Hazel Glen Kindergarten Philosophy

Our programs and philosophy are continually evolving. Our program is influenced by our community, our families, other educators and a variety of pedagogical influences. Our program is inclusive and is based on acceptance of, and respect for the diversity of each child and their family regardless of ability, gender, race, language, culture or economic status. The National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Developmental Framework (VEYLDF) are embedded within our program which is active play based, with a combination of child initiated and adult facilitated/intentional learning relationships, experiences and interactions.

We strongly advocate the five Early Years Learning Framework outcomes for all children:

Children have a strong sense of identity

Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

Children are confident and involved learners

Children are effective communicators.

Our program, philosophy and practice is linked to the EYLF’s understanding of:

“Belonging, Being, Becoming”

At our Kindergarten, we believe that all children and families are able to have a place and feel they belong to our Kindergarten community, where we can all contribute and respect each other. Our goal is that every child and their family feel a sense of belonging.

Our learning environment encourages the child to engage in inquiry, exploration, questioning, discovery, creativity and problem solving in a cooperative and collaborative manner. Our aim is for each child to build on their strengths, interests and abilities to enable them to achieve their full potential. The children’s learning is scaffolded by their interactions with both the physical and social environments.

We focus on and celebrate what the child can do and contribute. We will track their journey and enjoy the milestones they achieve along the way. Learning journals are created for each child to record this journey and their experiences during their Kindergarten year.

Our kindergarten program has a premise of celebrating children’s achievements. We strive to foster a joy of learning and equip children with necessary life skills. We have an ongoing commitment to providing a high quality and innovative educational program for all children in a nurturing and respectful environment.

We value the partnership between staff, children and families and encourage family participation and input. We strongly believe that the kindergarten experience should be a fun, happy time for both children and their families.

Children make sense of their world through play based experiences which are meaningful to them. Our play based curriculum follows the children’s interests but is not only restricted to that. Our teaching is intentional. We focus on processes, experience and discovery rather than use a formal approach.