The program offered at Yamba Preschool is influenced by The Early Years
Learning Framework V2.0 - Belonging, Being and Becoming (2022) which values the building of relationships with
children, families, staff and the community and aims to extend and enrich
children’s learning.
Learning in early childhood is particularly
significant as it lays the foundation for all future learning.
We aim to provide children with experiences and
opportunities that encourage them to acquire skills, knowledge, attitudes and
sensitivities that will allow them to make the most of their potential.
When
we develop the program we consider the whole child and provide experiences to
support your child’s development within the context of their culture and their
community.
Central to our curriculum is our belief in the value of play. Rich play experiences
during the preschool years can lay a strong foundation for the years ahead . It
also allows children practice in developing important relationships,
communication skills, to think for themselves, to gain confidence, to develop
curiosity, and self control and to exchange ideas.
The preschool learning environment reflects the view that the children
are capable and constructors of their own knowledge and the adults are
facilitators and co-learners. Children are free to choose the areas of interest
in which to participate during indoors /outdoors
play time and the educators and children engage in collaborative
decision-making about the equipment which is used.
Each day, experiences provided are based on the children’s interests.
These include interest areas, art and craft, puzzles, blocks, dough, dramatic
play, literacy area, construction toys, computer, books, sand, active and
imaginative play, gardening, story telling and music.
Children can initiate or continue
their own projects and investigations that may last days or weeks. Some
children may also be involved in collaborative projects with other children.
Children will also have the opportunity to participate in group activities with
both a small and large group.
The program is emergent and flexible and recognises the individual needs
and interests of the children.
Visitors, excursions and informal outings are also planned throughout
the year to extend the children’s learning beyond the Preschool.
The content matter for our program will emerge from
o
the children’s interest, strengths, question and
concerns
o
from the
educator’s interest
o
from things in the environment, such as nature
(insects and bugs, trees etc)
o
from
unexpected events
o
and from the
people living in our community, their culture and customs.
The family is an important part of the preschool learning environment
and so you and other family members are always welcome to participate in the
life of the preschool and are encouraged to spend time with your child at
preschool.
Program Outcomes
Our program is guided by the Principles, Practice and learning outcomes from the Early Years Learning Framework:
BELONGING Knowing where
and with whom you belong is integral to human existence. Children belong first
to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and a wider community. Belonging
acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of
relationships in defining identities .
BEING Childhood is the time to “be”. Being recognises the
significance of the here and now in children’s lives. It is about the
present and children knowing
themselves, building and maintaining
relationships with others, engaging with life’s joys and complexities and
meeting new challenges in everyday life.
The early
childhood years are not solely preparation for the future but also about the
present.
BECOMING Children are shaped by many different
events and circumstances. Becoming reflects this process of rapid and
significant change that occurs in the early years as young children learn and
grow. It emphasises learning to participate fully and actively in society. We
encourage, nurture and extend each child in their physical, social, emotional,
creative, cognitive and linguistic development.
PRINCIPLES
Secure ,
respectful and reciprocal relationships
Partnerships
Respect for
diversity
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives
Equity, inclusion and high expectations
Sustainability
Critical reflection and ongoing professional learning
Collaborative leadership and teamwork
PRACTICE
The principles
of early childhood pedagogy underpin practice. Educators draw on a rich
repertoire of practices to promote children’s learning by :
Holistic, integrated and interconnected approaches
Responsiveness to children
Play-based learning and intentionality
Learning Environments
Cultural Responsiveness
Continuity of learning and transitions
Assessment and evaluation for learning, development and wellbeing
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of
identity
Children feel safe, secure and supported
Children develop their emerging autonomy,
interdependence, resilience and agency
Children develop knowledgeable confident
self identities, and a positive sense of self-worth
Children learn to interact in relation to
others with care, empathy and respect
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and
contribute to their world
Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens
Children respond to diversity with respect
Children become aware of fairness
Children become socially responsible and show
respect for the environment
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of
wellbeing
Children become strong in their social, emotional and mental wellbeing
Children become strong in their physical learning and mental wellbeing
Children are aware of and develop strategies to support their own mental and physical health and personal safety.
Outcome 4: Children are confident and
involved learners
Children develop a growth mindset and learning dispositions such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm,
persistence, imagination and reflexivity
Children develop a range of learning and thinking skills and
processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising,
researching and investigating
Children transfer and adapt what they have
learned from one context to another
Children resource their own learning through
connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials
Outcome 5: Children are effective
communicators
Children interact verbally and non-verbally
with others for a range of purposes
Children engage with a range of texts and
gain meaning from these texts
Children express ideas and make meaning using
a range of media
Children begin to understand how symbols and
pattern systems work
Children use digital technologies and media to access information, investigate ideas and represent their
thinking
DAILY TIMETABLE
8.00 am INDOOR/OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
9.30am MORNING MEETING - WELCOME/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO COUNTRY - FUN MOVES
9.30am MORNING MEETING - WELCOME/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO COUNTRY - FUN MOVES
10.00 am GROUP TIME - Story,
rhymes, language activity
10.25/30 am MORNING TEA
10.45 am INDOOR / OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES
12.15pm PACK AWAY
12.30 pm GROUP TIME - Story, Music and movement
12.15pm PACK AWAY
12.30 pm GROUP TIME - Story, Music and movement
1.00 pm LUNCH
1.25 pm TRANSITION TIME - STORY, YOGA
1.45 pm NEWS/QUIET ACTIVITIES and/or REST/QUIET TIME
1.25 pm TRANSITION TIME - STORY, YOGA
1.45 pm NEWS/QUIET ACTIVITIES and/or REST/QUIET TIME
2.45 pm PACK AWAY/ GATHER TOGETHER FOR DAY REFLECTION, STORY, HOME
Although we follow the daily
timetable, times are a guide only and are flexible as we cater to the
children’s interests and unexpected
events which occur during the day
.
