The Centre

Coffs Harbour Preschool was established in 1953 as a play group by a group of parents who wanted their children to have some socialisation and to learn new skills and activities. At the time of post war at-home mothers, this was a brave and innovative move.

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The first location was at a private home at the Jetty, then a move to what is now the Scout Hall in Harbour Drive. There were half-day sessions (morning and afternoon) and the parents, with one teacher, ran the centre. The parents and teacher also cleaned and fundraised.

When the Scout Hall site was needed, the Preschool moved to the building which now houses Caterpillar House. The current purpose built centre in Brodie Drive was opened in 1986 and was funded by a building grant and parent fundraising. We have always been, and remain, a not-for-profit, community based centre.

A new Management Committee is elected at the start of each Preschool year and together with staff, forms a team to provide the management, licensing and social structures of this Community Preschool and the quality care and education we pride ourselves on.

About Us

We believe childhood is like no other time in a person’s life. It is a time for exploring, creating, and discovering – for learning how to learn. It is a time for growth in skills, knowledge, and independence.  It is a time to learn about ourselves and others, and it is the start of our exploration into the wider world in which we live.  It is a time when fun, play and laughter are a requirement in a child’s life.

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Coffs Harbour Community Preschool prides itself on its committed and enthusiastic team of early childhood professionals and it is our aim to operate above the minimum staffing ratio wherever possible.

A daily rhythm is established in each class to provide a secure and predictable environment for the children which includes a balance of indoor and outdoor time, small and large group times, free choice times, art and craft, and relaxation.

As a community based not-for-profit preschool, we welcome and appreciate family and community involvement at all levels and we love taking the children  “out and about” into the local community to expand their experiences and explore different environments.

 

Educators & Staff

Donna

Nominated Supervisor/Education Manager

Jacqui

Administration Manager

Alana

Educator

Brooke

Educator

Kayla

Educator

Lana

Educator

Lorelle

Educator

Maria

Educator

Tamika

Educator

Nicole

Educator

Bianca

Educator

Annaliese

Trainee

Our Philosophy

We are committed to building strong, respectful relationships, recognising these are at the core of everything we do.

Our commitment to families is to keep their children safe and to work in partnership to ensure their child flourishes in our preschool environment.

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We are committed to nurturing children’s independence, fostering a lifelong passion for learning, and guiding them to become respectful, thoughtful, active citizens.

We are committed to supporting and embedding an inclusive environment that embraces community and cultural diversity.  We value all unique life journeys and recognise these as essential to building respect and understanding within our broader community.

Holistically, the relationships we build with one another guide us in working together toward a shared purpose: to nurture, educate, and empower children to thrive.

Our Program

The foundation of our curriculum is built on the relationships we form with the children, their families and the wider community. We have built a Community Preschool where children and families develop a sense of belonging, where their vision, beliefs and culture are respected and celebrated.

Our philosophy sets out what we desire to achieve with our classes and across all aspects of our preschool.

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Belonging Being Becoming, the Early Years Learning Framework, is a nationally recognised curriculum that also guides our planning and reflection of children’s learning. It guides us to see children as being in a moment, belonging to each other and becoming who we are now and into the future. The practices and principles support our planning and decision making within our preschool and the learning outcomes provide us with a foundation to reflect upon children’s learning.

We use the knowledge from different theorists, who over many years of research, have developed pedagogy on which we, as educators, base our understanding of children and their development.

We invite and welcome parent input. Please talk to the Early Childhood Educators about ways you can contribute to our program.

Statement on Commitment to Child Safety

Coffs Harbour Community Preschool is a child safe organisation, committed to advocating for the safety and wellbeing of the children we educate. We want children to be safe, happy and empowered to make decisions. We support and respect all children, as well as our staff, volunteers and families.

Coffs Harbour Community Preschool has a zero tolerance for child abuse and harm and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated seriously and acted upon. We have a legal and moral obligation to contact authorities when we are concerned about a child’s safety.

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Our organisation has robust human resource, recruitment and orientation practices and procedures for all staff and volunteers.

We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with additional needs.

We demonstrate our commitment through embedding the NSW Child Safe Standards in culture, policies, procedures, practice and training to support our leadership team, staff, families and volunteers to achieve these commitments.