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Caring and mixed age grouping education

We provide a mixed age grouping environment for children. Multi-age groups bring together children aged one to five years old unique opportunities for learning and development.

Children in multi-age groups develop friendships and engage in learning just as they would in same age settings with the added bonus of being able to access peer support and lead learning for other children. These opportunities offer children the opportunity to develop more sophisticated social skills.

Mixed-age grouping has great potential to support children’s social and emotional learning. Children who are settled and older often take on leadership roles and support those who are less capable and competent than they are, while at the same time building their own self-confidence and self-esteem. They model turn taking and sharing. Children with no younger siblings at home have opportunities to ‘be a big sister or brother’ and nurture and help others as well as form relationships with younger children.

“Viewing children as active participants and decision makers opens up possibilities for educators to move beyond pre-concieved expectations about what children can do and learn. This requires educators to respect and work with each child’s unique qualities and abilities.”

– The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia p9

Our Programs

We are committed to providing a developmental and educational program, which caters for each child’s individual needs, abilities and interests.

Our PHILOSOPHY

At 325 Early Education, we see each individual child; their identity, personality and learning needs, and work with families as partners to support their overall development, in a safe and nurturing environment.

Our approach to education is underpinned by, Reggio with aspects of Steiner, in which we recognise that children are capable of constructing their own knowledge as we promote their natural curiosity to observe, explore, question, experiment and solve problems. This also includesinterests in the outdoor environment where we teach children to care for the world in which they live, including gardening and sustainability.

Our curriculum is guided by Frobel’s theory as he identifies that:

The purpose of education is to encourage and guide children as a conscious, thinking and perceiving being. Through engaging with the world, through practical work and hands on experiences, understanding unfolds. Hence the significance of play – it is both a creative activity and through it children become aware of their place in the world. Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel (Fröbel) (1782 – 1852)

We believe that it is through a second language that children can fully appreciate and develop their understanding of the English language. We support this through the use of educator and children’s home languages during everyday conversations and the Australian Government developed application, Early Learning Languages Australia.We acknowledge that our community is driven by technology and to prepare children for their future we need to introduce ICT for learning.

Our team of educators works collaboratively to provide a safe, secure and supportive, indoor and outdoor environment, to suit the interests and needs of every child. They are actively involved within the daily program; routine and environment as each bring a wealth of skills and knowledge to share.

Educators understand a child’s competency in literacy and numeracy is essential for the years ahead. So along with the development of social, emotional and physical skills, we provide the foundations for mathematical and literacy understanding; in accordance to the Victorian Early Years Learning Framework. The program, environment and experiences developed, prepare children for the transition to school and set them up for lifelong learning.

We work with families to develop strong trusting relationships and support home languages by employing bi-lingual educators. This supports children and their families to feel safe and secure and ensures the same aims and goals are met for their child.We support families with their beliefs, culture and ethnicity, celebrating a diverse range of cultural events. We support and welcome Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and share their values.

We encourage and support families to be involved in their children’s learning, consult and review their child’s progress. We invite the 325 family community to engage in meaningful participation at a level they are comfortable with. Families are given opportunities to contribute to changes and reviews of the Service throughout the year.

Educators abide by the Australian Early Childhood Code of Ethics and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. All educators have qualifications relative to the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, CPR, First Aide, Asthma and Anaphylactic training. Educators follow the Principles and Practices of the Early Years Learning Framework, to ensure the National Law and Rules and Regulationsare observed. Continuing Improvement guides the changing circumstances or new ideas is continually updated through our Quality Improvement Plan document.