Explore & Develop Dee Why service caters for children from six weeks to six years. We are conveniently located at the top of Dee Why Grand, providing ease of access for families. We pride ourselves on providing a welcoming home-like environment, where children and families feel they belong and are a part of the community.
Our curriculum is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework and is underpinned by the values and beliefs reflective of our philosophy. Our ideologies are informed through theoretical perspectives, philosophies about children, and knowledge of how they learn. We provide experiences that expose children to various concepts and ideas of the world around them, drawing on their interests, knowledge and ideas.
Our program is both innovative and engaging, incorporating loose-parts play, encouraging inventive and imaginative play, literacy through immersion and promoting further enquiry. Educators are intentional in their teaching practices, and encourage a democratic learning environment, inviting children and families to contribute to the curriculum program. We view children as capable and confident, and acknowledge the importance of environment as the third teacher, paying homage to Reggio Emilia philosophies. Environments are created to promote and engage children in various ways, whilst also ensuring cultural and contextual relevance.
At Explore & Develop Dee Why, we are committed to the highest professional teaching standards, have a commitment to continuous professional development and maintain a fun, positive and collaborative team culture where every educator’s individual skills, knowledge and expertise is highly valued and respected. Our qualified team of educators are experienced, motivated, passionate and professional.
Under the National Quality Framework, Explore & Develop Dee Why was delighted to receive an ‘Exceeding Rating‘ in all seven Quality Areas of the National Quality Standard, acknowledging our continuous commitment to the highest possible standards of education and care.
A purpose built service with large learning spaces and an abundance of open-ended and natural materials for children to engage with and explore.
A spacious light filled Piazza is our central hub connecting our learning environments creating inspiring spaces.
A recently upgraded beautiful outdoor rooftop garden featuring natural elements such as logs, digging patch, rocks and sandpits, promotes competence, independence, exploration and a variety of sensory experiences. The outdoor space is divided into two sections to ensure it is reflective of the needs and interests of our infant, toddler and preschool children.
Engaging curriculum program incorporating loose parts play, fostering innovation, enquiry and a love of learning. Language classes, excursions and sports programs are included in the program.
Explore & Develop Dee Why has been owned and operated by Scott and Jenny since May 2014. Scott and Jenny have four children of their own (Lachlan, Zachary, Harrison & Charlotte) and Zachary, Harrison & Charlotte have all attended the service.
Scott and Jenny believe that the early years are a crucial period where children develop the foundations of their social, emotional, physical and intellectual well-being for life. They believe that and by providing a high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care service, they are able to give each child the best start in life.
Scott and Jenny enjoy seeing the children learn through play and imagination, whilst exploring their environments. They believe in a strong relationship between the home and the service, and actively encourage and promote family involvement. Children benefit the most when the child’s family and the service work together in partnership, as this is central to ensuring continuity and progressions in children’s learning and development.
Scott and Jenny love the outdoors, and believe that a strong connection to our natural environment allows children to better understand the world around them. They aim to nurture a child’s sense of curiosity and wonder and help foster a sense of respect, confidence, and belonging in the natural environment.
The indoor learning environment for this age group is a stimulating environment with room for children to explore at their own pace. Providing a welcoming and nurturing space, where a secure attachment exists between educators, children, and families.
Age-appropriate resources placed meaningfully at children’s reach to suit their stage of development and pique their interest.
Calming areas, inviting children to rest and create their own pace to the day along with key areas aimed to foster independence.
The space provides a secure foundation for exploration and learning through routine and primary carer groups.
The indoor learning environment is a welcoming space designed to promote a feeling of home, providing children with a sense of well-being and belonging to the service. Spaces within the room reflect children’s interests and are responsive to their abilities, catering for different learning capacities.
Educators are inspired by Simon Nicholson’s loose parts theory providing a variety of natural and open-ended materials for children to interact with, fostering the development of children’s imagination and creativity.
Our two preschool learning environments are bright and welcoming, arranged to invite and encourage varied forms of play and learning and provoke further enquiry. We encourage literacy through immersion with innovative and interesting forms of literacy and numeracy experiences embedded within the curriculum. Each environment homes an atelier amongst a variety of learning areas, construction, loose parts play, writing centres and home corner. Large windows enhance the aesthetics of the rooms, allowing plenty of natural light and enriching the vastness of space and natural elements.
Our outdoor learning environment is divided into our 0 -2 years and 2 – 5 years age groups, to assist and enhance children’s varied needs, interests and challenges. It is purpose built, and filled with an array of natural, recycled and sustainable materials complementing the space beautifully. It is designed in a way that encourages, supports and challenges children to explore, investigate, problem solve, imagine, create, discover, risk-take and build an interest in nature. Our environment inspires educators to explore with children, to listen to their ideas, and promote deeper thinking and enquiry. It allows fluidity to and from the piazza, enabling children to make decisions on where and how they wish to play. Our piazza has been created with influences of Loris Malaguzzi’s Reggio Emilia approach (environment as the third teacher). It also references Simon Nicholson’s belief that “it is the ‘loose parts’ in our environment that empower our creativity”.
Level 4 Dee Why Grand
834 Pittwater Road
Dee Why NSW 2099
Monday to Friday
7.30am – 6pm
