OUR PROGRAM
Our program is a direct reflection of the Philosophy of Berkeley Vale Pre-school. Educators aim to provide a flexible and individually based program that meets the developmental needs of all children. Each child’s needs and interests are constantly assessed, evaluated by the educators, and appropriately planned for. In order to meet the needs of each individual, we provide an active, hands-on and challenging learning environment. The children are encouraged to explore, make decisions and find understanding and meaning in their world. Educators interact with the children to ensure that they are challenged, stimulated and above all having fun! Educators maintain an individual developmental portfolio on each child recording their development throughout their pre-school journey.
The daily activities for the children are many and varied. Generally they may include painting, craft, play dough, puzzles, blocks, dramatic play, construction toys, books, sand and water play, storytelling, games, language and music groups, and other indoor / outdoor activities.
Flow of Our Day
08:15: Pre-School opens
Indoor/Outdoor play on arrival
9:00am-10:30am Progressive morning tea offered during this time.
11:00am Gather children for the Acknowledgement of Country and raising of the flags
11:15am Children transition indoors for story time/ morning minutes/ reflective circle
11:45am Indoor playtime.
12:45pm Transition to bathroom
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Music/movement/circle games
2:30pm Outdoor play
3:15pm Indoor story time/ circle games in the Rainbow room
3:45pm Pre-school Closes
The pre-school program is displayed daily and educators are happy to discuss any aspect of the program with you. Educators consider your comments and ideas in relation to the program to be very valuable. You are encouraged to participate whenever possible by assisting children with their play, reading stories and sharing your skills.
OUR CURRICULUM GOALS
Our main goal is to help children become enthusiastic learners, active and creative explorers in a well-planned environment that provides children a happy and rewarding time at pre-school.
The educators at Berkeley Vale Pre-school Kindergarten incorporate the Early Years Learning Framework (National curriculum guidelines) within our daily program.
This encompasses 5 key learning outcomes.
| Outcome 1: | Children have a strong sense of identity; |
| Outcome 2: | Children are connected with and contribute to their world; |
| Outcome 3: | Children have a strong sense of well-being; |
| Outcome 4: | Children are confident and involved learners; |
| Outcome 5: | Children are effective communicators. |
Our pre-school curriculum caters for all areas of your child’s development:
SOCIAL: To help children feel secure and comfortable whilst making friends and feel they belong to their pre-school environment.
EMOTIONAL: To help children experience pride and self-confidence, develop independence and self-control, and have a positive attitude towards life and learning.
COGNITIVE: To help children become confident learners by encouraging children to test their own ideas and experience success, by helping them acquire learning skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions, and to use words to describe their ideas, observations and feelings.
PHYSICAL: To help children increase their large and small muscle skills and feel confident about what their bodies can do.
CREATIVE: To help children express their own ideas and feelings through the use of a wide variety of materials and learning experiences.
Through our Curriculum Goals children’s LANGUAGE SKILLS are continually developing.
PLAY PROVIDES THE FOUNDATIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEARNING.
CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH PLAY. IT IS THEIR WORK!
PORTFOLIOS
Documentation about your child’s program and progress is available to families.
Assessment for children’s learning refers to the process of gathering and analysing information as evidence about what children know, can do and understand. It is part of an ongoing cycle that includes planning, documenting and evaluating children’s learning. (EYLF P17 Practice)
A portfolio is kept for each child and these are available for families to view at the service. At specific times during the year they are also sent home. Observations are made by all educators, significant learning and experiences are documented and analysed for future planning.
Each term we try to focus on documenting specific areas of each child’s learning.
Term 1: Belonging. As children settle into the pre-school environment observations are documented relating to each child’s developmental needs, strengths, interests, experiences and participation in the program. We refer to the goals parents/carers have made for their child. These observations form the content of the educational program.
Term 2: Continuing observations and at the end of term a developmental assessment is provided to families. Each family is then asked to update their goals for their child, also their current interests. From this, educators set goals for each child in the second semester.
Term 3: Continuing observations, some of which specifically relate to how each child is working towards achieving their goals set at mid year. We ensure observations are made in all outcome areas of the program.
Term 4: Observations continue relating to each child’s strengths, needs and interests as well as parent goals. At the end of the year a further developmental assessment is completed as well as a summative assessment of each child’s achievements in relation to the learning outcomes.
