“The desire to belong, be accepted and contribute to their world is at the heart of children's behaviour. These principles underpin our educational philosophy.

Positive behaviour guidance

Children respond best to positive guidance and encouragement towards acceptable behaviour. Our educators help each child understand and express their feelings and opinions and take responsibility for their actions.

Valuing children's voices

Every child is different, with a unique personality shaped by their experiences, family unit and community/culture. We value each child's voice and perspective. We listen to them and encourage them to make decisions about their learning.

Positive reinforcement

We recognise children's efforts rather than only the finished product. This helps children feel good about themselves and eager to embrace new learning opportunities. We encourage children to contribute and share responsibility for age-appropriate tasks. This gives children a sense of importance and a feeling of belonging to their early learning community.

Trusted, collaborative partnerships

We value every child and family and our fellow educators, treating them with respect and understanding and building positive partnerships. This helps strengthen the bridge between home and our early learning environment. We regularly share and exchange information with parents on our programs and practices. In doing so, we recognise that each educator and family has a unique philosophy on education and child-rearing that must be listened to and respected. This collaborative, open and flexible approach helps children feel safe and secure in their learning environment, enabling them to learn to their full potential.”

Deer Park Early Learning and Kindergarten team

Aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework, the curriculum at Deer Park Early Learning and Kindergarten follows a play-based approach. Through a mix of individual, small group and large group activities, quiet and active play, the curriculum includes storytelling, dramatic play, games, dancing, singing and movement activities.

This ensures a holistic focus on the children’s physical, social, emotional, personal, spiritual, creative, cognitive and linguistic development. Across the five rooms in the centre, the educators tailor the curriculum to each child’s needs and their developmental stage. The rooms include:

• Babies Room One (6 weeks to 12 months)
• Babies Room Two (13 to 24 months)
• Toddlers Room (25 to 36 months)
• Three year Old Kindergarten (3 to 4 years)
• Four Year Old Kindergarten (4 to 5 years)

The curriculum teaches the children problem-solving skills and helps to develop their self-esteem. It fosters their creative, social and emotional skills and encourages their imagination and communication.

The 3 and 4 year old kinder programs are funded and approved by the Victorian government and taught by qualified teachers. These programs are designed to give children the best start in life and prepare them for their transition to school and beyond.

The program at Deer Park Early Learning and Kindergarten is child-centred and makes the most of the indoor and outdoor learning environments at the centre. The educators aim to provide the children with new and exciting experiences that cater to their needs, interests and abilities. This includes excursions, regular weekly incursions and strong community connections.

The educators at Deer Park Early Learning and Kindergarten are highly qualified and experienced at delivering quality educational programs. They hold senior first aid qualifications and ensure they comply with strict food standards. 

Qualifications aside, the educators are committed to nurturing each child and respecting their individuality. They use positive reinforcement to encourage children in their learning and value each child’s voice and perspective. 

The centre also ensures that the educators have access to regular professional development opportunities so they are equipped with the latest industry research and learning.

Each day, the centre cooks prepare delicious and nutritious meals for the children to enjoy. The menu includes breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea with all meals following the guidelines from Nutrition Australia.

The menu can be tailored to meet any special dietary needs such as allergies or cultural requirements. The centre also provides recipes to families so they can cook their children’s favourite meals. 

Below is a small sample of the meals the children at Deer Park Early Learning and Kindergarten enjoy:

Breakfast: cereal, toast, muffins, and crumpets with seasonal toppings.

Morning Tea: fresh fruit yoghurt, fruit and cheese platter, hummus dip and veggie dippers, and toasted sandwiches

Lunch: roast beef with vegetables, beef massaman curry, vegetable lasagna, soup, stir-fries and pasta.

Afternoon Tea: sandwiches, roast veggie sticks with bean dip and crackers, and yoghurt and fruit.