Welcome to Explore & Develop Penrith.
Join our waitlist Enquiry
Welcome to Explore & Develop Penrith.
Join our waitlist EnquiryExplore & Develop Penrith is conveniently located in the Penrith CBD. We are a short walk from Penrith Station and Westfield Shoppingtown.
Explore & Develop Penrith foster an emergent curriculum. Generally speaking, this means that when educators program and plan for children they are using children’s interests to do this. Explore & Develop Penrith have a play-based learning style which allows children to explore, wonder and be curious in their environment. This supports children to problem solve, think rationally, use skills of trial and error, and much more. The benefits of play can be seen as a positive approach to learning that accommodates for educator involvement. This is important as we believe that educator involvement is crucial to support each individual child in their learning. Through play and interest’s, children learn to be independent in their learning however recognise when they need assistance. This, in turn, allows for educators to foster and scaffold children’s learning.
Another component of our curriculum which is very important to us is creating time for our families. We feel by doing this we are helping them feel comfortable and welcome which also allows for a connection to the child’s home which fundamentally links the child’s beliefs, culture and facilitates communication.
Owned and operated by local Early Childhood professionals, we have a strong commitment to the provision of quality care and education. We work alongside our team on a daily basis. We value and recognise the importance of professionalism, and ensure that all educators have exceptional skills and experience for their position. We are passionate and invest in professional development offering only the best practice in the Early Childhood sector.
Here at Explore & Develop Penrith, our educational curriculum is guided by Australia’s National Curriculum: the Early Years Learning Framework (ELYF). We use the outcomes, principles and practices outlined in the EYLF to extend and enrich children’s learning from birth through to transitioning to school.
We actively seek ways to engage our local community, as our curriculum includes teaching and connecting the children to the world in which they live. This helps to invoke a sense of curiosity and fuels children’s inquiring minds. We passionately support local community events – Relay for Life, 65 Roses Day and NAIDOC Cup, just to name a few.
We believe the inclusion of indigenous perspectives and culture has many benefits for all children. Explore & Develop, as a group, have a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and working party. As an extension of this our service has developed our own RAP.
All of our indoor and outdoor environments have been thoughtfully designed to create environments that are nurturing and stimulating. This incorporates appropriate levels of challenge and risk that engages a child’s natural curiosity, builds on their independent exploration.
In 2018, we were rated as a service that exceeds the National Quality Standard.
Diane Pelle has owned and operated Explore & Develop Penrith for over 10 years. Along with her skilled and experienced team, Diane has created a holistic learning environment for children and a professional culture within the community.
Building trusting, respectful and collaborative relationships with children, families, educators and staff are of paramount importance to Diane and she believes they are fundamental in achieving quality outcomes for children and to having a successful business.
In 2019 Rachael Sydir was welcomed as a partner into the Explore & Develop Penrith business. Rachael had been employed with Explore & Develop for over 10 years and is an integral and key employee, and is currently the service’s Approved Provider.
Rachael has had extensive experience in the early childhood sector for over 20 years and has a Master of Early Childhood Education.
In 2022, Rachael played a key part of Explore & Develop Penrith being named Outstanding Organisation at the 2022 HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards. This was for the leadership and innovation to support the mental health and wellbeing of young children through the ‘Key Resilience, Mental Health and Trauma’ program.
And, in 2016, Rachael Sydir was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Award in the HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards for strengthening children’s understanding of Aboriginal culture and practices by facilitating the creation of and applying a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to the Services’ curriculum. Watch the video to understand her story.
0 – 2 years
Our Bilby room encapsulates the feeling of a nurturing home–like environment. Our environment has soft textured furnishings creating a relaxing feel. We value your child’s home routine and your child’s individual sleep and feeding routine are followed. As active and inquisitive learners our Bilby children are discovering their language, independence, social and emotional skills. As educators we are here to support them to do this while they engage in their busy day here at Explore and Develop.
2 – 3 years
Our Koala room delivers the toddlers their own spaces to explore, discover, create and imagine through play-based learning. The environment and programs are vibrant, flexible and responsive to the interests and abilities of each child. Experiences will include puzzles, literacy and numeracy activities, construction activities, creative arts, music (cognitive development). Experiences will include puzzles and manipulation, literacy and numeracy activities, construction activities, creative arts, music and movement. Children are also learning to communicate with others, use their developing and newly found language skills to assist with their social and emotional development. Another skill they will learn in our Koala room is their fine motor and gross motor skill development, this comes throughout our carefully designed indoor and outdoor environments.
3 – 5 years
The Wombat room caters for children aged 3-6 years. This class is set up in small/shared spaces that encourage the children to engage in a range of learning. There is purposeful learning centres that allow the children to explore and extend their learning in relation to their own strengths, interests and capabilities. The learning areas that are provided allow growth in the key learning areas of Literacy, Mathematics, Creative Arts, Science and Technology. The outdoor area will be an extension of this learning and will also be the main focus for our physical development. Our social development and learning about human society and our environment will be embedded in our everyday practices.
The key emphasis of the curriculum is play-based learning. Therefore, school readiness is embedded throughout children’s play. Children will be encouraged to learn through play by using their interests and strengths to provide developmentally appropriate experiences. During this age, the children are developing capabilities to become more involved in structured experiences and this will develop and be supported more throughout the year- in preparation for primary school.
Our outdoor play space is designed with an emphasis on natural and sustainable areas with specific multi-use and specific play purposes. Our aim is to provide an outdoor play space that invites open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and a connection with nature. Spaces have been created where children can have a relaxing and peaceful experience whether it be individually or together as a group experience.
65 Union Rd
Penrith NSW 2750
Phone: 1300 008800
penrith@exploreanddevelop.com.au
rachael.sydir@exploreanddevelop.com.au
6:30am -6:30pm
Monday – Friday
