ABOUT US
Set in a leafy green oasis in Watsonia, Victoria, Watsonia Pre-School was established in the early 1950’s and offers a progressive educational program that inspires and excites young minds, and lays the foundation for future learning.
Watsonia Pre-school is situated with no roads abutting it. The building is light filled to nurture the spirit of enquiry. Our outdoor area is very spacious with:
Shade sails
Mature trees
A child maintained vegetable garden
Climbing area
Digging/Mud pit
Large sand pit and Historical dig
The programs are developed in response to the Pre-schoolss philosophy, current needs and interests of the children, and in consultation with children, staff and parents. The centre uses the Practice Principles for Learning and Development as outlined in the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia to provide the support necessary for every child to learn and develop.
Staff share passion and commitment to the field of Early Childhood Education and bring together many years of knowledge and experience. The program is regularly discussed, evaluated and refined to suit the changing interests and development levels of the children.
The daily Pre-school program is based on a routine that can be spontaneously adapted to incorporate children’s current individual ideas and interests, development and activity levels. Children are given long periods of uninterrupted time to explore both the indoor and outdoor environment, initiate their own ideas, engage in settled productive play for a period suitable for their development level, and gain satisfaction from doing so.
A sense of belonging is fostered so children feel that they are part of a group in which they can feel relaxed and confident to contribute and be connected to the wider community.
PHYSICAL MOTOR PROGRAM
Each term the program build on learned skills with stimulating activities designed to enhance children’s spatial awareness, motor control, participation and enjoyment. Our program addresses many of the alarming childhood health issues of obesity, poor fitness and decreasing levels of activity.
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
We believe that play is children’s natural way of expressing, sharing, extending and modifying their accumulated knowledge, skills and attitudes.
INCLUSIVE PLAY
Our program has an emphasis on social collaboration between children. Teachers guide children to extend and develop lateral thinking.
LANGUAGE / LITERACY
Our room is filled with conversation, child/child and adult/child. Reading and writing materials are in many parts of the room. Stories are read every day – individually, in small groups, to the whole group – and the ideas and illustrations talked about.
EXCURSIONS
We provide developmental excursions each term. Recent excursions have included:
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Botanical Gardens
Bundoora Park Farm
Watsonia Library visit
Local community
FAMILY & COMMUNITY
We recognise that families and parenting styles are as unique as their children and work with the family to ensure trust, open communication and consistency in approach to the developing child.
Flexible programs are designed to accommodate the needs of the whole family – Evening Sessions for Fathers/Grandfathers, Mothers/Grandmothers and older siblings.
FRIENDSHIPS & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Watsonia Pre-school provides a happy, warm, stimulating and secure environment to allow opportunities for children to develop friendships, physical confidence and competence, language, cognitive skills, creativity, independence and self esteem, laying the foundation for future learning.
BUSH KINDER & BEING ACTIVE
Outdoor play is highly valued and staff are passionate about the importance of children experiencing and connecting with the natural world first hand……Bush Kinder!
Our open spaces allow running, ball games and creative and imaginative play.
Watsonia Pre-school is also a Sun Smart Centre. All Children are provided with a named hat to be worn as prescribed by Sun Smart Victoria.
NQS – RATED EXCEEDING!
NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK
