St Stephen's Preschool is a very special place in a thriving, diverse community. We acknowledge that our Preschool sits on the land of the Darug and Guringai people, the traditional owners of the land, and that the Preschool was established many years ago, by the members of the St Stephen's Church.
Our Preschool has a long history that we are proud of. All children deserve a champion and the rights of the child are clearly identified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) and the declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. At St Stephen's it is our belief that it is our role and responsibility to champion the rights of all children above all else and that underpins all that we do.
Our Preschool has a long history that we are proud of. All children deserve a champion and the rights of the child are clearly identified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) and the declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. At St Stephen's it is our belief that it is our role and responsibility to champion the rights of all children above all else and that underpins all that we do.
Services
We believe that our staff are our greatest asset. We are proud that our staff are very experienced and that we have a higher staff : child ratio than required and a higher number of qualified staff than required by the National Regulations and Quality Standards. Natalie Stewart - Admin support B.Teach EC, Grad Dip Christian Studies, Proficient Teacher.
The Annual General Meeting is held each year in March. Our Board membership consists of members nominated from Parish Council and members of the association voted at the AGM. Preschools such as ours are unable to function without a Board of Management. All members volunteer their time and it is greatly appreciated.
As Early Childhood professionals we are passionate about providing a programme that challenges, inspires and meets the interests and developmental needs of the children, whilst at the same time meeting the expectations of families, the community, the regulatory and quality standards required. Our programme is both child centered and teacher directed but at the core it is a programme that is based on play.
PLAY is universal and something we have all done when we were younger. All our play experiences would be different based on where we lived, our culture, families, position in family etc. However, if we close our eyes and cast our minds back to our childhood and playing what memories come to mind?
Building a cubby under the table or in the bush (backyard), kicking a ball around, laying on the grass with the dog staring at the sky, l ong periods of play with friends or periods of solitary play, lost in our own thoughts, uninterrupted by adults only to come and find an adult when we were hungry or thirsty.The learning that took place back then was crucial to helping shape who we are today.
Building a cubby under the table or in the bush (backyard), kicking a ball around, laying on the grass with the dog staring at the sky, l ong periods of play with friends or periods of solitary play, lost in our own thoughts, uninterrupted by adults only to come and find an adult when we were hungry or thirsty.The learning that took place back then was crucial to helping shape who we are today.
At St Stephens preschool we are committed to ensuring that all children have access to a preschool programme that reflects the diversity of family types, life-styles, background, experiences and cultures within both our local and wider community. Inclusion benefits everyone - it supports positive early childhood development, helps build stronger families, relationships and communities.
