Philosophy

Mission Statement:

The Educators, Staff and Parent Management Committee of Castle Hill Pre-school are committed to providing a high-quality early education service, which nurtures the wellbeing and learning potential of every child within our community. Our motto: ‘Learning with laughter’ is central to our children becoming successful lifelong learners. We recognise that children learn best when they have a positive self-identity, and therefore strive to create an environment where children feel safe, secure, and supported as they learn through play.

Castle Hill Pre-school acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land, Australia’s First people and pays respect to their histories, connections to land and continuous living cultures. We acknowledge that our preschool is on Darug land.

We Believe…..

That all children are capable, creative, and resourceful learners engaging in meaningful play to develop and grow. At Castle Hill Pre-school we offer a safe, consistent, and secure environment, implemented through a balanced relationship between structured environments and experiences, free play and routines. The Early Years Learning Framework (V2.0) for Australia and the principles of Belonging, Being and Becoming is the structure for our program. The principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – “every child has a right to play and an education”, underpins our philosophy and we strive for our program to be inclusive of all learning styles. We encourage children to be empowered by using their thoughts and ideas to support the growth of critical thinking and self-identity.

We Believe…..

That families are the first educators in children’s lives and hold valuable information regarding their children. We are committed to open and constructive communication with our families, building relationships based on trust and respect. The community of Castle Hill Pre-school offers a unique collection of beliefs, values, interest, knowledge, and experiences which we can use as a basis for our program. We respectfully acknowledge cultural events and encourage families to engage with the program and share their culture.

The Parent Management Committee reflects our community by being diverse in knowledge, experience and culture, and act as advocates for the children. We believe in the importance of nurturing established relationships with Council, local schools, therapists, and agencies. We support transition to school programs by communicating with local schools.

We Believe…..

Children learn through collaboration and communication with other children, adults, and interactions with the environment. They need opportunities to practice and consolidate their skills in key learning areas including cognitive, social emotional, motor skills, language, and creative arts. At Castle Hill Pre-school we provide learning environments that are exciting, fun, and meaningful, incorporating different learning styles, cultures, and the natural world. Within our learning environments there are opportunities for children to experiment, discover, explore, create, investigate, solve problems, and express ideas. Our open play spaces are thoughtfully planned and equipped to encourage collaborative play and learning. At Castle Hill Pre-school we introduce children to a range of social and cultural experiences, so they may develop strategies for resilience when faced with new challenges and learn to value diversity. We encourage environmental awareness and sustainable practices by facilitating thoughts about caring for our preschool environment and where possible, provide natural and reused resources.

At Castle Hill Pre-school our Educators/staff display a sense of pride and professionalism in our centre and adhere to the Early Childhood Code of Ethics. They are positive role models for responsive and respectful care and education. We believe in providing a healthy workplace that values and enhances the health and wellbeing of our employees. We have created a diverse team environment, valuing everyone’s skill, knowledge, and input. Our Educators strive to critically reflect on their practices in relation to children’s learning, current literature, and their own professional development.

At Castle Hill Pre-school there is a continuous improvement cycle of self-assessment and reflection by educators, children, families, and the Parent Management Committee.

Our visual representation of our motto “Learning with Laughter” epitomises the key elements of our philosophy at Castle Hill Pre-school Kindergarten.