In relation to our values…

At the Maiden Gully Early Years Hub, the education and wellbeing of children is fundamental to everything that we do. We advocate strongly for children and families and believe in a wrap-around service provision model of early learning and care. We are very proud to be on the first steps towards each child’s lifelong learning journey and wish to instil a sense of wonder, exploration and inquiry.

In relation to how children learn…

We understand that children learn through play, at their own pace, and through the provision of inviting learning environment and responsive intentional teaching from our experienced early childhood teachers and educators. We believe that by interacting with the natural environment during indoor / outdoor play, children will have multiple opportunities to create their own learning as they develop a sense of wonder and respect for the natural environment.

In relation to children as citizens…

We hold a holistic view of children’s education, whereby we view them as competent and capable and hold high expectations of their success. We believe that through responsive, warm relationships we will support and encourage children to develop a strong sense of self confidence, empathy for others and to become respectful, members of our community. We understand that early childhood is a time for being and becoming and we cherish the shared learning and discovery that will be fostered in our inclusive environment through sensitive interactions with children and families. It is our intention that children will feel a strong sense of belonging in our learning service and this will support them as they develop their curiosity, inquiry, resilience and sense of self competence.

In relation to families…

We know that families are children’s first and most important teachers and understand that positive relationships, based on open communication, between families and educators working collaboratively will provide the best outcomes for all. We view ourselves as a support to families and will work together with on-site and external Allied Health practitioners to provide families with a sense of security and confidence. We intend that our Early Years Hub will be a welcoming environment whereby engaging with the strengths, culture and practices of all families will be fundamental to our developing sense of community. We know that families need to feel that their child is important to us and that they are safe and secure; to provide families with this sense of confidence we will utilise our purpose built observation rooms to allow families to watch the process of our experienced educators supporting their child through transitions.

In relation to the community…

Our service has been established intentionally to become a thriving part of the wider Maiden Gully community, as well as a rich and dynamic community of its own. Through our collaborative relationships with allied health services, external support agencies, local primary schools and training organisations; we are creating a space where shared learning, professional development and innovative practices are embedded into our everyday experiences. This inevitably leads to wonderful outcomes for the children and families utilizing our service, through continual learning opportunities for educators and shared care models for children and families. We intend for the Maiden Gully Early Years Hub to be a service of excellence, as well as a place where stakeholders of the broader Bendigo Early Childhood community can come together to be a community of learners and to innovate in ways that best reflect the needs of our unique environment.

In relation to our commitment to best practice…

We believe in equity, inclusion and access for all children and families and are committed to embedding the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and to implementing Shine Bright’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) throughout our service and our everyday practices. It is our intention to create a space, where collaborative practices, new understandings and a strong sense of place and belonging forms the foundation of our learning programs. We are committed to being critically reflective and making changes to our service, both small and large, that will contribute to improving our practice.