At Somerville Kindergarten we believe in creating an inviting, safe, and happy environment where children and families feel welcomed. We aim to be warm and caring, taking time to listen and be supportive to all children and parents, while providing the children with educationally sound activities that are enjoyable and stimulating. We believe that working in partnership with families we can create an environment that is inclusive and provides a sense of belonging.
The program is very child-centred and as Educators, we believe each child is different and that they are cherished and respected as unique and individual. We design our preschool program to cater for individual needs through activities presented in a way that encourages and engages children to participate. The children always have free choice, while being encouraged to participate regularly in a balanced range of activities. We provide challenging and purposeful activities in such a way, that children are able to use the materials in an individual manner to create a unique end product.
Our program is consistently aimed at fostering and building self-esteem and confidence. We also place a strong emphasis on children’s sensitivity towards other children and on mutual respect of all people within the wider community. We encourage parents at the preschool to participate in the program in ways that they are comfortable, and we keep them informed of the preschool program and its happenings.
The program offered at Somerville Kindergarten is based on a development approach.
This means that there is a fundamental awareness and understanding of child development and this is used to plan experiences that are:
- Implemented with attention to differing needs, interests and developmental levels of individual children.
- Designed to challenge children’s abilities and interests.
- Designed to encourage active participation and agency in their learning.
- Based on acceptance of each child – their skills, abilities, needs, interests and background.
We provide a combination of teacher-initiated and child- led learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, open-ended and meaningful to children.We ensure that all children are able to participate in the program at their own level and reach their individual potential.
By actively engaging in play and interacting with peers in a positive, nurturing environment,
we believe that the program and environment will encourage children to:
- have a healthy self-esteem and good image of themselves.
- develop confidence in themselves and their abilities.
- solve problems.
- develop their independence and self-help skills.
- develop social skills to enable them to play co-operatively and imaginatively, to take urns and to share.
- increase their control of large and small muscles and eye hand coordination.
- develop early literacy and numeracy skills.
- use activities creatively and develop a disposition for exploring and discovery learning.
- to increase their knowledge of the world around them
- have fun and enjoy life!
Our kindergarten program will nurture individual qualities that are unique to each child, and we aim to develop little people who are ready to face challenges presented in their future life.