Guiding children on an adventure of exploration, learning and discovery.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy at Expeditions Raceview is driven by five core elements, creativity, empathy, patience, respect and trust.Creativity
We believe the power of creativity is at the forefront when deciding how to create provision learning environments or develop learning experiences. We create experiences where children explore processes, combinations, constructions and contributions of ideas in new inventive ways allowing imagination and discovery through play to be the main influence in a world of endless possibilities.
Empathy
It is remembering our own inner child and that our level of responsiveness to children, their needs, wants, ideas and desire for our time will reflect the overarching understanding that they are the centre of our curriculum and its development. We are aware that children require environments that allow for continuity of learning. Within this, is the acknowledgement that over time, children age and will be transitioning to new educators or learning environments and that these times require additional consideration, cooperation, preparation and understanding to make them seamless and effective for the child and their family.
We use summative assessment detailing the children’s development to inform and address strengths and areas needing further attention to ensure the child’s continued learning. We acknowledge that there are times in children’s lives when conditions for development may not be optimal and may result in areas of need. We use the information from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) to inform us on how best to serve the community as a whole in addressing areas of need that have been identified.
Patience
We acknowledge that human development is contained within our DNA – a blueprint path along which your child will journey – but that journey will occur at different paces in all of the different areas of development. Understanding readiness for the next step includes acknowledging the ‘now’ and waiting for the child to indicate the right time, the right way, in the right area.
Patience will be extended to our colleagues and ourselves as we recognise that our personal needs may at times be set aside until appropriate resources can be funnelled into an outcome. We will continue our own steady pace of ongoing learning and reflection to be consciously aware of our own limitations in knowledge, and need to constantly update and extend what we know and how we put our skills into practice.
Respect
We extend our respect to the First Peoples of the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul Nations of this Yaggera Country on which we play, work and live. We also look to these people for their modelling of living with consideration and sustainability on Country to ensure our children and our children’s children inherit a place to thrive long after we have left our footprints. We acknowledge their styles of teaching and learning that have developed over thousands of generations and will incorporate the Aboriginal 8 Ways of Learning pedagogy (developed in the north west of NSW) in our practices and documentation.
We are committed to ensuring all those we have contact with are celebrated – children, families, peers, colleagues, community, animals, plants, Earth and the reflection we see in the mirror.
We respect diversity, acknowledging cultures, differing levels of ability, gender, religious beliefs, legal and moral commitments we engage within our work, interactions and lives. As educators, we have a responsibility to become knowledgeable about the various cultural heritages of those within our environments, being sensitive to differing ways of doing and being whilst ensuring our own cultural competence meets the needs of all the children in our care.
We respect the expectations of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child and article 12 which states ‘children have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account.’
Trust
Given freely, lost easily, requires maintaining through action, deed, response, intent and thought.
We acknowledge the enormity of the trust our families place in us to care for and educate their children. We acknowledge the high expectations all stakeholders have in the roles we fill and are aware of the trust they place in us to fulfil all necessary tasks to the best of our ability. We acknowledge the importance of trust and its place in allowing secure, respectful, reciprocal relationships to develop and grow.
We acknowledge the partnership of this as we as social beings have to be able to rely on one another.
Our Brand Story
An expedition is a bit more special than an ordinary adventure. An expedition is a journey undertaken with a specific purpose in mind.
Expeditions Early Learning Journey was inspired by the important and essential journey children undertake from when they first enrol in childcare to when they move on and start their next stage in life.
Our name has a two fold meaning;
1. We lead from the front with our high quality care and innovative curriculum.
2. We walk alongside children and instill the essential tools and knowledge they need to prepare them as they embark on their next expedition.
Our Mission And Aims
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide the highest quality of care and support and guide children on a positive path of learning, development and self-discovery.
Expeditions Early Learning Journey Aims
Our Children
- To support, guide and instill key knowledge and skills that prepares them for their next journey.
- To incorporate play as a pivotal part of our curriculum and appreciate it as a core learning method.
- To ensure all aspects of a child’s development needs are programmed for and periodically assessed.
- To build trusting and respectful relationships with children.
- To encourage the development of children’s initiative and self-reliance in an atmosphere of trust and structured freedom.
- To encourage children to build and maintain relationships with their peers, their educators and the wider community.
- To develop an environment where children can feel positive about themselves.
- To provide a rich learning environment that encourages children to explore, discover and learn core skills.
- To always create innovative learning experiences that support children’s learning and engage their interests.
- To ensure concrete and sensory materials are incorporated in the learning environment.
- To provide age appropriate learning experiences.
- To appreciate and respect that children are naturally curious and eager to learn and they learn best when they are able to be the agent of their own learning.
- To ensure that no child is discriminated against and all staff respect the values, attitudes and cultural beliefs of all families in the best interests of their children.
- To ensure all children are treated individually, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, language and ability.
Our Families
- To always involve parents in decision making about centre policy development, staffing and general centre management.
- We aim to ensure the centre is always a welcoming and trusting environment for families.
- To ensure families participate in children’s daily programs and input into the experiences offered to their children.
- To respect and be aware and sensitive of the differing cultures and needs of families.
- To form a link with families and early childhood professionals and services.
- To communicate to families information about the centre and their child’s day through Storypark and other materials such as newsletters.
- To build and maintain respectful and supportive partnerships with each family.
Our Community
- To advocate on behalf of children and develop an understanding of the importance of early childhood education in all people’s lives.
- To promote awareness and understanding of quality children’s services.
- To involve members of the wider community in all centre activities and key educational experiences.
- To maintain connections with nearby schools, TAFE’s and universities.
Our Educators
- To be professional in all aspects of our service.
- To employ passionate and experienced educators that can deliver quality early childhood programs.
- To always promote the need to work as a team in order to create a learning environment that supports children.
- To ensure our working environment is fun and flexible yet ensuring we always provide a high quality of service.
- To provide secure and supported employment through sound industrial rights, conditions and personal practices.
- To ensure there are ongoing training and professional enrichment opportunities for all team members. We aim to ensure career advancement is mentored and planned for through succession planning.
