Our Vision
“For all children to be active participants in their learning journey”
Our Mission:
To ensure education, care, curriculum, practice and decision making at the Tatura Children’s Centre reflects the following fundamentals:
Reggio Emilia Approach- Inspirations, Practices and Principles, The National & Victorian Early Years Frameworks- Practices, Principles and Outcomes and Education and Care Services National Regulations and National Law
We implement an emergent curriculum and provide exceeding quality programs for children from birth through to six years of age. We acknowledge the important role the educators, family, children, environment and community play in our service. We are always striving to improve to ultimately facilitate a high standard of early childhood education and care for our community. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and we pay our respects to the elders, past, present and emerging by embedding Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander practices, policies and activities within TCC.
The below principles are used to guide our curriculums and practices:
Emergent curriculum & Documentation:
An emergent curriculum is one that builds upon the interests of children, guided by children’s voices, families, educators and community. Topics for learning experiences are captured from conversations with children, and through community, or family events. We view all children as competent, resourceful individuals who are encouraged to direct their own learning. Educators will assist children to make decisions about materials needed, guide them positively, and document their learning journey over time. Learning is a process that involves observations, reflections, collaboration, interpretation and analysis. Documentation is used as an assessment method, which includes learning stories (group and individual), work samples, observations of developmental milestones and photographs of constructions, interactions, friendships and connections. Documentation is used as an assessment of learning as well as advocacy for children’s right to learn through play.
Collaboration & Project work:
TCC believes children will receive the best possible start to their education journey when their families, educators and community establish and build positive partnerships and collaborations. TCC facilitates collaborative group work, both large and small, and considers this both valuable and necessary as children learn and develop new skills. Children are encouraged to talk, compare, negotiate, hypothesise and problem solve through group work. Within the Reggio Emilia approach, different ideas and perspectives toward the same investigation are all valued, and thus children are given access to a range of tools and media to express themselves. Our curriculum includes project work, which is an in-depth exploration of a topic that arises from the children’s ideas, skills and knowledge. Project work supports the children in developing and deepening their knowledge in regards to their current topics of interest and is further supported by educators who scaffold the children’s learning through research and intentional learning opportunities.
Teachers as Researchers:
The role of the teacher is to be a learner alongside the children. Within a teacher-researcher role, educators carefully listen, observe, and document children’s work and growth and provoke, co-construct and stimulate thinking and peer collaboration. Through continuous improvement, our educators are also committed to reflecting on their own teaching and learning strategies. Each learning environment has an Atelier, which is a common space where children can work on creative art projects involving clay, playdough, drawing materials or paints. TCC educators are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, where they believe these materials are another language for children to communicate with and construct many kinds of knowledge, even before they can use verbal language. It is through these discoveries the children’s learning is documented in many ways.
Partnerships with Families and Community:
TCC encourages strong partnerships and collaborations with our families as we view the family as being an essential resource to their child’s learning, as families are a child’s first teacher. Educators believe collaborative partnerships are a key foundation of children’s learning and development, and actively encourage families to participate in our daily curriculum, which creates learning opportunities for the children within our community. Educators are purposeful in establishing and maintaining strong relationships with our local community and educator’s advocate for connections and engagement within the community, as this builds authentic community values and creates mutual respect, giving everyone a sense of belonging. We believe engagement with our community allows children to demonstrate a sense of belonging within their environment, where they can build connections and celebrate community events.
Diversity and Inclusion:
TCC educators recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion for all children and their families within TCC. When children are supported to be included in their learning environments through acknowledgement and celebration of their culture, background, languages, learning styles and family structure, it meets their right to feel recognised and valued for their individual differences and provides them with a deeper sense of belonging. Therefore, it’s crucial educators facilitate an environment where children are valued, respected and able to fully participate in the learning program. Educators strive to reflect, value and respect each aspect of the children’s diversity and practice cultural awareness by celebrating and acknowledging the individuality of our families and by building and maintaining relationships with local schools and businesses that the children will visit during excursions.
Learning Environments and Sustainability:
Within the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment around us is considered the “third teacher”, as alongside families and educators, the physical environment holds the potential to influence what and how children learn. Educators carefully organise the spaces to provide inclusive and sustainable learning environments. Educators strive to instill and create a shared responsibility for the environment, with intentional and purposeful learning opportunities that support the children to develop a sense of agency. Educators provide the children with resources, materials and equipment that allow for multiple use and are sufficient in numbers, to enable every child to engage in play -based learning opportunities.
Relationships with Children:
TCC develops positive relationships with the children by responding sensitively and appropriately to their needs. Conversations and positive interactions encourage communication and our environments reflect the cultures of the children. We encourage and promote positive behaviours, social and language skills, and work in collaboration with children about their play experiences, routines and learning areas of interest.
Summary:
We believe at the Tatura Children’s Centre that children must have agency over their learning, be able to learn through experiences, be given the opportunity to learn and explore with other children and have endless opportunities to express themselves. The concept ‘children learn through play’ is accompanied within the 3 main fundamentals of our philosophy.
Reviewed: January 2026