PLC Sydney Preschool Ashfield Educational Philosophy

PLC SYDNEY PRESCHOOL

STATEMENT ​ OF PHILOSOPHY

T (+61 2) 9704 5666

F (+61 2) 9744 0519

E enquiries@plc.nsw.edu.au

www.plc.nsw.edu.au

ABN 62 778 320 798

Meta Street Croydon NSW 2132

CRICOS Provider Code: 02280D

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STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY PLC Sydney Preschools provide quality Preschool education for 3 to 5 year old children in a supportive, well-resourced environment, utilising intentional play and inquiry-based learning, underpinned by the Early Years Learning Framework and the Reggio Emilia approach.

The Preschools are founded and shaped by Christian understandings of the value and purpose of human beings, and a commitment to learning, modelling values of empathy, and consideration of others, in a community of grace.

Through participation in this quality preschool program, the children will be well-prepared for school, and equipped with the social, cognitive, physical, spiritual, and emotional skills they need to engage in learning.

Foundational to our educational philosophy is the Christian worldview of PLC Sydney Preschool. We are a ministry of the Presbyterian Church in NSW. Each person’s inherent value, our need to grow in trust, character, wisdom and understanding of the Christian gospel in education.

PLC Sydney Preschools believe diversity contributes to the richness of our community. All children grow and learn in their own unique way and are respected as competent, capable, creative learners who bring their own dispositions and individual approaches to learning.

Each child who attends a PLC Sydney Preschool program will have the opportunity to experience the life-long joy of making friends, learning new things through play, increasing independence, participating in new routines, and feeling confident about starting school.

We value our commitment to children and families feeling a strong sense of belonging and knowing they matter. It is our aim to strengthen children’s holistic growth sensitively and responsively which includes nurturing their spiritual wellbeing whilst respecting and responding to each child's and their family's uniqueness.

We believe that when children are encouraged to use their voice and bring visibility to their thinking, they feel valued and supported, develop a sense of belonging and strong communication skills, and build confidence to play and interact with other children.

When children have positive experiences and exercise agency, they develop an understanding of themselves as significant and respected, and feel a sense of belonging. Feeling valued, successful, and accepted enables all children to approach new things, express themselves, work through differences, and take calculated risks.

The environment for learning is so much more than just a space for play and resources. The environment's physical and physiological aspects are considered and educators consistently reflect on the outcomes for children’s learning. The indoor and outdoor environment is intentionally designed and adapted to inspire children’s curiosity and develop children’s interests and learning to a deeper level. The Reggio Emilia approach emphasises that the environment plays a central role in making learning meaningful. Indeed, the environment is understood as the third teacher.

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The environment is valued as a shared community space that cares and respects the ancestry, flora, and fauna. We aim to continually review our practices to ensure we make informed decisions that maintain the sustainability of the environment. We hope that children will feel a sense of agency toward a sustainable future and in making a long-term difference in the community.

PLC Sydney Preschools celebrates a community of learners within our methodologies. The inquiry-based curriculum embraces intentional teaching, spontaneous learning, and critical reflection that aims to ignite children’s curiosity and confidence to explore new experiences and extend on their existing knowledge and skills, promoting creativity and their lifelong love of learning through play and investigation.

Inherent in play are the intellectual challenges that keep children and their teachers engaged as they co-construct learning, along with the social requirements and the need to initiate, negotiate, collaborate, plan, practice, and gain skills. These elements of play are more possible in the context of the relationships that children will develop with each other and with their teachers, in a collaborative, interactive environment.

Extending learning projects in small groups according to children’s interests is valued. When programming, educators consider their knowledge of the children including their strengths and capabilities, and shared information from working in partnership with families and communities.

All of these elements guide programming decisions when integrating learning within our National Quality Framework.

The educators at PLC Preschools focus on nurturing each child’s disposition for learning so they can merge the foundations of social and emotional skills, literacy and phonemic awareness, numeracy, science, technology and engineering into the program in ways that are relevant and meaningful, making learning fun and exciting.

Educators actively commit to ongoing professional development by keeping informed of new developments and technology, and sharing this knowledge with all stakeholders.

The educators value and continually embrace all opportunities and methods of critical reflection.

Consideration is given to all aspects of events and experiences from different perspectives with the intention of applying new ways of thinking and approaches to children’s learning outcomes.

PLC Sydney Preschools believe that providing children with a strong sense of community enables them to feel safe, secure, and valued. When children feel they are an important part of their preschool community, it boosts their self-esteem and confidence, which can lead to more positive interactions and a greater willingness to participate Our cohesive community involves not just the children, but also teachers, parents, and allied health professionals. This collective support network ensures that each child’s needs are met, creating an environment where they can thrive.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, on which we learn and play, and hope that by having a valuable exchange of knowledge, love, and respect, we can build enriching strong relationships.

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PLC Sydney Preschools aim to develop trusting relationships with all families, focusing on achieving the best outcomes for children. We acknowledge that building respectful partnerships with families can strengthen a child’s emotional health as they witness the trust being transferred from the family to the service. The knowledge the families share about their children is valued and appreciated underpinning the learning program. We acknowledge that at times it can take a village to raise a child, therefore our ability to show flexibility in the methods of communication is paramount to establishing and maintaining respectful and reciprocal relationships with families.