All Kurilpa rooms implement a program that is play-based and will foster each child’s development by providing a diverse range of activities in the indoor and outdoor environments. The program fosters each child’s physical development, language and literacy skills, personal and interpersonal skills, curiosity, thinking and inquiry, creativity and aesthetic development and each child’s unique perspective of culture and experience.
Learning Situations & the Learning Environment
The program encourages children to participate in a range of learning situations from individual activities, through to small group projects and activities that include the entire group. The team supports children’s learning by encouraging them to cooperate with peers and adults. Children are encouraged to extend their skills and problem-solving strategies by experiencing appropriate and meaningful challenges within the program. The program is play-based and allows children to develop at their own pace as successful learners.
The program includes the interactions that take place between the team, families and children. These should be characterised by mutual respect, responsiveness and warmth. Children, families and the team should all feel welcome and included in this environment.
The program includes the physical environment. The team creates a space that is well-organised and designed to stimulate a sense of creativity and aesthetic awareness.
The program includes the daily routine. The team creates a routine that reflects children’s need to rest, eat, and play. During each day there are times for children to interact with their peers, or seek time out by themselves. There are a range of active and passive activities for children to choose between. The team plan their day so that transitions between activities are handled sensitively and children are not rushed.
Documenting Your Child’s Journey – storypark
At Kurilpa we use Storypark to document and share children’s learning and development through videos, photos, individual and group observations and learning stories. Storypark ensures you are involved and up to date with your child’s development. It is designed to make children’s learning visible and interactive.
Storypark is a secure, private online space that provides each child with an online community which you (their parent/guardian) own and control who has access to, at no cost, for as long as you wish. Your child will have their own personal portfolio that travels with them through the different rooms and can be accessed by you forever.
You can choose to add your own stories or leave comments and feedback for children and our teaching team. You can also choose to share these stories with family members if you wish.
Each room has their own form of documentation, either floor books, planning books or project books that communicates what is happening within the program and for the group as a whole. Reading these will give you an overview of the learning that is occurring and it is also a great starting point for talking about what is happening in the room with your child.
Information about the program, philosophy and goals are available throughout the centre. Please feel free to ask for further information if needed.
Excursions / Incursions
The team plan enjoyable and educational outings and excursions for the children from time to time to support the learning within the program and for enjoyment. When the children are going on a planned excursion from the centre you will receive notification and an excursion form will need to be signed. Team members are not permitted to take a child beyond the centre’s premises without written permission from a parent or guardian.
Throughout the year Kurilpa will also have a number of different groups visit the centre to perform different activities. No written permission is needed for these incursions however all families are informed when groups come out and what activities their children will be involved in.
Cost for excursions and incursions will be billed to your family account.
Behaviour guidance Policy
Aim
We aim to create positive relationships with children making them feel safe, secure and supported within our service. We will ensure children are treated with respect, consistency, fairly and equitably as they are supported to develop the skills and knowledge required to behave in a socially and culturally acceptable manner. Supporting children to develop socially acceptable behaviour is a primary goal for educators and families.
Explanation
Children learn to face a variety to challenges throughout their lives. Learning the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour assists children to regulate their own behaviours in different social and emotional environments as well as when interacting with peers and adults. Children learn these skills through trial and error, proactive modelling and receiving positive guidance in a supportive and respectful environment.