Koala Kindy

Our Service recognises the importance of healthy eating to promote the growth and development of young children and is committed to supporting the healthy food and drink choices of children in our care.

Along with consultation with families and staff, the service cook develops a 4 week rotational menu that incorporates fresh seasonal produce and meets nutritional requirements as set by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents. All prepared and served from our 5 star Eat Safe rated kitchen.

Our service works closely with families who have additional dietary requirements/restrictions to ensure that every child in our service has their nutritional needs met.

We acknowledge and respect the Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of this land upon which we work and play and are committed to continuous learning to genuinely embed Aboriginal culture into our daily curriculum . We ensure we are accepting and inclusive to people and families of all cultures, race, nationalities and abilities.

We believe in teaching children to be responsible for caring for the environment and becoming environmentally aware, to gain a greater understanding of how to protect it for the future.Bush Kindy is a valuable part of the curriculum we provide, we are committed to immersing the children in nature play and fostering their connection to Country. Providing the children opportunities for curiosity and respect for the natural world, we aim to educate them around sustainable practices.

As a small privately owned centre, we value creating respectful partnerships with families. We value family input and collaborating with families and value open and honest communication for the best outcomes for each child. As a service we acknowledge the value of community; and its role in helping each child learn and grow. We provide extra-curricular experiences which challenge each child’s development, and broaden their understanding of the world around them.

We will holistically encourage your child to meet the changes and challenges in our world with real world skills. By promoting experiences that gain knowledge, encouraging their sense of agency and fostering each child’s confidence for their voices to be heard, valued and respected. We will support each child to participate and have access to all aspects of the program.

We recognise the importance of learning through play and allow the children space and freedom to explore their individual interests, while extending them through a balance of intentional and responsive teaching strategies. We believe in encouraging risky play which challenges each child’s growth across all developmental domains.

We ensure that all meals provided are healthy, fresh, culturally appropriate and nutritionally well balanced, prepared fresh onsite. Meals are prepared in our 5 star rated kitchen; meeting each child’s nutritional needs.

As early years educators we recognise and value the benefits of the Abecedarian Approach to educating children in the years from birth to five years. As a service , we have embedded the approach into our curriculum through enriched caregiving , language priority and conversational reading.

Our team consists of diverse educators from various backgrounds, bringing with them their own wealth of skills, perspectives, and knowledge that aligns with Koala Kindy’s core values. We aim to create a warm and welcoming family environment for all our children to learn, grow and thrive.

We aim to enhance children’s learning and development through the pedagogical practices of educators in a positive learning environment, through which the five learning outcomes from the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) are supported and promoted. Educators will gather and interpret information about children as individuals to inform the preparation of the environment, and implement experiences that are engaging and meaningful, supporting children’s holistic development.

In compliance with the Early Years Learning Framework and National Regulations, the program will contribute to the following outcomes for each child:

• The child will have a strong sense of identity
• The child will be connected with and contribute to their world
• The child will have a strong sense of wellbeing
• The child will be a confident and involved learner, and
• The child will be an effective communicator.

Our Service also supports the Early Years Learning Framework through the following:

• Each child’s learning will be based on their interests and strengths and guided by educators.
• Educators work in collaboration with families to provide relevant learning experiences for each child, based on their interests and family experiences.
• Every child will be equally valued. Their achievements and learning will be celebrated.
• Educators will observe and record the strengths and learning of each child.
• Educators will work closely with children and families to produce ideas for the curriculum.
• Learning Outcomes will be linked to the curriculum during and after each child’s learning has occurred.
• The curriculum will be constructed based on the children’s interests, educators extending children’s interests, spontaneous experiences, and family contribution.
• Where appropriate, the service will liaise with external agencies and support persons to best educate and care for children with additional needs.
• Each child’s play and learning experiences will be used to build and develop each child’s individual Learning Stories, Portfolio and Observations demonstrating strengths and development.
• The curriculum will be evaluated and reflected upon continuously by educators.

Transition to School

Starting school is a significant milestone in the life of any child and family. Our Service supports continuity of learning and transitions for each child by sharing relevant information, clarifying responsibilities and by developing strategies that support a positive transition to school (National Quality Standard 6.3).

Our Service aims to liaise with local schools to develop a smooth and comprehensive transition to school for all children. We will support children and families by strengthening the development and delivery of transition programs and provide a shared understanding between our service and local primary schools about what is important for children and their families during the transition to school process.

We believe it is vital to enhance children’s social and emotional development to ensure a successful transition to school. By developing these skills and abilities and promoting their creativity and individuality, we promote children’s ability to become confident and successful learners.
For children attending school the following year, our kindergarten Program provides additional activities and experiences to help prepare them for a smooth transition to a primary school environment. This program refers to daily-programmed activities and experiences that are implemented throughout the year, encouraging the developmental skills that are optimal for children to develop before commencing school.

Kindergarten School Readiness.
As Early Childhood educators who are instrumental in influencing children’s learning patterns for later life, it is our responsibility to set them on a course that will inspire investigation, exploration, problem solving, questioning, discovery, and the disposition to take on challenges.
To ensure the transition to school is a positive experience for children and families, we will implement a range of activities and experiences that may include, but is not limited to:

Organised visits to local primary school setting for family events

• family information sessions
• visits from Primary school teachers and/or Principals to our Service
• exchanging information about a child’s individual strengths and needs
• networking with educators, primary school teachers and Principals
• developing children’s talking and listening skills
• early literacy- rhyme, chants, songs
• alphabet and number awareness
• shapes and colour recognition
• social and emotional enhancement
• pre-writing development
• name writing and recognition.
• concentrating on the task at hand.
• determination when faced with complications.
• responding positively to new situations and demonstrating resilience
• taking responsibility for their own behaviour
• developing the communication skills necessary for group or individual play
• developing positive feelings about themselves and others
• experiencing a sense of self-satisfaction resulting from achievement
• experience eating from lunch boxes, as we educate children about different foods eaten at lunch times, and provide sandwiches in term 4 to begin the transition to “school lunches”