EDU30008 Introduction to Educational Leadership and Management Suzie Khaira ( )

 Background  Serendipity is a 75 place, community based, long day care and education setting for children aged between birth and five years. The day to day running of the centre is the responsibility of all educators and is over seen by the centre director, a management committee, educational leader and a group of parent volunteers. They are responsible for ensuring that the centre meets all legislative and regulatory requirements and continues to maintain high quality standards.  Philosophy  At Serendipity we value the child as a competent and capable learner. We encourage children to make decisions about and have input into all aspects of their learning. We trust that children know their personal capabilities and with support, can make responsible decisions.  We surround the child with natural beauty and embrace the use of natural and improvised materials to provide rich sensory experiences and foster creative thinking skills. At Serendipity we aim to support a deep connection with the natural world through the learning environment and relationships with others. These connections we believe will underpin their future interactions with each other and their world and encourage more sustainable living practices.  We believe that positive and trusting relationships lie at the core of a quality educational setting. We value family as a child’s first and most influential teacher. We are guided by socio-cultural approaches to teaching and learning. Our pedagogical decisions and practices are constructed through rich discussions and collaboration with children families and the wider community. We value our diverse community and believe children are strong in culture. We recognise Australia’s First Peoples and are committed to Reconciliation.

 Continuous learning and teaching practices  All educators, support staff, supervisors and centre director are involved  Children acknowledge their surroundings and are capable of evaluating hazards  Accompanied by socio- cultural approaches  Values and opinions highly sought from families and the community  Accepts diversity and prepares outdoor learning environments for diverse cultures  Children have their own opinions and are involved in adjustments around the centre  Underpins links with the natural environment

 Policies and procedures are extremely important because they structure the foundation of quality teaching and practices. Policies and procedures support all early childhood educators and child care professionals to make reliable decisions about their daily practices (National Childcare Accreditation Council [NCAC] (2009). Policies are essential in ensuring effective organisation of the safety, wellbeing and care of a child within an early childhood educational setting. They assist educators of protocols and legal requirements of everyone involved in the educational sector. Policies most importantly help instruct and support families, communities, children, staff and management.

 Making sure that all educators are up to date with current legislations, regulations and ethical requirements  Requisitions from children's families or staff  Ensure the policies and procedures match the centres philosophy  Ensure that all staff are keeping up to date with current trends and technology  Expansion that involves a change in structure, therefore impacting current policies and procedures  Allows all staff to be involved in the course of evolving policies  (Cork County Childcare Committee Limited, 2013).

 Introduction  The physical environment can help to support children’s development and wellbeing. It can contribute to children’s learning and therefore should be carefully considered and planned. Children’s physical and cognitive wellbeing are supported by the outdoor environment. The environment is underpinned by the centre’s philosophy and encourages learning about the natural environment.  Goals  We will ensure the environment is safe, clean and well maintained. Children will be supervised at all times and strict guidelines will be enforced to support their health and safety.  Strategies  We will ensure that:  fencing and barriers which enclose outdoor areas of a height and design that prevents children of preschool age from going through, over or under them. The barriers will also be designed and maintained to minimise access for unauthorised people and animals.  there are enough resources for all children to use that are safe and hygienic.  there is adequate space in the outdoor environment  there is adequate shade to protect children from the sun.

 The Nominated Supervisor will:  ensure that any plants are selected to minimise risks to children. No poisonous or dangerous plants that children can climb will be included in the environment  provide suitable resources that are safe  develop guidelines for behaviour that will support children’s health and safety  ensure that climbing equipment is no higher than 1 meter.  The Educational Leader will:  promote the outdoor environments as a space for play and learning  aim to provide an environment that is safe and secure  consider diversity when planning the environment  design environments that reflect children’s different abilities  design environments where children can play together.  The Educators will:  encourage families and children to be adequately dressed for the weather before going outside  cover the sandpit when it is not in use  remind children to have their shoes on at all times  control the use of water for water play.

 On average, there are 1,500 hospital admissions and 2,200 emergency department visits in Victoria each year that occur from children falling from equipment. Children are usually injured when they are running around objects outside and trip over but most commonly fall from playground equipment such as the monkey bars, slides and climbing equipment (Kid Safe, 2015).  Ensuring that supervision and the safe use of playground equipment prevents children injuring themselves. Having maintenance workers come in often and check the playground equipment is another way of keeping the children’s safety and wellbeing risk free.

 Writing a new policy for an educational centre requires knowledge of legal and ethical requirements, acknowledging all cultures and especially supporting all aspects of families and children’s needs. A guide to the National Quality Standard (NQS) states that children and staff should all have rehearsals of emergency and evacuation procedures (ACECQA, 2013). When early childhood educational leaders and staff are preparing a new policy, they must acknowledge current ethical requirements for the twenty first century. This ensures that all staff, families and children’s needs and requirements are taken care of.

Revise and reflect on current policies and make changes:  Have a staff meeting to ensure everyone has an opinion and decision to create an effective policy. Ensuring that equity, involvement and diversity underpins the framework (ACECQA, 2013) Edit and make changes to the policy:  The management committee should make suggestions, as well as staff in accordance to the centre philosophy, ethical and legal requirements, and regulations. Put the policy into practice:  Have a staff meeting and ensure all staff have read the new policy and signed it

 Creating a policy is an intricate process, where management, directors, staff and other parties are all involved for suggestions  Having families and the community involved demonstrates positive partnerships, rich discussions and collaboration throughout pedagogical decisions and practices  Developing a new policy entails acknowledging all current policies, laws, legal and ethical requirements. Producing a successful policy includes enforcing the safety and wellbeing of children with the regulations that accompany it

 Recommendations:  Having the involvement of families and the community involved with their children’s learning provides rich and meaningful experiences by promoting children’s learning and development (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR], 2009).  Sufficient educator to child ratios are maintained at all times when children are playing outside (ACECQA, 2014).  Outdoor furniture and playground equipment are safe, clean and well maintained at all times

 Recommendations:  Add specific height restrictions to fencing, barriers and playground equipment to reduce the height of fall from equipment  Teach children how to play safe play outdoors and to take turns to reduce the risk of injury.  Ensuring that playground equipment and surfaces are not wet and slippery, especially after it has been raining.  Placing rubber or soft tanbark under each playground equipment for soft impact, just in case a child falls down. The National Quality Standard state this should be to a depth of 30cm.  Promote children’s learning and development through the natural environment. Children should be provided with opportunities to explore through play with safety measures.  (Kid Safe, 2015).

 Recommendations:  The National Quality Standard, (Quality Area 3) : states that the physical environment is safe, suitable and provides a rich and diverse range of experienced which promote children’s learning and development.  Children should be protected by the sun by planting appropriate shade trees and putting up shade sails  Children are dressed appropriately for learning experiences in cold weather, as they can lose body heat quickly  Children have access to shady play spaces, especially from September to the end of April in Victoria (when the UV levels are the strongest as they can start to damage the skin and eyes). Active outdoor play is encouraged when children are wearing cool thin clothing and a wide brimmed hat, protecting their eyes and ears  Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen (appropriate for children’s skin) to any areas of skin not covered by clothing.  Staff must ensure sunscreen is applied at all times and that hats are worn in the sun in the middle of the day.  (Kid Safe, 2015).

 Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2013). Guide to the National Standard. Retrieved from Kit/NQF03-Guide-to-NQS pdf  Cork County Childcare Committee Limited. (2013). Reviewing your existing policies. Retrieved from  Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2009). Early years learning framework. Retrieved from framework.pdf  Kidsafe. (2015). Playground Safety. Retrieved from  National Childcare Accreditation Council [NCAC]. (2009). Ask a Child Care Adviser: Policies and procedures in everyday practice Issue: 30. pp Retrieved from articles/ACCA_Policies%20and%20procedures_Jun09.pdf