Our Philosophy
OUR CULTURE
Dalmeny Preschool and Long Day Care Centre is formed on the Yuin land. We acknowledge Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of this country and their connection to the land, water, and community in which we operate. We pay our respect to them, their cultures, and customs both past and present.
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At Dalmeny Day Care we view our community as a valued resource, seeking ways to actively engage with our community and establish links with traditional land owners and Elders. We value diversity and the richness that each individual brings to our service, recognising and celebrating these differences.
OUR EDUCATORS
We have a multifaceted team of educators at our service with diverse backgrounds and experience. As educators we strive to be proactive in helping children build strengths and skills while fostering each child’s sense of identity and belonging. We value ourselves as Early Childhood Educators, affirming and challenging each other as we strive for improvement and setting goals for professional development. As educators we work together to form partnerships based on mutual respect and trust, acknowledging each other’s differences, and recognising each other’s strengths. As educators we are dedicated to an anti-bias approach and we promise to be positive role models, demonstrating kindness, compassion, and patience in our daily practice. Our pedagogy is based on a combination of values and theories as well as professional knowledge about child development and education.
OUR FAMILIES
We recognise the importance of families in a child’s develop and strive to nurture each relationship and connection to families at our service. Holding a high level of communication with our families is of utmost importance in our practice, as we believe this is the key to successful collaborative partnerships.
OUR CHILDREN
We aim to support children to make choices about their own and others health, safety, and wellbeing. We instil a strong sense of belonging and identity and provide opportunities for independence. We recognise and respond to children’s needs, valuing individuality and celebrating culture. We provide opportunities to develop relationships, share ideas and challenge each child’s thinking by listening and responding to ideas. We view children as competent contributors to their world and encourage and support them to be active participants. We value diversity, equity and inclusion; with the belief that uniqueness is something to be embraced and believe that valuing each person for who they are enables them to feel welcome and respected.
At Dalmeny Preschool and Long Day Care Centre we value diversity, equity and inclusion; with the belief that uniqueness is something to be embraced and believe that valuing and celebrating each person for who they are enables them to feel welcome and respected.
OUR CURRICULUM
“Learning through play” is the foundation of our curriculum, as it provides opportunities to express wonder, to investigate, imagine and explore ideas, extend on interests, and build relationships. We encourage children to have a voice, make choices and have input into our program and environments. Our curriculum is a balance of spontaneous and child-initiated learning and intentional teaching in accordance with the Early Years Learning Framework outcomes, principles and practices.
OUR ENVIRONMENT
We have strong connections to nature at Dalmeny Preschool and Long Day Care Centre. Our environment is our most precious resource, engaging and incorporating it into all aspects of our program. We are committed to modelling respect, care, and appreciation for our natural and constructed environment and find ways of enabling children to learn from the land.
