Centre Philosophy

Billy Button Early Learning acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation on which we operate and pay respect to their elders from the past, present, and emerging.

Billy Button Early Learning is an early childhood service that has been strategically designed to facilitate an environmentally friendly centre to demonstrate the importance of both nature play and play based learning. Our aim is to provide children the opportunity to get back to basics, slow the pace and explore the world around them with a mind for inquiry.

Our values have been developed to inspire Connection with people so that they feel seen, heard, and valued. The nature-based program being implemented, will allow our children to connect with the natural environment outside the classroom. We encourage Discovery to inspire creativity, learn from our outcomes and be “outside the box” thinkers. We show Respectby appreciating the uniqueness of each child & adult that comes through our service. Our Team comes together for a shared purpose and common goal, to prioritise children in everything we do. We do this by ensuring a friendly, welcoming environment that creates a positive working culture that allows children to be the priority.

At Billy Button Early Learning, we believe that children are successful, competent, and capable learners who have the right to be treated as such. Children have a right to be treated by adults with tenderness and respect. They should be allowed to grow into whoever they were meant to be – the unknown person inside each of them is the hope for the future (Janusz Korczak). We are working towards a learning path for inquiry, where children are able to focus their development by using their thinking skills. In this environment, the educators will; notice what children do, listen to what they say, document their ideas and theories and respond by providing a change in interaction, resources, space, time. We embrace the value of play by providing a holistic program to meet the child’s interests and goals and by building confidence and self-esteem. These concepts will implement the Early Years Learning Framework and its five learning outcomes which include: Identity, Community, Wellbeing, Learning and Communication.

Craigieburn is known to have a diverse community of cultures. Billy Button Early Learning is inclusive of all children regardless of race, gender, creed, abilities, or social background including those from indigenous backgrounds, children from non-English speaking backgrounds and children who have additional needs. We endeavour to incorporate diversity throughout our programs to ensure that equity is present for all individuals within the service.

We continuously work with our families in a collaborative partnership as we recognise them in their role as caregiver. Our families are affective communicators as they continue working with us by providing feedback which helps with critical reflection and growth. Reflective practice will be a vital role in our success, as we continue to be open minded in the ways we evaluate our outcomes to encompass “best practice” standards within the early childhood sector.

Our team creates a ‘home away from home’ for our families by having an ‘open door policy’ to meet the needs of the local community. Our purpose is for children to know connectiveness in their early years of development.