Our Philosophy

At Clyde Street Kindergarten we value early childhood education as the foundation of lifelong learning.

We believe that each child is a unique individual and should be viewed, respected and treated as such. Our guiding principle are the rights and best interests of each child in our care, and providing an environment that develops a sense of individual identity and sense of belonging to their group and the kindergarten and wider community.

As the welfare and wellbeing of each child is paramount, we strive to provide holistic support of the child’s exclusive requirements and interests in a nurturing, familial environment that fosters the child’s development across all developmental domains.

We value the critical importance of children, parents, teachers and educators as partners in a learning community that promotes respect and inclusion and celebrates diversity and a commitment to equity and all children’s right to a quality education.

At Clyde Street Kindergarten we acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land and our learning community recognises and values Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Values

• A learning environment that is safe, secure and nurturing.
• A learning environment that promotes children’s self esteem and self worth.
• A learning environment that builds children’s resourcefulness and adaptability.
• A learning environment that radiates positive energy and be a comfortable learning zone promoting resilience, a sense of belonging, identity, community and ownership in children.
• Providing a fun learning space through a PLAY based program where children engage in concrete exploration of the world around them and also have opportunities for creativity and imagination.
• A learning environment that is stimulating and encourages thoughtful play, early literacy, numeracy development, science and the arts.
• Children’s right to have a ‘voice’.
• Children are capable, competent, co-contributors and active participants in their own learning.
• Each child is different and has unique capabilities, interests, values and even learning styles.
• The importance of acceptance, respectful actions and embracing the differences between people, cultures, beliefs and backgrounds.
• Respect for our natural and physical environments.
• Respectful, meaningful, inclusive and collaborative relationships with children and families.
• Acknowledgement of the Indigenous culture within our Kindergarten and as part of the community.

Practices

• Provide an integrated and holistic approach to learning.
• Work in partnerships with families and other supporting services to enhance each child’s full potential.
• Share knowledge and promote confident parenting.
• Recognise parents as their child’s first and most influential teachers.
• Respect and value the individual backgrounds and unique culture and customs of families.
• Build genuine reciprocal relationships with families that are strengthened and sustained over time.
• Maintain high expectations for children’s learning and development through equal opportunities and an inclusive approach.
• Provide open ended experiences and play spaces that prompt creativity, socialisation, communication and exploration whilst supporting different learning styles and individual choice.
• A commitment and responsibility for the natural environment and promoting an awareness of sustainable practices.
• A commitment to reflect on our practice and commit to continuous quality improvement.
• A commitment to ongoing professional learning by staff to support current assessment, planning, implementation and reflective practices.
• Provide routines and transitions into the program which reflect the children’s needs, stage of development and learning approaches.

Guiding Principles

Our educational programs are reflective of a range of theories and adhere to guidelines set by:

• The National Quality Standards.
• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority – ACECQA.
• Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework and Outcomes.
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Code of Ethics – Early Childhood Australia.