Weston Community Preschool Inc. 

Weston Community Preschool acknowledges the Awabakal, Wonnarua and Darkinjung people who are the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and future as they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture, and the hopes of the Aboriginal people. We recognise Aboriginal people are Australia’s first people and aim to embed Aboriginal perspectives within our environment and daily curriculum.

We believe that every child is a unique individual with their own special qualities that we endeavour to discover and enhance.  That children are competent, capable, and involved participants in their own learning. We encourage independence and agency through having responsibilities, routines and experiences that develop self-reliance, self-esteem, and confidence

We believe that children reach their highest potential in a nurturing and caring environment that is happy, friendly, and welcoming; a place where children can be children and feel safe.  We foster a sense of belonging where children feel valued and connected to others and are actively involved in both individual and collaborative learning experiences.

Through play-based learning experiences, we believe that children learn to constructively interact with peers and adults. We take a holistic and inclusive approach to caring and educating children and aim to develop children’s cognitive, physical, social, emotional, linguistic and wellbeing.

We aim to broaden children’s understanding of the world in which we live and instil a lifelong love of learning in an environment that allows them to explore, experiment and take appropriate risks. We respect and value each child’s cultural background, with each child’s ways of knowing, being and learning embraced, promoted, and scaffolded. We understand that learning can happen at any moment of everyday, our educators strive to provide an enriched, flexible curriculum.

We believe children’s health and safety is our priority and that health and nutrition play a key role in the development and wellbeing of a child. We believe teaching children about healthy choices, such as sun safety, healthy eating and that being physical active promotes a healthy lifestyle for now and in the future. We work with families to encourage healthy choices both at preschool and at home for the wellbeing of all.

We believe exposure to nature and natural environments are engaging and promotes open ended exploration and sensory experiences within the preschool environment. It lends itself to offering challenges, helping children learn how to be safe and to be aware of others and providing positive impacts on children’s physical health, mental health, and general wellbeing. Having access to the natural environment promotes sustainability and an understanding of the world around them.

We know that children need 3 hours of physical activity a day and that through play, we understand the importance of connecting children to the environment. We ensure that outdoor and indoor spaces are organised, suitable for purposes and adapted to support every child’s participation to engage in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.

We employ highly qualified staff with a passion for Quality Early Childhood Education who believe that positive encouragement, reinforcement, and guidance are tools to promote positive behaviours. We value inclusion and inclusive practices and we recognise that children mature at different rates and have preferred styles of learning. 

We believe that having a high ratio of educators to children allows us to build accurate understandings of children’s interests, needs and abilities. It also affords educators time to build meaningful, trusting relationships with children and their families.

Our educators are intentional teachers and facilitators of learning and exploration, working collaboratively with children, families, and community. The role of the educator is to provide provisions and experiences that extend on children’s interests and encourage investigation and exploration. We foster a team approach where all educators are equally respected and valued for their contributions.

We believe that relationships are the foundation for learning as children learn in a social context therefore educators strive to build good relationships with the children and their families. We believe continuity of staff builds trusting supportive relationships with children, families, and each other.

We believe in encouraging children to express themselves and their opinions, educators actively listen to children to understand children’s individual ideas and interests. Educators work in collaboration with children when planning, preparing, and engaging in learning experiences.

Families are the most important influence in a child’s life and the primary source of information about their child. Therefore, we encourage and welcome parent participation and involvement in decision making and the development of the curriculum.  

We believe when we enrol a child, we enrol a family.  Children and their families are encouraged to share their culture, language, and home experiences. We embrace and acknowledge cultural and linguistic diversity. All families are treated with equality, regardless of economic status, religion, and family circumstances.

We recognise the importance of building close community relationships and providing unique perspectives and experiences that link communities and establish relationships. We believe communication with families and community services through various media is key to open communication and collaboration.

We are a community-based preschool and believe in working with our volunteer management committee, regulatory authorities, and support services within the community.  Our philosophy and policies guide all aspects of our operations. We believe that having good communication and respectful relationships, with clear guidelines, leads to effective decision-making and running of Preschool.

We believe continuous improvement through training, critical reflection, and self-assessment, are key processes that provide quality improvement practices.