Review of Serendipity Early Learning Centre Policies BY MARZIEH MIRZASALEHI EDUCATIONAL LEADER SERENDIPITY EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

Outline of the Presentation  Current policies and procedures of the centre  Issues in the current policies and procedures  Suggestions for changes in the current policies  Recommend procedural plan for implementation

Current Outdoor Environmental Policies  Outdoor environment  Connections with families  Environmental sustainability

Outdoor environment  SELC ensures safe, secure, clean and well maintained by fences and barriers  Its height and design prevents children going through, over or under it  National Law Section 167 and National Regulatory: Regulation 104 (ACECQA, 2013).

Connections with families  SELC believes on positive and trusting relationship  valued families as first and most influential teacher of child  Created Committee of Management (COM)

Environmental sustainability  SELC is committed to provide children a natural environment  SELC believes that the future interaction with each other and natural world will encourage a sustainable living practice.  “we surround children with natural beauty and embrace the use of natural and improvised material to provide rich sensory experience and foster creative thinking skills”

Strategies for Change  All strategies are aligned with  Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010  Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011  National Quality Standard, Quality Area 3: Physical Environment  − Standard 3.3: The service takes an active role in caring for its environment and contributes to a sustainable future − Element 3.3.1: Sustainable practices are embedded in service operations − Element 3.3.2: Children are supported to become environmentally responsible and show respect for the environment (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, 2013).

Strategies for Change (…..Continued)  Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics 2006  National quality Standards, Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnership with families and communities  Standard 6.1 Respectful, supportive relationship with families are developed and maintained.  -Element Families have opportunities to be involved in the service and contribute to service decisions.  -Element Current information about the service is available to families  Standard 6.3 The service collaborates with other organisations and service providers to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing  -Element Links with relevant community and support agencies are established and maintained.  -Element The service builds relationships and engages with their local community.

Environmental Policies  Purchase eco-friendly and chemical free materials and equipment for SELC (Standard 3.3)  Encourage children to bring rubbish free lunch or snacks in reusable containers  Set limits for water play and acknowledge that children need to use water in order to learn how to conserve it  Assign roles as water, waste and energy monitor, as children love to monitor their peer’s activities  Use improvised, recyclable and natural material for program activities  Plan and play recycling games to promote an understanding of recycle items  Ensure that fences and barriers have not potential footholds and enables children to observe local community’s activities  Grow diverse range of plants to develop children’s understanding of diversity in nature  Grow fruits and vegetables in SELC gardens  Grow those plants which encourage birds and butterflies and provide shade

For partnership with communities:  Plan collaboration sessions with all parents and wider communities to develop links with them (Quality Area 6, Element 6.3.1)  Inform families about policies and procedures of SELC for safe and sustainable environment through newsletters, broachers, noticeboard or s (Element 6.3.4)  Become involved in community’s activities (Element 6.3.4)  Invite community members to observe SELC learning programs (Element 6.3.4)

Procedural Plan:  Role of Committee of Management:  Responsibilities of Educational leader  Responsibilities of Educator  Responsibilities of Parents

Role of Committee of Management:  Cooperating with Educational leaders, educators, families and children to identify their concerns about learning and environmental sustainability strategies for implementation  Allocating resources and funds to implement the strategies  Ensuring that all strategies are implemented at the SELC  Ensuring all stakeholders are aware of changes made in SELC

Responsibilities of Educational leader  Cooperating with COM, educators, parents, wider community and children  Implementing identified strategies for change  ensuring environmental education and practices are merged into learning activities  providing families with information about environmentally sustainable practices e.g. through displays, s or brouchers, and by ensuring that they have access to SELC new policy  making recommendations to the COM about sustainable options for the SELC, that reflect the guidelines within this policy

Responsibilities of Educator  Cooperating with the COM, Educational Leader, Parents, children and wider community  implementing identified strategies for which they have responsibility at the service  engaging in recycling and eco-friendly activities that support the service to become more environmentally sustainable  incorporating environmental education and sustainable practices within the curriculum  planning opportunities for children to connect with nature and the natural world at the service,  integrating celebrations of environmental awareness into the learning program e.g. National Tree Day, National Recycling Week etc

Responsibilities of Parents  cooperating with the COM, Educational leaders, educators  Following all the strategies identified for action at SELC  Supporting their children to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.

Conclusion SELC promote sustainable living practices in the centre with the collaboration of children, educators families and wider community through positive partnership with them.

References  Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). (2014). National Quality Framework and The National Quality standard. Retreived from  Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). (2014). Policy development and review. Retrieved from olcouncilpolicy.aspx olcouncilpolicy.aspx  Department Of Education, Employment and Workplace, (2010). Educators Belonging, Being, Becoming Educators’ Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework For Australia. Retrieved from _the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf  Gibbs, L. (2008). Policy development in early childhood settings: From idea to evaluation. Pademelon Press, NSW.  Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M. Hadley, F. & Shephard, W. (2012). Practitioner profile - June Wangmann [digital photo]. Retrieved from

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