Our Philosophy

Children

We uphold the rights of children as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and support every child’s right to education, to feel safe and to be valued for who they are. Our image of the child is defined as strong, capable and full of potential. Each child is a unique individual with diverse learning styles and cultural identities. We empower children to be co-constructors in their own conceptual learning, and celebrate children’s rich intelligences as they discover the extraordinary in the ordinary. Responsive relationships and wellbeing are prioritised and integral to learning. We build children’s resilience so that they can better navigate challenges and adversity.

Families

At Starfish, we embrace Australia’s multicultural and diverse nature. We celebrate our community’s diverse aspects by fostering a learning environment that promotes inclusivity and understanding. Our mission is to support, accept, and value all families, children, and educators in our community. We promote cultural appreciation and understanding through the use of resources and active involvement from families and the wider community.

Diversity

Contexts for Learning

Our image of the child is reflected in our contexts for learning, interactions and pedagogical documentation. The environment takes on the role of the third teacher; our educators provide flexible and aesthetically appealing contexts to provoke inquiry and exploration through natural, recycled and man-made resources. We value both indoor and outdoor learning contexts and develop them in collaboration with children, families and educators. We are committed to environmental sustainability, by caring for the natural world, and conserving resources for current and future generations.

Community

We honour and pay our respects to the traditional custodians of the land in which we play and learn. We will endeavour to connect with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in our local area and advocate for their journey towards reconciliation and unity.We strive to create opportunities within our community to share knowledge and experiences, through interaction and engagement. Children’s learning outcomes are enriched through partnerships with our community and connections to Country. We are committed to social sustainability, through inclusive and fair decision making.

Educators

Our pedagogical practices are guided by children’s wonder and our conceptual framework. We embrace and embed the Early Years Learning Framework and inspirations from the Reggio Emilia Educational Project. We are unique individuals who collaborate for continuous growth and development. We participate in professional learning, reflective practice and self-evaluation to broaden and innovate our pedagogy. We recognise that we are all leaders in our role as educators and inspire others to reach their potential.

Our Vision