School readiness is embedded in all aspects of our Frogs (Pre-school) classroom, with outdoor learning viewed as having just as many learning opportunities as our indoor learning environment. We implement a range of different experiences and routine practices to ensure children are supported in an encouraging environment to grow both socially and academically before they transition to primary school. Such elements include:

• Morning roll call to practice respect and secure attachments, while introducing a range of learning opportunities such as syllables, letter sounds and mathematics

• Meal times which allow us to focus on self-help skills and healthy eating habits

• Formal groups, used to link children’s interests or current investigations. Reading, literacy, music, movement and other forms of technologies are used, as well as opportunities for children to share their ideas and experiences with their peers and educators

• Table rotations, used to focus on timed activities and encourage the children to follow instructions and use time management skills. Activities are constantly changing, guided by both children-led interests, as well as foundational learning requirements. Throughout these activities, we are encouraging children to sit at the table for the prescribed time, to mimic what they will be doing at big school, preparing them for their upcoming school journey. While at these activities, they will be exploring topics such as fine motor skills, number and letter recognition, following instructions and rules, sharing, teamwork, delegation and time management skills

Towards the end of each year, we also give children the opportunity to engage in experiences they will encounter at school, including lunch box days, lunch order days and news sharing.

Our Curriculum

Our curriculum reflects the five learning outcomes as described in the Early Years Learning Framework. We recognise children learn through play and provide children with a variety of choice to follow their own interests and abilities. Each experience provided has many learning aspects and educators are able to scaffold this learning and take every opportunity to intentionally teach concepts through play.   Our writing centre and creative expression forms a part of our intentional teaching as we reflect on and explore what we have been learning about in formal group.

Whenever possible, children are provided with experiences to extend their learning from our formal group discussions within our indoor and outdoor learning environment. Some examples include strengthening fine motor skills through puzzles and constructions that represent our learning. This will also encourage the children to engage in imaginative play as they explore what we have learnt. Educators are engaged with the children as they explore, supporting them to problem solving, encouraging children to make predictions and ensuring they are being respectful to themselves, each other and their environment. Educators will use every opportunity to intentionally teach mathematical, scientific and language concepts through play. We also recognise that at times children learn best by allowing them to follow their own ideas and take safe risks.