The ‘Children First’ approach to curriculum
The curriculum at Children First has been designed to put children first, highlighting teaching practices with evident links to research, policy, procedures and legislation.
The teaching practice within Children First is supported by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and My Time Our Place (MTOP). Our passionate educators deliver quality educational and care practice and programs that incorporate play-based learning and innovative curriculum to ensure that all children are active and capable learners.
The practices embedded in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and My Time Our Place (MTOP) guide all educators, irrespective of their qualifications, to implement experiential learning and intentional teaching strategies to support children’s developmental learning.
Through research and training, educators understand and embrace children’s and families’ cultural background to ensure that each child gains a sense of identity and belonging within our environments. Educators have a strong belief that families are the child’s first and foremost educator and we attempt to incorporate all families using a collaborative approaches such as visual and verbal communication.
Children First has developed policies in accordance with regulations and legisation such as inclusion of children with additional needs, child environments, interactions with children, parental involvement and toys and equipment these support, guide and reinforce the foundation of quality education and care environments.
Our curriculum illustrated through our five teaching practices
The Children First approach to curriculum is a unique approach based on our long-standing commitment to community with centre specific initiatives that bespoke to our cluster of services and families.
Our not-for-profit organisation is responsive to parent and families where we provide opportunities for all levels of involvement in the care and education of their children.
Our educators are recruited based on their cultural sensitivity; value-added qualities and their diverse levels of education and backgrounds. We value and encourage each of our educators to be autonomous in their teaching and we acknowledge that our educators bring a variety of skills, knowledge and life history to the environments that they belong to. We support our Aboriginal communities with a vast array of services that wrap to provide a holistic approach to education.
We are fortunate enough to develop fluid budgets that enable all educators to upskill via training that is specific to the sector and through the professional relationships developed with peak industry bodies, organisation and companies.