Braidwood Preschool is a community based service, established in 1973, by the parents of the local community.

We continue to value our history and our connections with the local community. As a Preschool community we also acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Braidwood area, the people of the Dhurga language group and the past and present contributions of Aboriginal people to the education and care of children.

We recognise the importance of these elements in promoting the children’s sense of belonging, being and becoming.

This philosophy outlines our goals, beliefs and ideas, in providing a quality early childhood service. Our primary aim is to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which the children can thrive.  The foundation of our program and practice is The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia and the Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics. Our program aims to encourage all areas of the child’s development. 

We believe that working to establish secure relationships, based on connection, will provide a foundation for the child’s sense of belonging, and for future learning. All interactions between educators and children will be based on the principles of respect, inclusion and promoting resilience.

Respect and tolerance, kindness and compassion are the important principles which guide all interactions within our Preschool. The long term aim is that the children will be able to express their needs and feelings in a considerate manner and be able to use problem-solving and negotiation skills, through support and guidance from educators.

We believe that play is the fundamental medium for children’s learning and development. Our program and the Early Years Learning Framework, reflect the importance of play.  We facilitate play by providing the time, the materials, and the space where children can initiate and develop their ideas. 

We value the process of creating, without the emphasis on the end product.  We aim to provide a stimulating curriculum and learning environment, through the combination of intentional teaching and the children’s input. We believe this aim will support the children’s interests, challenge their skills, stimulate their curiosity and thinking, and provide the opportunity for them to reach their full potential.

We will work with parents to provide a program which supports the aims they have for their child and their child’s learning.  We value partnerships with parents. Communication between Educators and parents should be open and positive and always encourage an exchange of written and/or verbal information.  We will respect the diversity of families, the community and the wider world, and aim to reflect and explore this diversity in the program.

Educators will be encouraged to continuously update their skills and knowledge, through ongoing learning and reflective practice.  This process will then provide the impetus for quality improvement of the service and the program.

Our philosophy is the foundation for providing a quality early childhood education, for the children of Braidwood and district and their families.