Our Philosophy and Rating.
Our Philosophy
Bubup Womindjeka means ‘Welcome Children’ in the language of the Boon Wurrung People of the Yalukut Weelam, the traditional custodians of the land.We pledge to care for the land on which the children learn and grow.
‘We thank the traditional owners
For letting us share their land.
We promise to look after it,
The animals, people and land.
Hello Land, Hello Sky, Hello Me & Hello Friends’
- We believe that children develop lifelong dispositions for learning in the early years.
- We are passionate about fostering nurturing and reciprocal relationships between children, families, educators and the community.
- We promote a safe, inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and respect.
- We are committed to working in multi-agency, multi-disciplinary, and cross-disciplinary ways to support children’s and families’ growth, development and learning.
- We advocate for the rights and participation of each child irrespective of ability, gender, race, language, culture or economic status.
- We respect and value all educators and acknowledge their strengths, diversity, knowledge and skills.
- We take a proactive role in caring for our environment and promote sustainable practices through educating and working with all children, families and the wider community.
In relation to children, we:
- Acknowledge that children learn best through play and having meaningful opportunities to explore, discover, create, improvise, and imagine.
- Foster the agency and capabilities of each child by promoting a strength based approach to learning and development.
- Support children in their development of social awareness, self-regulation and resilience building.
- Recognise that children have different learning styles, are competent contributors to their own learning and will be supported to make choices and decisions.
In relation to educators, we:
- Use critical reflection, ongoing professional learning, and research to broaden our knowledge and inform our teaching practices.
- Work as a team, guiding and assisting each other and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.
- Highly value the importance of using the natural environment to enhance the educational program and develop sustainable practices.
- Balance intentional teaching with child directed learning to build a rich and purposeful curriculum.
In relation to families, we:
- Value collaborative partnerships with families as we understand that families are the child’s first and most influential teachers.
- Draw on their individual perspectives, knowledge, experiences and expectations to guide our understandings of their child.
- Believe in a holistic and integrated approach to best support families in their parenting role.
- Provide families with the opportunity to contribute to the program and take part in centre decision making.
In relation to the community, we:
- Recognise that every child is a valued member of the community.
- Partner with on-site and other community agencies to achieve best possible outcomes for all families.
- Seek opportunities to be involved and engage with local and wider communities.
- Share our knowledge, ideas, experience and resources to support our diverse community.
Our educational practices are guided by both the National and Victorian Curriculum Frameworks and the National Quality Standards.
Throughout our organisation we embed the Child Safe Standards and the Code of Ethics.
As an integrated early learning community, we are in a unique position to celebrate and explore a diverse range of cultures including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with our children, families, team members and the wider community. Our vision for reconciliation is to embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and respectfully embed these into our daily practices in rich and meaningful ways.
To support our educators with respectfully embed aboriginal perspectives into the learning program, we utilise the below commitments to inform our practice:
Guidance and Knowledge from Elders:
We commit to partner with local representatives of the Traditional Custodians of the Land for cultural heritage advice and authentic implementation. We will actively reflect on our current level of cultural competence and through these partnerships we seek to extend our knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Care for Country
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ strong spiritual and cultural connection to land, country, sea and water and we will foster opportunities to grow our understanding and participation in caring for country.
Presence in Learning Environment
We are committed to welcoming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into our service to work alongside our educators and children in the learning environment. Having an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence in the learning environment is vital when teaching about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
Critical Reflection
We are committed to reflecting on the progress made in the growth of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions in our early learning community. We will track our progress, continually revisit our commitments, and celebrate our achievements, while generating new ideas to develop and sustain our vision for reconciliation into the future.
‘As we grow, so will our vision and journey for reconciliation.’
Our Rating.
In our assessment and rating visit in 2019 we achieved a rating of ‘meeting national quality standards’ with an ‘exceeding’ rating in 10 out of the 15 standards.
