Early Years

Wellbeing

We recognise that while the Pre-Prep year is not a formal year of school, it plays an essential role in assisting children to develop the life skills and positive dispositions to learning that will make the transition to school life as smooth as possible.

It is during the Early Childhood years that tremendous growth and learning take place, as children develop the attitudes and knowledge that lay the foundations for subsequent development and lifelong learning. At Clayfield College Pre-Prep, we aim to provide a welcoming, carefully planned and inclusive environment that will promote and nurture such development and learning for all children.

We feel that the Early Childhood learning environment and curriculum should be developed with certain key principles in mind:

• We believe strongly in a play-based curriculum. Play is the tool that children use to understand their world and is a fundamental medium for their learning, coupled with guidance, support and quality, and intentional interactions from teachers.
• We believe that the learning environment should be stimulating, accessible and flexible, so as to promote problem-solving, exploration and experimentation on the part of the child. Both the physical and social environments play an essential role in the development of the whole child.
  
• We believe that children are capable learners and should be given many opportunities to negotiate, collaborate and make choices so that they are active participants, intrinsically motivated and responsible for much of their own learning.
  
• We believe in an environment in which children are immersed in rich language in all its written, non-verbal and oral forms and in which they have numerous opportunities to build on early literacy and numeracy skills.
• We regard each child as a unique individual who brings with him or her diverse experiences and abilities.
• We believe in an environment in which the efforts and ideas of both individuals (children and adults), as well as the whole group are valued and respected.
• We believe in the importance of partnerships with families and in open communication between all stakeholders.

Curriculum

The Pre-Prep program is based on two important and closely related documents; the Early Years Learning Framework and the Queensland Kindergarten Guidelines. The Early Years Learning Framework embraces a shared national vision for all early childhood education and care settings. It has a specific emphasis on play-based learning and recognises the importance of communication and language, as well as social and emotional development. It refers to children as belonging to a group and the relationships that shape children’s lives, being, or the right to be a child and live in the here and now, and becoming, the rapid change that occurs in the early years as children learn and grow.

The Framework puts children’s learning at the core and comprises three interrelated elements: Principles, Practice and Learning Outcomes.

The Principles are creating:

• secure, respectful relationships;
• partnerships with families;
• high expectations and equity;
• respect for diversity;
• ongoing learning and reflective practice.

In the application of the Early Years Learning Framework, the Pre-Prep will follow holistic approaches, be responsive to children and their needs and interests, promote learning through play and cultural competence, as well as, set up learning environments which are responsive to reflection on and assess the children’s learning. 

Clayfield College is a recognised Queensland Kindergarten Program provider. The Queensland Kindergarten Guideline is closely intertwined with the Early Years Learning Framework and advocates similar learning outcomes for children specifically in the 3-6 years age group. The outcomes or learning areas for children’s development in the Guideline are:

• Identity
• Wellbeing
• Communicating
• Active Learning
• Connectedness

Co-Curriculum