OUR PRESCHOOL
Urunga Community Preschool was established in 1983 and has strong and historic links to the local community, with a continuity of staff that spans generations of families who have attended the Preschool. Our Preschool reflects the ethos of the North Coast and those who choose to live here: a love of the outdoors, the rivers, the oceans and a relaxed way of life.
We are situated in the most beautiful part of the world, surrounded by nature rich in wildlife. We believe that the natural environment is a powerful teacher inviting exploration, investigation and sustained play. We aim to develop children’s understanding of the significance of the land to the Gumbaynggirr people, and to acknowledge that our preschool is on Gumbaynggirr land.
We acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional custodians of the land on which the Preschool is situated, the Gumbaynggirr people.
OUR ENVIRONMENT
We believe that sustainability is everybody’s responsibility and we aim to continually reduce our environmental footprint on the planet. We foster children’s capacity to understand and respect the natural environment and the interdependence between people, plants, animals and the land, by providing many rich educational experiences in and about nature, and through conversations with children about their impacts on the environment.
We know that children who develop dispositions for caring for the environment are more likely to care for the environment in the future, helping to sustain a healthy planet for everyone. “Nature itself is children’s best teacher” (Coffey, 2001).
FAMILIES
Families are children’s first and most influential teachers. We honour families’ expertise and engage in shared decision-making about children’s learning and development. We know that lifelong friendships and associations between families often start at Preschool, and believe that we play an important role in the wellbeing of families.
COMMUNITY
Children are active citizens in the community, and we strive to engage with our community in meaningful ways. Our preschool is central to Urunga and an important part of village life. We go out into the community often, and we welcome community members in to enrich the children’s learning. We value our strong relationships with the local school, the library, café, museum, fire station and our neighbours.
CHILDREN
We believe that when children feel safe and secure that they are best placed to learn and thrive. We put children first and strive to support their learning and development within an age-appropriate, play-based emergent curriculum. We see each child as a unique being with whom we are walking on their learning journey. We respect children as capable and competent people who are actively constructing their own learning as they interact with their peers and educators, their families and culture, and our community and environment.
