Bega Preschool acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work, live and play and recognises that this land which provides a home for our preschool is, was and always will be Djiringanj Country. We pay respects to Djiringanj Elders, families and descendants, past, present and emerging and we recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We extend this acknowledgement and respect to all First Nations people.
PROVIDING A HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
OUR PRESCHOOL
Bega Preschool is a not for Profit Community Based Preschool licenced by the Department of Education to provide an Early Childhood Education to 40 children per day between the ages of 3-6 years.
OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
At Bega Preschool we provide an active learning environment, a place in which children are encouraged to explore and interact with the environment, to make (or construct) meaning and knowledge through their experiences, social interactions and negotiations with others.
OUR ENVIRONMENT
We value natural learning in natural environments & support the children to engage in interest based, exploratory play which is intrinsically motivated and not forced. We believe that through natural experiences children are provided with opportunities to make connections, develop skills and share and deepen their understanding.
We believe that every child has the right to a childhood.
OUR GALLERY
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Right to Childhood
We believe that every child has the right to a childhood. We believe that children should have long periods of uninterrupted time to dig in the dirt, paint, hunt for bugs, catch tadpoles, travel to imaginary worlds, explore with their hands and quite simply – play. We value authentic school readiness, where children are provided with quality tools and resources and are supported to develop a passion for learning. This is what we refer to as intentional teaching.
We believe that when children’s interests and ideas are respected and their curiosity, imagination and enthusiasm is supported, learning takes place.
Unique
We believe that uniqueness is something to be embraced, and that all children, families and educators bring unique skills, interests, abilities ideas and ways of being that contribute to our preschool.
“The child has a hundred languages, a hundred hands, a hundred thoughts, a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking”.
Loris Malaguzzi
We believe that valuing each person for who they are enables them to feel welcome and respected.
Evolving
We believe in the importance of evolution. By continually reviewing and critically reflecting on our practices, environment, relationships and understandings, we are able to strive for excellence. We value professional development and ongoing education and believe that this enables our educators to feel valued and to provide a program that is inspired by many theories, approaches and ideas.
IN DETAIL
OUR PRESCHOOL
In 2014 and again in 2019 Bega Preschool was assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Authority and received a result of “Exceeding” in the National Standards in Early Childhood Education.
Bega Preschool offers two classrooms - the Tadpole classroom and the Magpie classroom and five classes - Monday/Wednesday Koalas, Monday/Tuesday Dolphins, Tuesday/Wednesday Waratahs, Thursday/Friday Blue Wrens and Thursday/Friday Hummingbirds and there are a maximum of 20 children enrolled in each class. The classes are taught by University Degree trained Early Childhood Teachers, all other educators hold a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education or Certificate 111 in Children’s Services. We believe in the importance of relationships, between children, educators, families and the wider community and that they are built on trust, mutual respect and understanding. We believe that feeling a sense of belonging is crucial for everyone and by forming strong bonds with children and families we create this sense of belonging. It is with this belief in mind that children are enrolled in a two day program with the same teacher and class. This enables relationships to develop and provides opportunities to support children to engage in meaningful learning relationships.
OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
In our active learning environment, teachers and educators play a crucial role in encouraging children to discover deeper meanings and make connections among ideas and between concepts, processes and representations. This requires teachers and educators to be engaged with children’s emotions and thinking. Our program offers the children many opportunities to learn and build on existing skills. These include social skills, life skills, phonological awareness and emergent literacy skills and a myriad of maths and science concepts and skills. We seek to promote children’s cultural competence and view it as much more than awareness of cultural differences. It is seen as the ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. Children are born belonging to a culture, which is not only influenced by traditional practices, heritage and ancestral knowledge, but also by the experiences, values and beliefs of individual families and communities.
We recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing. For Australia it also includes promoting a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being.
At Bega Preschool we are committed to equity and believe in all children’s capacities to succeed regardless of diverse circumstances and abilities.
OUR ENVIRONMENT
Our preschool is designed to enable children and adults to connect to the natural world and to understand the importance of nature. We strongly value natural food choices as a tool for learning and believe that a healthy body equals a healthy mind.
Our environmental program includes planting and harvesting vegetables, herbs and fruit. The food that is grown by the children is then utilised as part of our educational nutrition program. We teach children about life-cycles by observing the animals we have at our preschool; budgies and our beautiful tadpole pond. We plan learning environments with appropriate levels of challenge where children are encouraged to explore experiment and take appropriate risks in their learning. We believe that the physical environment has a crucial role to play in children’s development, one that is often referred to as “the third teacher”.
“An environment that acts to teach children can be described as a physical space that nurtures concentration, creativity and the motivation to independently learn and explore.” (McKellar, 1957)
CONTACT US
to request an enrolment form
BY PHONE: 02 6492 1639
LOCATION: 4 Koolgarra Dr, Bega NSW 2550
BY MAIL: PO Box 309 Bega NSW 2550