision making, empathy, successful emotional responses, cooperation, sharing, creativity, communication and confidence.

·         Encourage and support children to be culturally inclusive, respect diversity and different ways of being and doing.

·         Support children to be respectful with peers and adults, challenge stereotypes, gender equality and build pro social and empathy skills.

·         Encourage children to be curious, to question and experiment and to explore their individual creativity and potential.

·         Recognise the value of children’s play in the learning process and recognise that each child will develop and learn at their own pace.

·         Emphasis is placed on the creative and learning process rather than the end product, with particular recognition of the child’s need for space, time materials adult support and guidance.

·         Provide a safe environment for all children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Foster opportunities for each child to participate, listen to and express their views which ensures their safety, health and wellbeing.

In relation to families and the community, East Brunswick Kindergarten and Childcare Centre will:

·         Acknowledge that children belong first to a ‘family’ and recognise that this is the child’s most significant relationship.

·         Highly value the link between a family, an Early Learning Environment, the wider community and school and work in partnership with all these groups to provide the best start for each child.

·         Acknowledge the strong community connections and partnerships that EBKCC has developed and continue to nurture.  We firmly believe that collaborative relationships enhance the children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.

·         Acknowledge and value cultural influences, family values and ideas and ensure that they are respected, included and explored within the program.

·         Respect special relationship between children and their families and recognise their right for confidentiality.

·         Develop positive relationships with families based on mutual trust and open communication.

·        Recognise that individual families have their own parenting and childcare practices

·         Acknowledge and embrace diversity all family structures regardless of ability, gender, race, language, culture or economic status.

In relation to educators East Brunswick Kindergarten and Childcare Centre will:

·         Expect and enable that educators will keep up with current ideas and philosophies and educational practice to strive to create a centre of excellence.

·         Encourage the seeking of knowledge.

·         Ensure educators aim to create an environment of trust and respect with emphasis on open communication.

·         Preserve and extend the passion for early year’s education within each and every educator.

·         Ensure educators create relationships with families and children and the community.

·         Adhere to the code of ethics.

·         Assist and foster staff relationships with management

In relation to programs, East Brunswick Kindergarten and Childcare Centre will:

·         Develop the curriculum and educational programs in alignment with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework. These Frameworks embrace an integrated approach to learning and teaching ensuring that play is used to facilitate children’s learning across all domains of development. Educators will offer a program that is designed to reflect the 5 key learning outcomes and the practice principles within these documents.

·         Strive to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives as an integral part of our programs and commit to raising awareness of Indigenous values and concepts.

Encourage children to participate in experiences that extend abilities and thinking. Open ended play spaces support children’s different learning styles and provide opportunities for creativity, investigation, exploration and imagination. Children’s voices are embedded into the program with an emphasis on children’s ideas and rights to be listened to and valued. The program is play based and self- directed, promoting inclusion, motivation, agency, learning and participation for every child. Programs provide a balance of intentional learning opportunities, spontaneous and child led experiences based on interests.

·         Encourage and support children to engage and participate in the program offering a balance of individual, small and large group experiences, whilst keeping a flexible attitude to cater to children’s individual and daily needs.

·         Support the child’s progress by guiding and scaffolding play to assist with acquiring new skills. Access and evaluate the children’s learning journey.

 In relation to the environment East Brunswick Kindergarten and Childcare will:

·         Recognise that the physical environment both indoors and out, plays a vital role in supporting learning.

·         Take pride in creating an environment that is aesthetically pleasing.

·         Enrich children’s learning by the creative use of extensive resource, recycled and natural materials.

·         Encourage the promotion and the use of natural and recycled materials throughout the educational program.

·         Support a workplace ethos that is environmentally aware, including promoting sustainable practices, minimising waste and recycling.

·         Endorse and encourage the use of the extensive outdoor space.

·         Promote physical wellbeing with abundant opportunities for active outdoor exploration.

·         Recognise the importance of play in nature and its benefits towards supporting children’s wellbeing, social and emotional development