Philosophy

Centre Philosophy

Preamble

Little Shepherd pre-school acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which our communities come together for the purpose of learning together, and paying our respects to the elders past, present and future.

The Rights Of The Child

  • The rights of the child underpin any decision that is made, any policy that is written and any program that is planned in the preschool program.
  • The rights of the child are to be upheld in daily practice, routines, experiences and events.  At Little shepherd we aim to have the children in the forefront of our practices and procedures.

Children

  • We see children as unique and capable individuals, who come to our centre with their own interests, talents, skills, and ideas. 
  • We as educators are well trained and passionate.  We value, respect and appreciate this uniqueness. 
  • We feel children have a right to be active participants in their own learning and must be empowered to express their views and ideas.
  • A child’s opinion must be valued for its insight into their perspective. Additionally we aim to provide children will the tools they require to become autonomous and successful in reaching their learning goal. 
  • We as educators will protect and cherish the innocence of children and thus provide a safe and secure environment. 
  • As we unpack the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) we will work alongside your child to actively promote children’s learning through worthwhile and challenging experiences and interactions that foster high-level thinking skill

Community

  • We strive to be seen as a centre of excellence within our community, a centre that values community involvement in all aspects of our program. 
  • We wish to provide a service, where community resources are utilised effectively, to enhance connections to community and culture.
  • Our centre aims to be reflective of local community.

Family

  • We believe that working in partnerships with families is central to ensuring continuity and progression in a child’s learning, development and future success. 
  • We strive to develop positive, mutually respectful relationships with each family member, as we work in partnership to achieve the best possible outcomes for all. 
  • We acknowledge that family is the most important and influential aspect in the lives of young children and the significance of their relationships cannot be underestimated. We aim to ensure we involve parents and families in all aspects of program development and implementation. 

Program/ Curriculum

  • School readiness opportunities is reflective in our daily practise and is imbedded into our curriculum.
  • The children’s interests and ideas form the foundation of the curriculum.
  • We feel that a meaningful, integrated, emergent curriculum using EYLF, as the Framework is the most beneficial to children’s learning across all developmental domains. 
  • A curriculum in which children are active participants and collaborators allows for a more individualistic and meaningful involvement by the children. 
  • We believe children are unique individuals who develop at their own pace, and thus by providing enriching, meaningful and realistic opportunities children will explore, create, discover, and imagine. 
  • Our programs reflect planned and spontaneous experiences designed to support children’s development in all domains.
  • Using the EYLF as a guide, our program will see Educators use intentional teaching, which is deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful in it’s delivery.
  • Educators who engage in intentional teaching recognise that learning occurs in social contexts and that interactions and conversations are vitally important for learning. 
  • They actively promote children’s learning through worthwhile and challenging experiences and interactions that foster high-level thinking skills (EYLF).

Educators

  • We value the use effective communication with families, children and fellow educators, we believe this is essential for positive outcomes across all aspects of the centres’ functioning, for ‘together everyone achieves more”.
  • We will value and build on children’s strengths, skills and knowledge to ensure their motivation and engagement in learning (EYLF).
  • We aim to create an environment of trust and respect, where we work towards achieving a shared goal.  Ongoing education and training is a critical aspect of staff’s professional development.
  • We believe in a culture of critical reflection, evaluation and assessment, which helps educators improve the implication of learning experiences and helps maintain a safe playing environment.
  • We recognise educators at our centre’s most precious resource and aim to provide them with a satisfying and safe working environment. Further we also appreciate the experience and skills of all educators. 
  • We appreciate their dedication as an integral element of the success of our centre. Educators  participate in training and aim to keep up to date with current practice.

Environment

  • Children have natural affiliation to the natural world; as such educators understand that children often develop their ideas and understandings through experiencing the world around them, further, from the information presented to them by significant adults in their lives.
  • As we are one of these significant adults we have a responsibility to present a positive approach to the environment. 
  • We embrace and promote diversity within our centre, so that children view diversity with a sense of appreciation, tolerance, and wonder rather than misunderstanding and fear.
  • Through respect, acknowledgement, appreciation and acceptance of diversity within our community, our service will embrace, celebrate and share traditions and cultures throughout our program.
  • Learning environments are welcoming spaces when they reflect and enrich the lives and identities of children and families participating in the setting and respond to their interests and needs.
  • Our centre will cater for different capacities and learning styles and invite children and families to contribute ideas, interests and questions (EYLF).
  • Provide children with a sound understanding and a high level of knowledge of environmental issues. They are encouraged to be directly involved in caring for the environment through maintaining natural elements, compost, recycling, and re using materials as well as conserving resources.

 

Source: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for the Council of Australian Governments.

Review Date: 16/3/12, 16/3/13, 21/5/14, 29/5/15                         Next Review: 21/5/16