Can you believe we are already in March!? I know I sound like my Great Aunt Ruth, but each year really does seem to fly by faster than the last!
At The Owl & The Pussycat Preschool the year has well and truly begun. We have already enjoyed an interactive incursion experience about our local rockpools from Diver Dave. At our Warriewood service, our preschoolers — The Owls — went on a walking excursion to the local playground. The newly renovated outdoor space at Warriewood is also complete and being fully utilised and enjoyed daily by all children and educators.
Staff across both services have been busy engaging in Professional Development; in person at the Inspire 2025 conference, and through online workshops and early childhood learning. Plus, our families have engaged in out of hours activities including Collaroy’s annual Dads and Kids Campout, Back on Track’s Set for Success seminar on school readiness and we are looking forward to our Mum’s Macrame evening coming up.
Part of developing a child’s whole sense of self is ensuring they and their families are engaged in a healthy, diverse and interactive community. Because it truly does take a village.
ACECQA’s National Education Leader, Rhonda Livingstone, explores this in her own blog series, summarising that “Community is essential to quality outcomes of children. A community provides an important relationship environment; promotes belonging, a sense of identity and learning; supports active participation in the world and continuity of learning; and connects children and families to supportive relationship and resource networks.”
At heart we are relational beings. At The Owl & The Pussycat Preschool we believe this and support every child to nurture and develop full and fruitful relationships, by actively promoting our own early childhood service’s varied and vibrant village network, and the strength of community it can bring.
The Owl & The Pussycat isn’t active in the community for self-promotion or to stay busy; but to promote a sense of belonging and identity within our own immediate community and by extension our broader community.
We don’t complete renovations just to make the centre look pretty; but to enhance each child’s relational learning environment opportunities and outcomes.
We don’t engage in Professional Development just to tick a box; but to enhance our village by leaning into and learning from others in our sector through demonstrating continuity of learning.
We don’t have incursions and excursions to fill time; but to encourage children through new, age-appropriate experiences and relationships to actively participate in the world.
We don’t have parents’ nights just for fun; but because as parents and carers around fun we create fellowship and valuable connections, building supportive relationships and resource networks.
It takes a village is still as true a phrase as ever. Recognising the rich and valuable contribution community engagement and village life can add to our children’s education is vital to developing these little human’s hearts and minds. Thanks for inviting us into your family’s village and being a part of our village.
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