Principles and practices that best support our vision and the developmental needs of our children are:

• Valuing the child as an individual within the context of the family and the community
• Supporting parents in their role as primary caregivers and sharing information of benefit to the development of their child
• Valuing play as a medium for all aspects of development and learning acknowledging and supporting children’s individual learning styles
• Valuing the arts as symbol systems through which children discover and express meaning and make sense of themselves and their world
• Providing opportunities for discovery learning through self-selected activities, and encouraging the development of children’s abilities to observe, perceive, explore, investigate, imagine and problem solve
• Valuing positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviour, thereby allowing the child to develop self discipline and parent-supported value systems
• Valuing daily routines such as eating, toileting, dressing and resting as opportunities for learning and social development, and therefore ensuring that these times are engaging and stimulating
• Respecting the needs and rights of children to make choices and decisions by empowering them to take responsibility for the functioning of parts of the daily routines
• Providing opportunities for children to develop responsibility by encouraging them in taking care of their environment and materials
• Valuing the strong benefit of meaningful participation with the families.
• Recognising the need for children to practice skills and consolidate their learning by providing opportunities for repetition of experiences and extension of their ideas
• Designing and establishing an enriched environment that stimulates the imagination, promotes creativity and enhances aesthetic development and appreciation of nature
• Valuing and supporting our dedicated staff in their work with children and families
• Being responsive to the needs of the community and abiding by the relevant laws and policies that relate to the provision of quality children’s

Services

• Promoting an awareness of sustainable practise and respect for the environment and nature
• Demonstrating and encouraging good hygiene nutrition and health practises, which encourage children to develop a positive sense of well being.

Underlying these principles and practices is our understanding of the need to promote children’s independence and their ability to work cooperatively with peers and adults within a safe and supportive environment free of cultural or gender bias.