Philosophy

We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge for thousands of years they have lived on and cared for the lands, skies and water ways. Miracles on Russell extends respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and continue to highlight their continued unbroken connection to Countries.

At Miracles on Russell we believe that early childhood education is a time to be celebrated and valued. It is the foundation for lifelong learning. We believe that the child’s sense of agency is something that should be carefully cultivated and nurtured to foster development that is well rounded. Miracles on Russell will provide a foundation that instils in each child a sense of self identity, dignity, and respect for all people.

Our curriculum, learning programs and overall ethos at the service are underpinned by solid, foundations, referring ultimately to the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child, the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards. We understand that children learn best through play and when the program reflects their interests and has meaning for them personally, we plan our program based on careful observations of each child’s knowledge, ideas, culture, abilities and interests with the knowledge that each child develops uniquely. We encourage children to engage with the natural environment, using this as an opportunity to respect sustainability and the value of connectedness with nature, in this way we invite the children to take pleasure in the present moment thereby heightening their sense of being.

Aligning closely, we refer to the Miracles on Russell Transition to School Program, also designed to reflect quality pedagogy, with an approach that is holistic and cultivates the child’s sense of agency overall. While the two are not exclusively independent of one another, they compliment each other synergistically. The Miracles on Russell Transition to School Program is embedded into the daily program and practice, featuring prominently, daily, tailoring specific learning opportunities for students preparing to embark on their journey to primary school. Fundamental skills are addressed and accommodated, with provisions made to set each student up for respective learning success accordingly.

We recognise that collaborative partnerships with families provide us with invaluable information and that it is authentic and relevant and potentially pertains to unique circumstances, namely relative to culture and heritage. Educators make it a priority to cultivate relationships with families striving for cooperation and a mutual respect for the reciprocal roles of each in the lives of the child. We facilitate powerful collaboration that respects confidentiality, respect, privacy and the wishes of family.

We further support children’s sense of belonging by actively engaging with their local community, with the understanding that the development of respectful and responsive connections with children’s immediate and wider community, will further enrich the educational program for all children.

Our educators are our most precious resource facilitating and joining children’s journeys whilst celebrating their uniqueness, each staff member brings individual, professional and personal qualities to Miracles on Russell, which combine to enrich the children’s sense of belonging, being and becoming. We value collaborative decision making by our educators and highly encourage professional development. Each of our educators abide strictly by a specialised code of ethics, code of conduct, child safe code of conduct ensuring duty of care is always honoured.

Miracles on Russell is a service that honours, celebrates and values inclusivity, in its multidisciplinary sense, making powerful provisions for each of our students and their families. The service works consistently in partnerships with an array of allied health professionals towards mutually constructed, respective goals for the children and their families.

We believe that early childhood is a celebration of learning and an honour of diversity that when valued and nurtured appropriately, fosters individuals that can positively contribute to their community and the greater society.