Our philosophy
NATURAL
We value natural learning in natural environments. We support play, something that is intrinsically motivated, inspiring, and provoking our children’s sense of curiosity. Through learning in nature, children are provided with opportunities to make connections, develop skills, and share and deepen their understanding. Our team of educators are trained by mentors specialising in renowned bush craft teaching, survival skills, environmentalism, and connectedness to nature. We believe in allowing children time to explore their curiosities and discover new and exciting things in the bush. We engage in authentic indigenous methods for creating fire, cooking, creating shelter and discovering different plants and their uses. Our full immersion in the natural environment and the everyday practices of bushcraft skills teach us to reactivate our innate connection to nature. We are grateful for our original custodians of the land, the Awabakal people, and acknowledge the elders past, present and emerging. We strive to work with our local Aboriginal community seeking their teachings on Aboriginal ways of knowing and being that guide our connectedness to the land and all of its inhabitants.
Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education - David Polis
UNITED
We strongly value the importance of relationships. Our connections with our children, each other, our families, the land and the wider community are built on trust and mutual respect. We nurture children’s growing confidence and development with support, kindness and warmth. We believe that meaningful relationships bring opportunities for learning, sharing, acknowledging, and celebrating differences. We strive to form strong cultural connections and relationships with diverse and indigenous communities. We support children to develop values, attitudes and ways of living that will enable them to contribute positively to the community. We regard a sense of belonging as crucial for developing a strong sense of wellbeing, therefore provide a safe and secure base for all to thrive in. We bring together children’s uniqueness, strengths, ideas and skills which shapes their identity and gives them purpose in our community. Our team of educators create a strong sense of community as they connect with one another, value individual strengths and share skills and ideas, advocate for children and build a professional approach to early childhood education. Creating a child safe culture is at the heart of all we do and our approach to early childhood education.
RIGHT TO CHILDHOOD
Research demonstrates that children learn best through hands on experiences, building new knowledge and skills as they actively explore and interact with their environment. We believe children should have long periods of uninterrupted time for play, to dig in the dirt, climb trees, explore with their hands, splash in puddles, daydream and travel to imaginary worlds. Every child should be encouraged to live for today, rather than always planning for tomorrow. We have a strong image of child that is upheld in our everyday practice. Children deserve dedicated and passionate educators to guide their learning within a safe environment.
We value authentic school readiness where children are provided with quality tools, resources and time to ignite their passion for learning. Our school readiness focuses on building important lifelong skills, such as self-regulation and mindfulness, resilience, emotional intelligence, independence, and social, self-help and higher order thinking skills. When equipped with these tools, children are able to enter the school environment with a greater sense of confidence and ability to take on challenges and overcome adversity.
THIRD TEACHER
The physical environment has a crucial role to play in children’s development, one that is referred to in Reggio Emilia, Italy, as “The Third Teacher”. An environment that acts to teach children can be described as a physical space that nurtures concentration, creativity, and the motivation to independently learn and explore (McKellar, 1957) This is what we endeavour to provide in our environment. We consider our children’s needs, aesthetics and sustainability when making choices regarding resources and the physical environment. We aim to create an environment that is welcoming, comfortable, stable, yet flexible to the needs of the children. Our educator’s expertise allows us to adopt a specialised approach in creating this environment. Our Atelierista provides a creative and inspiring space where children’s ideas are the foundation of the program. Our qualified educators provide a diverse range of natural learning experiences and an environment full of provocations for our children to explore and deepen their learning. We foster a strong connection to, and respect for, the land. The land offers us rich resources that promote indigenous methods of living such as how to create fire by friction, cooking on our open fires and building structures using natural materials whilst also demonstrating the importance of respecting the Awabakal land on which we live, learn and play.
UNIQUE
Uniqueness is something to be embraced. All children, families and educators bring unique skills, interests, culture, abilities, ideas, and ways of simply being, that contribute to our exceeding educational program. The Hundred Languages of Children Poem sums it up perfectly –The child has a hundred languages, a hundred hands, a hundred thoughts, a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking. We strive to provide a unique service to children, families and the community that reflects the diverse geographical context that we are part of. We aim to create an environment that celebrates and makes children, families and educators feel respected for their own uniqueness and also allows us to see the beauty in other people’s individuality.
RISK TAKING
When supported, children are capable of making decisions about their risk taking. We encourage children to assess risk, challenge themselves and make discoveries. Riding down the hill on their bike, testing their skills on our suspended nets, climbing trees, sitting around the campfire or using authentic metal tools. Research demonstrates that opportunities for risk taking develop important skills for children in managing and assessing their own risk, solving complex problems, and developing their overall confidence and a higher level of thinking. While valuing the important part risk taking plays in children’s development, our educators believe it is not only possible, but essential to provide this risky play in a safe and supervised environment. We believe it is our responsibility to advocate risk taking in early childhood and to take risks ourselves. We believe that when educators take risks they open doors to new ideas, opportunities, and understandings.
Risk is essential. There is no growth or inspiration in staying within what is safe and comfortable. Once you find out what is best, why not try something else?
- Alex Noble
EVOLVING
We are committed to growing our knowledge and evolving our practices to reflect our learning. We empower our educators through professional development opportunities and ongoing education, as this enables us to deliver meaningful programs inspired by many theories, approaches and ideas. We see the value in connecting with our community and forming partnerships with local indigenous people. This enables us to deepen our understanding of Aboriginal culture, our connection to Mother Earth and knowledge of bushcraft skills., information we can then pass onto our children in care. We believe these connections, together with consistent reviews and critical reflections, support us in creating and delivering a holistic, inclusive and culturally rich program.
We value natural learning in natural environments. We support play, something that is intrinsically motivated, inspiring, and provoking our children’s sense of curiosity. Through learning in nature, children are provided with opportunities to make connections, develop skills, and share and deepen their understanding. Our team of educators are trained by mentors specialising in renowned bush craft teaching, survival skills, environmentalism, and connectedness to nature. We believe in allowing children time to explore their curiosities and discover new and exciting things in the bush. We engage in authentic indigenous methods for creating fire, cooking, creating shelter and discovering different plants and their uses. Our full immersion in the natural environment and the everyday practices of bushcraft skills teach us to reactivate our innate connection to nature. We are grateful for our original custodians of the land, the Awabakal people, and acknowledge the elders past, present and emerging. We strive to work with our local Aboriginal community seeking their teachings on Aboriginal ways of knowing and being that guide our connectedness to the land and all of its inhabitants.
Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education - David Polis
UNITED
We strongly value the importance of relationships. Our connections with our children, each other, our families, the land and the wider community are built on trust and mutual respect. We nurture children’s growing confidence and development with support, kindness and warmth. We believe that meaningful relationships bring opportunities for learning, sharing, acknowledging, and celebrating differences. We strive to form strong cultural connections and relationships with diverse and indigenous communities. We support children to develop values, attitudes and ways of living that will enable them to contribute positively to the community. We regard a sense of belonging as crucial for developing a strong sense of wellbeing, therefore provide a safe and secure base for all to thrive in. We bring together children’s uniqueness, strengths, ideas and skills which shapes their identity and gives them purpose in our community. Our team of educators create a strong sense of community as they connect with one another, value individual strengths and share skills and ideas, advocate for children and build a professional approach to early childhood education. Creating a child safe culture is at the heart of all we do and our approach to early childhood education.
RIGHT TO CHILDHOOD
Research demonstrates that children learn best through hands on experiences, building new knowledge and skills as they actively explore and interact with their environment. We believe children should have long periods of uninterrupted time for play, to dig in the dirt, climb trees, explore with their hands, splash in puddles, daydream and travel to imaginary worlds. Every child should be encouraged to live for today, rather than always planning for tomorrow. We have a strong image of child that is upheld in our everyday practice. Children deserve dedicated and passionate educators to guide their learning within a safe environment.
We value authentic school readiness where children are provided with quality tools, resources and time to ignite their passion for learning. Our school readiness focuses on building important lifelong skills, such as self-regulation and mindfulness, resilience, emotional intelligence, independence, and social, self-help and higher order thinking skills. When equipped with these tools, children are able to enter the school environment with a greater sense of confidence and ability to take on challenges and overcome adversity.
THIRD TEACHER
The physical environment has a crucial role to play in children’s development, one that is referred to in Reggio Emilia, Italy, as “The Third Teacher”. An environment that acts to teach children can be described as a physical space that nurtures concentration, creativity, and the motivation to independently learn and explore (McKellar, 1957) This is what we endeavour to provide in our environment. We consider our children’s needs, aesthetics and sustainability when making choices regarding resources and the physical environment. We aim to create an environment that is welcoming, comfortable, stable, yet flexible to the needs of the children. Our educator’s expertise allows us to adopt a specialised approach in creating this environment. Our Atelierista provides a creative and inspiring space where children’s ideas are the foundation of the program. Our qualified educators provide a diverse range of natural learning experiences and an environment full of provocations for our children to explore and deepen their learning. We foster a strong connection to, and respect for, the land. The land offers us rich resources that promote indigenous methods of living such as how to create fire by friction, cooking on our open fires and building structures using natural materials whilst also demonstrating the importance of respecting the Awabakal land on which we live, learn and play.
UNIQUE
Uniqueness is something to be embraced. All children, families and educators bring unique skills, interests, culture, abilities, ideas, and ways of simply being, that contribute to our exceeding educational program. The Hundred Languages of Children Poem sums it up perfectly –The child has a hundred languages, a hundred hands, a hundred thoughts, a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking. We strive to provide a unique service to children, families and the community that reflects the diverse geographical context that we are part of. We aim to create an environment that celebrates and makes children, families and educators feel respected for their own uniqueness and also allows us to see the beauty in other people’s individuality.
RISK TAKING
When supported, children are capable of making decisions about their risk taking. We encourage children to assess risk, challenge themselves and make discoveries. Riding down the hill on their bike, testing their skills on our suspended nets, climbing trees, sitting around the campfire or using authentic metal tools. Research demonstrates that opportunities for risk taking develop important skills for children in managing and assessing their own risk, solving complex problems, and developing their overall confidence and a higher level of thinking. While valuing the important part risk taking plays in children’s development, our educators believe it is not only possible, but essential to provide this risky play in a safe and supervised environment. We believe it is our responsibility to advocate risk taking in early childhood and to take risks ourselves. We believe that when educators take risks they open doors to new ideas, opportunities, and understandings.
Risk is essential. There is no growth or inspiration in staying within what is safe and comfortable. Once you find out what is best, why not try something else?
- Alex Noble
EVOLVING
We are committed to growing our knowledge and evolving our practices to reflect our learning. We empower our educators through professional development opportunities and ongoing education, as this enables us to deliver meaningful programs inspired by many theories, approaches and ideas. We see the value in connecting with our community and forming partnerships with local indigenous people. This enables us to deepen our understanding of Aboriginal culture, our connection to Mother Earth and knowledge of bushcraft skills., information we can then pass onto our children in care. We believe these connections, together with consistent reviews and critical reflections, support us in creating and delivering a holistic, inclusive and culturally rich program.