Our Philosophy | York Street Early Education

Early Learning Through Play

At York Street Early Education, we believe that the foundations laid in the early childhood years are crucial to a child’s being, belonging and becoming. We develop educationally appropriate programs that support the Early Years Learning Framework and Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines while acknowledging the importance of learning through play. It is our strong belief that each child is given the opportunity to evolve and develop in an environment which supports and develops their individualism as well as nurturing their strengths, ideas, culture, abilities, interests, aspirations and sense of self.

Open and friendly environment

It is our aim to provide an inclusive environment that is open and friendly where all parents, educators, families and children feel accepted and wanted regardless of culture, religious and family beliefs, socio-economic status, gender or abilities. We believe in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians through awareness and education. We believe that all children should be offered equal opportunities to access programs, resources and activities without prejudice. We offer equal access to whatever children require, to allow them to develop and grow in a way that is meaningful to them and meets their needs, abilities, talents and special requirements. We aim to provide a physically safe and emotionally secure environment where children feel protected. Where their healthy eating, physical activity, wellbeing and comfort is promoted and encouraged.

Acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as the Traditional Custodians of Australia. We pay our respects especially, to the Yuggera People as the Traditional Custodians of the Land our education and care service is built on. We believe that with a better knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures will help to develop an enriched appreciation of Australia’s cultural heritage which will lead to reconciliation. These cultures are implemented and embedded around our service, in our daily routines and in our educational program. We believe that children are the future leaders of Australia and embedding this early in life is the key to reconciliation for years and generations to come.

Develop Respectful and Trusting Relationships

We strive to develop a respectful and trusting relationships between educators, children and families. We believe that positive, responsive and meaningful interactions with children help to build trusting relationships and allow children to feel secure, confident and included. We value the need of the child as paramount and strive to remain open so that all voices can be heard, all possibilities are realised and all potential is fulfilled.

Committed to Care

We value what each individual has to offer to our service and encourage all to share the same. We recognise the family unit as the primary caregivers in a child’s life and value the role of this unit in the service program and policy decisions. We are committed to the care of all children and therefore maintain strong links with the wider community to ensure that the care we provide is based on current early childhood trends and facts. We value the diversity of Australian culture and actively encourage outside influences and ideas. We aim to make the transition from home to service as smooth and meaningful as possible for both the child and family, by incorporating home cultures into our educational program and service. We aim to communicate on varying levels with all parents about their child’s progress and accomplishments. We believe in open lines of communication based on mutual respect and a desire to promote each child’s learning and wellbeing.

Critical Reflection

We value the importance of critical reflection by reflecting on our current practices. This is done by all educators personally, professionally and through our service’s self assessment. This helps us in identifying ways we can improve which is done through out service’s quality improvement plan.

In relation to our children, we aim to

Develop and maintain an education program that supports the Early Years Learning
Framework and Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines of extending off children’s current knowledge, needs and interest through play-based activities
Provide a physically safe and emotionally secure environment where children learn and have fun
Encourage children’s awareness and respect for diverse cultures and special needs while also bridging the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians
Encourage a rich and engaging environment where children’s voices are heard and acted upon

In relation to our families, we aim to

Develop and maintain positive staff-family relations through collaborative practices and the promotion of an ‘open-door’ policy
Provide a community service that meets the needs of both children and families
Respect the cultural, social and special needs background of each child and family and to bridge the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous families
Establish open communication through various channels for the exchange of information between families and service employees
Act as a link between families and other community services
We recognise involving the family unit in the planning and implementation of the philosophy, the policies and the programs within the service

In relation to our employees, management aims to:

Promote positive, collaborative, respectful and ethical relationships amongst educators
Encourage an environment where teamwork is promoted and educators learn from each other
All Educators are encouraged to keep up to date with our evolving industry through attendance at workshops, seminars, staff meetings and conferences
Promote professional development through encouraging our employees to continue their education in regards to Early Childhood Education
Provide a service that cares for the environment and supports children, families and others to become environmentally responsible

In relation to the community, we aim to:

Network with other community services to enable us to provide useful links to our families
To be recognised as an educational and supportive resource for the community
Recognise the value of diverse cultures and welcome and support diversity to both within and out of our service