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Wellington Public School

Wellington Public School

Where every child is known, valued and cared for.

Telephone02 6845 4080

Emailwellington-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Procedure to Support Educators Developing the Educational Program

Aim

This procedure relates to the development, implementation and evaluation of the educational program at Wellington Public School Preschool.

Legislative Requirements

·         Education & Care Services National Law 2010

  •  
    • Section 168 – offence relating to required programs
    • Section 323 – approved learning framework

·         Education & Care Services National Regulations 2011

  •  
    • Reg 73 – educational programs
    • Reg 74 – documenting of child assessments or evaluations for delivery of educational program
    • Reg 75 – information about the educational program to be kept available
    • Reg 76 – information about educational program to be given to parents

Links to the National Quality Standard

·         Quality Area 1

o   Standard 1.1 - Program – The educational program enhances each child’s learning and development

  •  
    • Standard 1.2  - Practice - Educators facilitate and extend each child’s learning and development
    • Standard 1.3 – Assessment & Planning – Educators and co-ordinators take a planned and reflective approach to implementing the program for each child

Who is affected by this Procedure?

Educators and Educational Leader at WPS Preschool

Implementation                                                                                      

·         The Early Years Learning Framework is a learning framework that has been endorsed by the Australian Government as the nationally accepted guide to the work of early childhood educators working with children from birth to school age.

·         The Framework promotes a shared vision for early learning, describing the philosophical and ethical basis for early childhood work (the five principles) as well as the ways that educators work from day to day (the pedagogical practices) to ensure that all children will have opportunities to achieve the learning that is valued during these early years (the five learning outcomes).

·         The EYLF provides a reference point for early childhood educators to support them to develop programs that are in line with current ideas about best practice in early childhood.

·         The EYLF is founded on the beliefs that:

o   Children have diverse characteristics, experiences, expectations, skills and knowledge

o   Learning is dynamic, complex and holistic

o   Children actively construct and co-construct their own understandings and learning

o   Play is an important context for learning

o   Relationships and interactions between educators, families and children support learning and development

o   Educators and families play an important role in children’s learning

·         Educators are encouraged to ensure the program provided for children reflects the belief that a play based program can expand children’s thinking and enhance their desire to know and to learn.

·         Play is natural for children – they may play alone or with others.  Children learn naturally through play without fear and failure.

·         When each child has opportunities to play with objects and ideas in different situations and from a variety of different sources, they discover connections and come to newer and better understandings and ways of doing things.

·         Play supports each child in making choices and decisions, using their own ideas and imagination, experimenting, practising skills and learning new ones, adapting or transforming knowledge, attitudes and skills, following an interest, making up rules and changing them, making mistakes, setting their own goals, using symbols, becoming and being confident and enjoying challenges and having fun with friends and/or familiar adults.

·         It is important for educators to remember that:

o   Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

o   Children learn  to be strong and independent from a base of living and secure relationships with parents and/or a primary caregiver

o   The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning

o   Children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates, and all areas of learning and development are equally important and interconnected

o   Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them.

  • As educators we need to think about:
    • Children’s enjoyment of and attitudes towards learning, and how they are given opportunities and supported to learn independently and with others
    • How to encourage children to join in, interact with others and make friends, and feel part of the setting
    • The ways in which we encourage children to make choices and decisions
    • The ways in which we encourage all children to become active, inquisitive learners, and develop their skills and abilities in being a part of different social groups and in problem solving
    • How we interact with and support children’s increasing understanding of the wider world through play.
  • Assessment for learning needs to take place to ensure educators make connections between learning outcomes and what children know, do and say. 
  • Assessment for learning is part of the cycle of planning in which information is gathered and evaluated, and used to inform ongoing learning goals and objectives, experiences and strategies and their implementation.
  • Gathering information about children’s development and learning can be done in different ways and from different sources.  It is important for educators to remember that it is the quality of information gathered, not the quantity.
  • Information about children can be gathered through observations, family members, or even the children themselves.  Spending time with individuals and small groups of children discussing their ideas, interests, feelings and events and talking about their learning can be beneficial to gathering information from children.
  • Educators should try to observe and gather information about children in different situations:
    • Alone and with other children and adults
    • At different activities
    • Indoors and outdoors
    • During routines
    • At different times of the day
  • Evaluating information is often referred to as interpreting or analysing information gathered.  This provides evidence of children’s learning and development and is translated into future planning.
  • When evaluating or analysing information, educators are encouraged to ask themselves:
    • What are the children doing and saying?
    • What does this tell me?
    • What else do I need to know?
  • Planning for the ongoing steps in children’s development and learning is the next crucial step, which is done on the basis of what has emerged from the information gathered and the evaluation of that information.  Involving parents and families is beneficial and supports the development of partnerships.
  • Planning involves forward thinking and includes decisions about:
    • Goals and outcomes for children’s ongoing learning
    • Experiences and opportunities that will support these goals
    • Interactions and teaching strategies for supporting learning
    • Materials and equipment
    • Locations and timing of experiences
    • The role of educators and others
    • Changes to the indoor and outdoor environments
  • When planning experiences, opportunities and interactions, educators are encouraged to ask “how does this relate to children’s abilities, and to their interests, knowledge and other personal and cultural characteristics?”
  • Planning is based on the understandings that:
    • Children are active participants in their own learning
    • Children  learn through play
    • Children’s learning is multi-sensory
    • Development and learning are different, holistic and interrelated
    • Responsiveness to children and respect for diversity underpins practice
  • Plans should be flexible to adapt to changing or unexpected situations and open to children’s engagement and interest.

 

Related Policies/Procedures

·         Interactions with Children

Sources

Margetts, K., & Raban, B. (2011) Principles and practice for driving the EYLF. Albert Park, VIC: Teaching Solutions.

Raban, B., & Margetts, K. (2012) The Early Years Learning Framework in Practice – a handbook for educators and families (2nd Edition). Albert Park, VIC: Teaching Solutions.

Review

This procedure will be reviewed annually.  Review will be conducted by School Principal, Preschool Staff, parents/carers and any interested parties.