Doncaster Gardens Preschool

In our work with children we:

• Provide an engaging and educational program based on the approved curriculum Frameworks and the principles in the UN Rights of the Child, that maximises the learning opportunities of both the indoor and outdoor learning environments.
• We believe in providing a safe and welcoming environment for children to experiment and explore in accordance to the Child Safe Standards.
• We believe in the child's right to play, play develops skills in all areas of development, and encourage children to extend on their interests and strengthen abilities.
• Encourage interactions with others which promote respect, positivity and care.
• Value and reflect the voice of the child and encourage children to be active participants in service and program decisions.
• Incorporate the principles of GEM, (Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness), into our programming as part of supporting children to build foundations for a strong sense of mental and physical wellbeing, self-identity, resilience and self-regulation.
• We work to empower children to believe in themselves, their abilities, their potential and make conscious decisions within their lives.

In our partnership with families we:

• Work in collaboration with families and recognise that they are children's first and most influential educators.
• Share knowledge and promote confident parenting.
• Respect and value the individual backgrounds and unique cultures and customs of everybody in our kindergarten community.
• Invest time in building strong and reciprocal relationships with families that are strengthened and sustained over time.

In our role as a community of learners:

• Encourage educators to reflect and critically evaluate their program and practice, and build a strong culture of professional enquiry.
• Commit to continuous quality improvement and support each other’s ongoing professional and personal development.
• Encourage sharing and acknowledgement of individual staff languages, strengths, abilities and skills.
• Create a sense of community between the kinder groups by effective communication within the team.

In our relationship with the community we:

• Recognise and respect Indigenous cultures and the unique place of these in our heritage and future by learning about and valuing the place of Indigenous people in our community. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and future.
• Aim to breakdown cultural and gender stereotyping by challenging perceptions and attitudes.
• Communicate with local services and promote opportunities to bring these services into the kindergarten setting to engage with children and families.
• Promote the value and contribution of our service within the broader community.
• Connect children and families with each other and local child and family support services.

Our staff have all come together from a variety of different working and study backgrounds, having wide varying interests, enabling us to bring diverse skill sets to our kinder, through languages, arts and crafts, interests in sports and physical exercise, music, cultural and gender stereotyping and the environment and sustainability.

Our favourite part of our job is working the amazing children we have the privilege to educate and their families. We love the beautiful conversations we have with the children, seeing their learning, development and growth over their time at our kindergarten, their confidence growing and their ability to become independent and school ready; they are truly special moments that we feel fortunate for having the pleasure to be a part of.

• Weekly Physical Education excursion program for 4-year-old using attached community hall
• Educators with additional languages of Mandarin and Vietnamese
• Visits from local community groups, including yearly dental check-ups
• Lending Library to support children’s literacy development at home
• Family Information Zone to support families and parenting
• Connecting children with various community groups who use the community hall adjacent to our kindergarten
• Opportunities for family involvement in our kindergarten

The Victorian Government provides funding to support children to access a high quality kindergarten program in the two years before they start school. This helps to ensure all Victorian children get the best start in life.

From 2023, the Victorian Government is making kindergarten programs free for three and four-year-old children – saving you and your family up to $2,500 per year for their program. Free Kinder is a critical component of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reform.