Diggers Rest Preschool

We aim to create an atmosphere where all children and families feel respected, included, supported and welcome:

-We encourage children to learn more about themselves within their own unique and unfolding sense of identity and Wellbeing; growing stronger connections within their local and wider community; and nurturing their individual communication and learning styles and skills.

-We value the diversity of backgrounds, culture and experiences each family brings to our program.

- We plan our Programs around the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, which flows through to the Victorian Curriculum used in our local Primary Schools.

- Our programs support growth towards school readiness while remaining flexible to the input of our children, families, community and educators. We value the preschool years as an enormously important time within a child’s development to learn about themselves and their world; as well as a time to learn the skills, abilities and traits necessary for a successful transition to formal schooling.

- We embrace and include community events and celebrations within our program, which are relevant and meaningful to our families, to support and extend the children’s learning and understanding of their local and wider community, their culture and their world (including, but not limited to events highlighted as valued by our families such as: Christmas, Diwali, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Halloween with our local CFA; ANZAC Day; National events such as Child protection Week, Book Week or Reconciliation events; and meaningful, wider community events such as International Celebrations like the Olympics and observing and exploring the changing of the seasons.

-We are committed to implementing the National Quality Framework, National Regulations and the National Quality Standards to ensure our service strives to achieve continuous improvement. Following the Practice Principles of the VEYLDF provides us with a foundation to continuously improve our teaching practices, and supports a current, research-based, best practice approach towards the best ways to support children’s learning within our service.

We offer a ‘Play-based' program based on the principles and outcomes outlined in the Victorian Early Years and Development Framework. We believe children learn through ‘Play’ by developing important life skills such as sharing, negotiating, taking turns, conflict resolution and communication. Through observations of children, family involvement and opportunities for intentional teaching, the program aims to promote each child’s confidence, sense of belonging, inquisitive nature, critical thinking and social skills.

• Explore a range of experiences outside of one’s family unit;
• Grow and mature in independence, confidence and agency;
• Be involved in a range of new and meaningful learning provocations;
• Explore what it’s like to be an individual and part of a group;
• Interact with peers and Teachers and develop positive, reciprocated relationships over time;
• Have lots of time available to play, explore, experiment, develop, connect, reflect and most of all have FUN!

The Victorian Government provides funding to support children to access a high quality kindergarten program in the two years before they start school. This helps to ensure all Victorian children get the best start in life.

From 2023, the Victorian Government is making kindergarten programs free for three and four-year-old children – saving you and your family up to $2,500 per year for their program. Free Kinder is a critical component of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reform.