The Sparkways Early Learning Approach
Early childhood (birth to 5 years old) is a truly transformational time in a child’s brain development.
It’s a time when children’s daily experiences, relationships and environments literally spark their brains into life, lighting up neural pathways and laying down the foundations for critical skills in later life. Our approach to early education is to engage and stimulate that natural curiousity in all children and help nurture it into a lifelong love of learning.
To ensure the best possible start in life, all our early learning programs are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and are based on the following principles:
The Sparkways Approach to an Excellent Early Learning Environment:
Families Come First
We are a family-centred practice with our educators recognising that a child’s first teacher is always their family.
We encourage family members to be a part of their child's early learning journey by sharing with us their unique stories, culture and skills such as cooking, gardening, and music.
Communication is essential and all of our services use the online platform Storypark to share important messages and regular updates on the children’s experiences. Families can also use this platform to share their own photos and stories with us so we can help support the learning happening at home too.
"A great educator or teacher takes a child’s hand, opens a mind and touches a heart".
Children Learn Best Through Play
For children, play time is more than just fun and games, in fact play is the key to learning for young children.
Play-based learning is the foundation for all our early learning programmes at Sparkways. Rather than just teaching them to remember their ABCs, we create opportunities for children to take charge of their own learning and encourage them to explore, experiment, discover and solve problems through play.
All the while, our educators are there every step of the way, nurturing that natural curiosity into a lifelong love for learning.
Whether it’s building a block tower, playing a game of hide-and-seek, or mucking about in the mud, children build the foundation for many vital skills through play.
"I loved that the children are encouraged and supported to be themselves, all children are accepted for who they are."
We Build Skills for Life
Learning is a lifelong journey, but a child’s early years set the foundation for the skills they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives. That is why it’s so important to get it right from the start.
Our goal is to give children a safe space to develop these critical life skills from numeracy and literacy to problem-solving and emotional regulation.
We pride ourselves on being a “home away from home” for children and their families, a place where every child can play and learn, try new things, and make new friends in a safe and supportive environment.
"Our favourite part of our job is meeting the amazing children we have the privilege to educate. We love the beautiful conversations we have with the children, they are truly special moments that we feel fortunate for having the pleasure to be a part of."
Qualified and Experienced Educators
Sparkways educators are recognised for their dedication and passion for early learning.
To help little minds grow as much as possible, our educators focus on developing curriculums tailored to your child’s individual abilities and interests. In addition, our small group learning environments mean that we can give each child the personalised attention they need.
Our educators take great pride in working closely together with families and local communities to create the best possible learning environment for your child.
Environment as a Teacher
We believe the environment to be the ‘third teacher' for our children and that just as much learning occurs outdoors as it does indoors.
Through outdoor play, we teach children about the natural world and the elements that surround them. As well as teaching them about the importance of sustainability, recycling and how to respect the environment.
We continually upgrade our environments to provide the best possible indoor and outdoor experiences for your children. Whenever possible, we use recycled and sustainable materials, sourced from ethical organisations with a preference for natural materials over the use of plastic, mass-produced products.
Begin the Adventure at Sparkways today!
16 June 2022
