Our aim is to engage children so they enjoy learning and are ready for their next stage of education. We strive to develop children who respect themselves and the diversity of others, as well as the natural environment.

Building confidence

We believe the early childhood years are an opportunity for children to build confidence, develop independence and feel empowerment in the world. So, we encourage children to persist and build resilience.

In fact, we put a priority on helping children to develop a level of confidence so they can adapt to new environments and make new friendships. The aim is to enable children to gain a sense of ‘settled comfort’ and continue on a path of lifelong learning.

Environmental learning

We encourage children to learn from the natural world.

Learning from nature

We subscribe to the idea that nature helps children co-construct knowledge of their world. So our playground has a garden with local plants and wildlife, as well as a native beehive.

We support and encourage messy play – play that incorporates risks and challenges. This helps physical as well as intellectual development. Our learning program also reflects the diversity of Indigenous cultures.

Celebrating cultures

At Summer Hill Children’s Centre we acknowledge Indigenous history and custodianship of the Gadigal and Wangal Peoples of the Eora nation. We embrace this rich perspective of Australian history. We also celebrate our local community, international heritages, the inclusion of Rainbow families [LGBTIQ+] and examining and challenging gendered norms.

Supporting families

We believe all children have a right to access quality education, regardless of their family circumstances. So, we offer support to families and strive to deliver an excellent learning program for every child.

We also seek input from our families about our program and learning environment. Indeed, bringing elements of home cultures instils children with a confidence and security, not to mention a feeling of community belonging.