Philosophy

Philosophy

Our philosophy draws inspiration from the beliefs and values held by children, families, educators, and our Committee of Management. It reflects the latest research and best practice in accordance with the National Quality Framework, the National Law, Code of Ethics, United Rights of the Child, and the Word of God. We firmly believe that every child deserves access to exceptional early childhood education and care, ensuring their right to a high-quality early learning experience.

Children

Every child who walks through our doors shapes who we are and who we will become. Sprouts Early Learning was founded with the purpose to provide a warm, caring, and safe place for children and families in our community. We aspire for each child to feel valued, and we place a high importance on developing close relationships to achieve this. We believe that children are capable individuals with the right to be active participants in all matters affecting their lives. We believe play is how a child makes sense of their world, giving them opportunities to develop positive learning dispositions which become foundational in their education (Piaget    1936).

Families

Even before a child is born, they are connected with family and community. Through family and community relationships and experiences they begin to grow and develop (Bronfenbrenner 1979). Families are an invaluable resource as they are children’s first and most influential teachers. Partnerships with families are embedded in our practice as we aim to provide continuation of care and learning between home and Sprouts. We look for opportunities to reflect a child’s family and home in our learning environments. We believe a child’s family is not limited to genetics but consist of people who love and support them. Each family member is important to the child, and as educators, we value and respect them also. We believe that we have a responsibility to care for the whole family, to be inclusive and offer holistic support.

Educators

Vygotsky stated that “what a child can do with assistance today, they will be able to do by themself tomorrow” (Vygotsky, 1978) We place value on our role as an educator and the education we provide which influences each child’s learning. We acknowledge the unique skills and experience that each educator brings to our team and look for opportunities to show Educators how appreciated and valued they are.

 We believe in the benefits of collaborative reflection and professional development to improve our practice. We advocate for the importance of the early years through intentional mentorship within our Centre as well as partnering with local tertiary training organisations.

Community

We acknowledge God and are thankful for the land that we learn and play on. We acknowledge the Dharawal people who cared for this land before us. We recognise that community plays a key role in shaping and supporting a child and our aim is to nurture confident and creative learners who are connected in the community. We believe that each child is unique, and we will embrace and encourage each child and family to share their community with others. We value partnership and seek opportunities to connect with Shellharbour Community Church and serve our local community and the wider world. We are passionate about caring for our environment and our world and will demonstrate this in the care and education we provide each day. We believe that outdoor play is important for children’s health and wellbeing and will advocate for children to explore the outdoor environment in all weather.