EXCEEDING
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD
WHERE THE FUTURE BEGINS
2 Matthew St,
Glen Waverley, 3150
03 9802 8035
Mission Statement
Children learn best when they feel safe, supported and respected as an individual. Child safety is an integral part of the Syndal Preschool philosophy. Supporting each child’s cultural, linguistic, developmental and physical safety is paramount. Only then can children reach their full learning potential, supported through active participation, experimentation and play.
Philosophy
In relation to children we:
-
Actively support each child’s cultural, linguistic, developmental and physical safety
-
Believe in the child’s right to play – play develops skills in all areas of development
-
Work together to build strong relationships between peers, educators, families and the community, thereby encouraging each child’s sense of identity and belonging
-
Encourage interactions with others which promote care, empathy and respect
-
Are committed to assisting children to develop strong self-esteem and self confidence, thereby encouraging children to develop the skills required to choose their own learning paths
-
Recognise that each child comes into the Preschool environment with a wealth of previous experience and individual ability
-
Work to empower children and provide both the means and support for individuals to report feelings of negative feelings / incidents
In relation to families we:
-
Value the role of families as the child’s first and most important educator and encourage the continued contributions of each family to children’s learning
-
Encourage meaningful participation within the Syndal Preschool Community, which then promotes a feeling of inclusion
-
Recognise and celebrate each family’s individual structure, values, culture and child rearing beliefs and the uniqueness this brings to Syndal Preschool
-
Believe that respectful, meaningful and open communication is the foundation of strong relationships
In relation to community we:
-
Acknowledge children as global citizens
-
Encourage children to feel an integral and valuable part of the Syndal Preschool community
-
Value the input of both the Syndal Preschool community and that of the wider community as this connection enhances the outcomes for children and their families
-
Promote active involvement in the local community, thereby building connections between the child, family, preschool and the world in which they live
-
Recognise and respect Aboriginal cultures and their unique place in the heritage and future of Victoria
In relation to environment we:
-
Provide a warm, caring and stimulating environment, which is essential for children’s learning
-
Believe a safe environment encourages children to explore and challenge themselves according to their individual interests
-
Provide a welcoming and nurturing environment which encouraged family involvement
-
Encourage the exchanging of ideas between educators, families and children within a climate of mutual respect
-
Encourage an awareness of the interdependence of people and the environment, thereby supporting the need for sustainable practices and assisting the children to develop environmentally responsible habits which will last a lifetime
-
Encourage exploration and active learning equally within the indoor and outdoor environments
In relation to our educational programs we:
-
Believe in children learning through play. Play based learning is an essential component of quality early childhood programs
-
Encourage each child to develop strong foundations through their play which enable them to move onto more formal learning
-
Develop programs which are child centred, using an emergent curriculum model which is developed from the children’s own interests
-
Use intentional teaching strategies which are deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful to extend children’s learning
-
Provide programs which recognise and support individual learning styles
In relation to educators we:
-
Recognise that early childhood professionals are highly specialised, passionate and committed to the education of children
-
Support their continued expertise as professionals through ongoing professional development
-
Value each individual team member’s knowledge and skills which together form the basis of a cohesive team, essential to developing and delivering high quality programs
-
Encourage ongoing, reflective practices, which enables us to make informed programming decisions, fundamental to high quality early childhood education
In relation to diversity we:
-
Value the cultural history of all children and their families
-
Seek to promote inclusion and fairness for all within the Syndal Preschool community
-
Promote awareness and acceptance of individual cultural practices within the context of Syndal Preschool and the wider community
-
Aim to breakdown cultural and gender stereotyping by challenging perceptions and attitudes
-
Believe all children have a right to belong to the Syndal Preschool community regardless of their abilities and needs
-
Celebrate individual differences and work towards achieving the best possible outcomes for all children
-
And recognise the individuality of each family structure
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” - Albert Einstein