Philosophy

Winmalee Community Preschool celebrates learning and works actively within a community of learners to provide our children with an educational foundation for lifelong learning. We see our community of learners as including children, families, Educators and members of the wider community. Each community member is a valued individual, who brings their own values, cultures, beliefs, abilities and language to the preschool community. We are committed to ensuring that this unique contribution is accepted and acknowledged and reflected in our learning environment. We encourage and support children to interact peacefully and collaboratively with each other, express empathy for others and actively challenge bias.

We acknowledge that children are capable and resourceful members of our community who should be encouraged to follow their own learning interests with the support of their peers and educators. Play is essential to children’s learning and it should be hands on, challenging exciting and fun. We encourage our children to learn about themselves, their peers and the environment. We provide opportunities for our children to explore, discover, investigate, hypothesise, solve problems and express ideas. We acknowledge and celebrate the children’s play and discoveries through supportive documentation.

We believe in nurturing a child’s sense of wonder and inspiring their love of nature. We share moments of discovery with the children as they express their curiosity and delight in the natural objects found through out the learning spaces. We respect how the outdoor learning environment has a special way of capturing the children’s imagination and stimulating their creativity. It invites the children to engage in sensory explorations, make scientific inquiries and put their play ideas into action. As they venture around the landscape and engage with the varied play spaces they are encouraged to set themselves physical challenges and learn ways to overcome obstacles, manage risks and navigate the ups and downs of play. As the children interact with the garden we encourage them to respectfully observe the living creatures that inhabit the space. We foster their connection with the natural world and encourage them to reflect on their role in protecting and caring for the environment.

We endeavour to develop a supportive partnership with our families, built on trust, respect and collaboration. We are committed to open and constructive communication with families, which includes discussions, child journals, website and our official Facebook page. We strive to have empathy and be responsive to family needs. We encourage all families to participate in the preschool community and welcome their interest and involvement.

We believe we have a responsibility to assist our children and families to develop a sense of belonging to the local community. We support local family services and participate in local community events. We endeavour, through ongoing evaluation, to create a service that is responsive to the changing needs of our children, families, Educators and the community.

We believe in acknowledging the original owners of this land the Darug people and their language and all Indigenous peoples of Australia.