Program Planning

Programs are planned to reflect the Centre's philosophy and achieve its goals. The program fosters a balanced view of the world, one that communicates messages of peace and respect, while provoking and challenging the children to explore and discover.

The earliest years of childhood are very important in fostering a love of learning, a sense of self and a feeling of security. The program's purpose is to help every child to achieve their intellectual, physical, social and emotional potential. The program aims to develop positive self-esteem by creating an environment where children will feel good about themselves and what they do.

Each room has a program that is designed to reflect the needs of individual children. Programs provide choices and challenges in all areas including gross and fine motor skills, aesthetic awareness and creativity and in the important areas of social and personal development. Through programming, staff aim to build on children's natural thirst for discovery by helping them to develop an enthusiasm for learning, not simply the acquisition of knowledge, but also comprehension, application, analysis, and evaluation.

Programs are displayed in a prominent location within each room.

Care is taken to ensure that all children, regardless of gender, nature, and ability, feel they have the right to participate. The use of multicultural and non-gender bias resources assists with this.

All transition times including meal times, sleep times, toileting and nappy change times are used as learning experiences, as well as relaxed social times for both staff and children.

Each room’s program represents a balance between inside and outside activities. Staff ensure that both morning and afternoon activities are planned. It provides a balance between noisy and quiet activities and allows for individual play as well as interactive opportunities. The program provides for small groups of children to work together as well as working in larger groups where appropriate.

Like adults, children are individuals with preferred interests, likes and learning styles. Programs offered throughout the Centre cater for these individualities by utilising a wide range of learning methods. It recognises that children learn through play and 'hands on' experiences.

Staff keep detailed, confidential records of each child's learning and development including how they are progressing against clearly stated goals.

Each room's program is regularly evaluated with regard to its stated goals. Evaluations ensure that the program is assessed for strengths and weaknesses. All evaluations consider the outcomes for the group as well as for individual children. The results of evaluations are used to plan immediate and long-term objectives for the children.