Katoomba Leura Preschool
An Exceeding Community Preschool
Katoomba Leura Preschool
Our Children
I am capable. I have ideas. My voice matters.
I am curious about the world around me. I wonder, I explore, I imagine, I investigate and I create. I ask questions, develop theories, solve problems and discover things in my own way and in my own time.
I learn through relationships. I need to feel safe, loved, listened to and understood. The relationships I build with my educators, my friends, my family and the natural world help me to feel that I belong.
I am an active learner and a citizen with rights. I can make choices, share my ideas, influence my environment and contribute to my community.
I learn through play, connection, nature and meaningful experiences. I need time and space to follow my interests, become absorbed in my play and make sense of the world around me.
Trust me. Listen to me. Wonder with me. Walk alongside me.
At Katoomba Leura Preschool, we nurture children’s sense of belonging, agency, curiosity and wonder, recognising each child as a capable learner, a creative thinker and a valued member of our community.
Our Community - we belong here
We belong to a community of children, families, educators and friends.
We learn and play on Dharug and Gundungurra Country - noticing the changing seasons, listening to the bush, caring for the places around us and learning that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.
Our community grows through relationships - through familiar faces, shared stories, helping hands, muddy shoes, cups of tea and time spent together.
Our families are woven into the life of our preschool. Our Management Committee is made up of parents and carers who generously share their ideas, time and care to help shape and nurture our community.
Our community reaches beyond our gates too. Local businesses, schools and community organisations are part of our story, supporting us, sharing their knowledge and helping children discover the many people and places that make our community special.
We build connections with local schools, creating gentle pathways between preschool and the next chapter of children's learning.
Like threads woven together, each connection adds strength, colour and warmth to our community.
We belong to each other
We belong to this place
And together we help it grow.
Our People who nurture, play and learn alongside us
Our teachers and educators are the people who are here with us, every day.
They care for us, listen to us and make us feel safe, known and important.
They know us. They know what makes us laugh, what we love to do and when we might need a cuddle, a helping hand or a quiet moment.
They laugh with us, play with us and sometimes get a little bit silly too.
They join our games, follow our ideas and make room for lots of fun, laugh
ter and joy.
They notice the things we notice — a tiny snail trail, a new flower, a worm wriggling in the soil, or the patterns raindrops make as they plop into puddles.
They listen to our ideas and wonder with us.
They celebrate our discoveries, our creations, our brave tries and the little things that make us who we are.
They help us when something feels tricky, but they don’t always give us the answer. They ask questions, wait, listen and give us time to work things out for ourselves.
Our teachers help us paint, sew, weave, build cubbies, climb, dance, sing, tell stories, splash in puddles and cook around the fire.
They help us care for each other, our preschool, our gardens and the animals and living things we share our world with.
Sometimes they get down low so they can see the world from where we are.
They notice when we need encouragement, when we need a little more time and when we are ready to try something new.
They celebrate our ideas, listen to our voices and care about the things that matter to us.
And they are learning too.
Our teachers don’t just teach us. They care for us, laugh with us, play with us, celebrate with us, learn with us, wonder with us and grow alongside us.
Our team is made up of people who genuinely love being alongside children. Our Director brings more than 30 years of experience at Katoomba Leura Preschool, alongside our Pedagogical Leader, Early Childhood Teachers and qualified educators, who share a deep knowledge of and passion for early childhood.
Together, we bring a wealth of experience, care and curiosity to our work. We take the time to really know each child — their interests, ideas, personalities and unique ways of seeing the world. We value the relationships we build with children and families and feel privileged to share in these important early years.
Our Nests are supported by 4–5 educators for groups of up to 20 children, providing above-ratio staffing and allowing us to respond to the individual needs, interests and dynamics of each group. This creates greater opportunities for meaningful relationships, close support and deeper engagement throughout the day.
Our philosophy and values are grounded in relationships, belonging, connection and respect
The image of the child
We value and honour children’s play and playful inquiry as both a process and context for learning and human expression. Through play, children are able to express their emotions, curiosity, wonder, questions and theories about the world around them.
We trust in children’s abilities to make decisions, assess risks and exercise their agency. We value the rights of each and every child and commit to advocating for these rights. Children are seen as capable and valued members of the community with both rights and responsibilities as active citizens. We encourage children to notice and speak out about unfairness and act to change it.
We acknowledge the Darug and Gundungurra people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we play and learn, and believe in children’s right to learn about the histories, cultures and worldviews of Australia’s First Nations peoples.
Relationships
We believe that respectful and collaborative relationships are the cornerstone of belonging for children, families and educators. Belonging is essential for children to experience feelings of safety, security and self-confidence, and we acknowledge and celebrate the crucial role of family in children’s lives. We are committed to providing a child safe environment where the safety, wellbeing and best interests of children are paramount, and to supporting each child’s sense of belonging through their relationships with others, in both human and ‘more-than-human’ worlds. We believe that respectful relationships require a commitment to equity and social justice and strive to ensure that all members of our preschool community feel seen, heard and appreciated.
We believe in the importance of an ‘unhurried environment’ as a context for learning and relationship building. Long, sustained periods of play support children to collaborate, negotiate, develop confidence and engage in meaningful dialogue with others. Routines and rituals at preschool are designed to facilitate connection and belonging between all children.
Inquiry and collaboration
Children learn best when they are supported to problem solve, make connections, and build upon theories through holistic, integrated and hands-on experiences. We trust in the children’s ability to think deeply and collaboratively about ‘big questions’ and express themselves through the hundred languages. We value creative practices such as mark making, music, movement, sculpture, construction and dramatic play as a vehicle for children’s expression.
Teachers and educators are co-researchers alongside children. We believe our role is to make visible children’s voices through active listening, questioning, dialogue and documentation. We join our attention to the children’s, and walk alongside them in the inquiry process.
Teachers and educators engage in ongoing inquiry and critical reflection as a foundation for organisational growth, professional learning and consistent high-quality practices at preschool.
Places and spaces
We believe that the environment acts as a ‘third teacher,’ playing a crucial role in supporting children’s play and learning. We value the importance of beauty in children’s lives, and therefore believe that spaces should be uplifting, inviting, engaging and reflective of the preschool community. Learning spaces are intentionally organised to allow children to experiment with open-ended, creative and flexible materials.
Our outdoor environment includes plants, trees, rocks, sand, mud and water and supports children’s risk taking, exploration and connection with nature. Children are supported to learn with Country, developing meaningful and reciprocal relationships with the land through daily sustainable practices and ongoing Bush Preschool experiences.
