Welcome to Explore & Develop Artarmon
Waitlist Here Join the TeamAt Explore & Develop Artarmon, it is our vision to create a high-quality Early Childhood environment which strives to continually grow and evolve and impacts the lives of children, families, educators and the wider community, in many ways. Our service’s philosophy supports this, drawing on the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, and the Australian National Law and Regulations. With these, and our professional ethics and Reconciliation Action Plan, we aim to create an environment which promotes diversity, inclusion and social equity.
Supported by strong relationships created at the service, our objective is to provide a play-based curriculum for children that encourages thinking, investigating, exploring and problem solving, using a variety of mediums. Our curriculum is guided by the National Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) as well as many other Early Childhood teaching theories and curriculum perspectives.
In relation to school-readiness and transition to school, Explore & Develop Artarmon has a strong commitment to provide an environment which focuses on developing skills that will not only benefit children when they go to school, but also throughout life. We begin this process right from the babies room, and focus on developing skills and dispositions such as perseverance, conflict resolution, empathy, curiosity, creativity and self-expression. It is our aim to develop diverse strategies and approaches to learning to ensure children transition to school feeling confident and capable about their ability to take on learning challenges.
Explore & Develop Artarmon is owned and operated by two Early Childhood teachers who work closely to inspire and lead educators in providing a high-quality curriculum, and a secure and stimulating environment for children and families.
Our service was one of the first in Australia to be assessed under the National Quality Framework as “Exceeding the National Quality Standard” across all seven quality areas. We maintain this “Exceeding” rating through reflection on our daily practice and continual improvement planning.
Developing consistent and trusting relationships between children, families and educators is our main focus, which assists in fostering a strong sense of community and provides a solid foundation for developing the children’s learning environment. As educators move their class through the service each year, we are able to support and maintain these close relationships.
Our team exceeds the national standards for qualifications and ratios and we strongly value the extension of professional learning and long term retention of excellent educators. Our educators represent a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, languages and experiences.
Our service’s philosophy supports a broad and inclusive play-based curriculum which focuses on supporting children’s dispositions for learning as well as investigating their ideas, perceptions and concepts within the world around them.
Our outdoor space is richly resourced with open-ended and natural materials where children are encouraged to experience all of the elements and broad learning opportunities that the outdoors provide. We regularly venture outside of the service on bush walks, and to engage with the local community.
Alison is extremely passionate about the early years of children’s s lives, and invests a lot of time ensuring the educators she employs are like-minded and share the same teaching philosophies. Alison’s commitment to professional development sees her attending regular early childhood conferences and seminars.
Laura is a director at Explore & Develop Artarmon, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Masters of Teaching. With many years of experience, Laura has seen the benefits for all children in having the opportunity to engage in high-quality Early Childhood Education. She believes that teaching and learning is a reciprocal process between children, families and educators, and that together we can support learning and development through shared partnerships. Laura has particular interests in curriculum support, Indigenous perspectives, infant and toddler pedagogies, leadership, and mentoring.
0 – 2 years
In our Babies room we care for up to 16 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 2.5 years. With five full-time educators led by a university qualified early childhood teacher we provide a 1/3 adult-to-child ratio. In this room, we take a primary caregiving approach focused on following individual routines, respecting children’s rights and providing safe and secure attachments. With a flexible environment layout we encourage the children to move freely between the indoor and outdoor environments engaging in multiple play-based experiences.
Our Toddlers room provides care for up to 20 children aged between 18 months and 3.5 years. Early childhood educators focus on developing a curriculum which fosters a hands-on learning approach, supporting children’s sensory awareness and developing independence. There is also a strong focus on encouraging the foundations of early social relationships through language and positive communication, negotiation, empathy and self-expression.
In our Junior Preschool Room, we continue to build on the foundations that will ensure a lifelong love of learning for all children. In this room we cater for 20 children, aged 3 years to 4.5 years. The curriculum in this room begins to follow a deeper project-based approach. With a focus on questioning, investigating and problem solving, the children are supported in their developing self-help and skills of independence.
Our Senior Preschool Room is a space shared by 20 children per day aged between 3.5 years and 6 years. Our senior curriculum which has an emphasis on deepening projects to focus on equity, inclusion, fairness and social justice as well as fostering social and emotional skills such as curiosity, resourcefulness, independent thinking, problem solving, initiative and perseverance. Within a literacy- and numeracy-rich environment, children are encouraged to take on responsibility within the room.
11-13 Campbell Street
Artarmon
2064
Monday – Friday
7.30am – 6.00pm
