Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten
Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten
Welcome to Flagstaff Hill Kindy, South Australia. Our preschool was established in 1975 as a Department for Education site. It is situated in a quiet suburban street backing onto the beautiful Sturt Gorge. It is also within walking distance to our main feeder site, Flagstaff Hill Primary School.
At Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten, we believe that children are creative, competent and capable and therefore we empower children to make choices about their learning. Our learning environments spark interest and curiosity, supporting children to develop life-long learning dispositions, such as problem solving, risk taking, persistence and confidence. We facilitate group learning and believe children learn through play and relationships.
Our Bush Kindy program runs through Term 2 and 3 each year, offering nature education to children in our back garden and the adjoining Sturt Gorge. We believe this program fosters collaborative learning, motor skill development, respect for the environment, and resilience.
Our Philosophy
Play
We recognise play as a biological necessity throughout childhood. Play supports children's identity, wellbeing and development, while nurturing dispositions for lifelong learning. Educators at Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten are intentional in providing spaces, materials, time and permission for children to play. We honour children's agency to ensure their engagement is meaningful, inclusive and intrinsically motivating.
Relationships
Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten is a welcoming and inclusive environment which values each child's connection with family, community, culture and place. A strengths-based approach celebrates and builds upon children's skills, knowledge and dispositions. Educators scaffold the development of children's social and emotional capabilities by being attuned and responsive to their thoughts, feelings and experiences. We 'lift up' communication to support children to learn with and from their peers. Children's relationships to nature and place is explored through our Bush Kindy program and engagement with local Aboriginal peoples. As a community, we collectively develop our knowledge of Kaurna history, culture and language.
Nature and Sustainability
We create opportunities for children to explore and interact with the natural envrionmnet. Through our Bush Kindy program, children develop a sense of place through active learning in the elements. We believe nature play nurtures children's sensory systems, while strengthening their physical development, dispositions for learning, and care for Country. Our site is committed to the continued improvement of sustainability practices. We engage with Green Adelaide, enact a Sustainability Action Plan and access professional learning to support this focus.