Our Philosophy

Strong, genuine partnerships, between service, staff, families and community, significantly reduce the effects of social disadvantage and positively contributes to improved social inclusion and learning and developmental outcomes for children (Wong, 2012).

Children

The staff, families and community at Ness Reserve Preschool are dedicated to developing secure, reciprocal, warm relationships with, and between children so that they can truly thrive and flourish through positive, collaborative, connections with others now and throughout their lifelong journey.

At Ness we strongly value the knowledge that children learn in unique ways, each of these as powerful as the other. We strive to ensure each child’s individual strengths, their diversity and their voices are seen and heard.

At Ness we see children as capable, knowledgeable and naturally inspired to play. We therefore advocate for the importance of facilitating indoor and outdoor learning spaces that create an abundance of opportunities to imagine, explore, take risks, create and solve problems in playful ways.

We inspire our children at Ness to develop respectful relationships with nature, natural resources, sustainable practices and technological advancement so that they are connected with our planet, becoming advocates for change as global citizens.

Here at Ness, we identify with the importance of our role in supporting children through the difficult emotions they may experience with respect, empathy and kindness, ensuring they feel safe and included.

At Ness we nurture all children’s independence and agency. We respect diversity, strive for equity and ensure strengths and differences are embraced by the learning community.

We value the importance of outdoor play and opportunities for children to immerse themselves in the sensory environment that surrounds them. We believe getting dirty is a child’s right to truly explore, develop new understandings and contributes greatly to their overall wellbeing.

Ness Reserve Preschool is proud to be rated exceeding National Quality Standards in all seven quality areas.

-Educational program & practice

-Physical environment

-Children’s health & safety
-Governance & leadership
-Staffing arrangements
-Relationships with children
-Collaborative partnerships with

families & communities

Families

We believe in working in partnership with our families at Ness to build genuine, strong, collaborative partnerships through mutual

trust that ensures we have a shared vision for every child.

We welcome all families to actively participate and get involved at Ness, valuing open communication and varying perspectives.

Our teaching practice and program at Ness is inspired and informed by each families, unique and diverse background, culture and strengths. We respect the rights of each families, privacy and confidentiality when sharing information within our service.

Healthy eating and active lifestyles are paramount to children’s development and wellbeing. We at Ness, work together with families to ensure children at our service understand the importance of making healthy choices now and for their futures.

Community

We value the importance of connecting with relevant local services, organisations and individuals who support our children and families development and wellbeing.

We believe in engaging with local community to create partnerships that will contribute to children’s and families sense of belonging to their community.

We aim to foster positive and respectful relationships with nature and animals within our kinder setting and the wider community supporting the children to develop respectful and caring relationships with other living things and the importance of a sustainable environment for their future.

Ness Reserve Preschool acknowledges that we work and play together on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people, of the Kulin nation. We aspire to gain a greater understandings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being and embed them within our program and service. We endeavour to collaborate with Indigenous Elders to work toward reconciliation and share an environment where Indigenous children and families feel that they belong, that their culture is valued and that they are strong in their abilities and futures.

Colleagues

At Ness we value the diverse knowledge and experiences that all staff members bring to our preschool. We use collaborative approaches to draw on the skills, strengths, experiences and talents of all staff to enhance our programs and overall governance of our preschool.

Guided by the EYLF staff at Ness purposefully plan experiences that engage children in play that supports their learning, developing their holistic selves, to move beyond their current abilities, through open ended, modelled and purposefully framed play.

We engage in professional development on a regular basis to ensure our practices are current and reflect changes in current trends, movements and complexities of 21st century learning.

At Ness Reserve Preschool we are committed to providing a child safe environment through adherence to our child safe policies, procedures and ongoing professional development on Mandatory reporting obligations and child safe standards.