Goodstart Early Learning Pooraka

A big thank you to one of our wonderful families for sharing a beautiful batch of freshly baked bread with our team. As part of her TAFE studies, she prepared these delicious creations and kindly thought of us.

We truly appreciate the thoughtfulness, generosity and connections that make our community so special.

It's these little moments of kindness that remind us how lucky we are! 🥰

🔒 Lockdown Drill at Goodstart Pooraka 🔒

At Goodstart Pooraka, the safety and wellbeing of children, families, and educators is always our highest priority.

Today, our team participated in a lockdown drill as part of our regular emergency preparedness procedures. The scenario was based on a potential threat identified within our Emergency Event Risk Assessment and provided an opportunity for educators to practise responding quickly and effectively.

During the drill, visual communication lanyards were used to discreetly communicate the threat between team members. It was wonderful to see how confidently the children responded to educators' guidance, with our educators providing additional support to newer children to ensure they felt safe and secure throughout the process.

The team practised key emergency procedures, including communicating the alert, following lockdown protocols, and preparing to contact emergency services and follow their advice.

We were pleased to see everyone respond promptly and calmly, taking the scenario seriously without causing alarm or distress to the children.

Regular emergency drills help children and educators become familiar with safety procedures and support our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all. 💛

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Creating a safe sleep environment is one of the many ways we care for children each day. From following safe sleep practices and using approved cots, to completing visual checks every 5 minutes, our educators take every step to help children rest safely and comfortably.

We also work closely with families to understand each child's individual sleep routine, because feeling safe, settled and well-rested helps children learn, grow and thrive.

💜 Safe sleep is everyone's responsibility, and it's always a priority.

How do our Nursery educators support young children to develop self-help skills and independence as they prepare for their next journey into a bigger group?

This is what play-based learning can look like in our Nursery room. 💛

During a daily planned experience, educators naturally invite children to explore water while supporting their sensory needs and encouraging them to listen, observe and learn through meaningful interactions.

🧽 “This is how we wash our dish after lunch. Scrub, scrub, scrub!”
💦 “Rinse, rinse, rinse. Look at the clean dish!”
🧼 “Rub, rub, rub your hands. Palms, the tops of your hands and between your fingers. Now they’re clean!”

Through these simple everyday routines, children are developing self-help skills, confidence, coordination, language and independence—one little step at a time.

We believe these everyday moments help children build the skills and confidence they need for their next learning journey. 🌱

Whether your child is already attending early learning, getting ready to start, or you're still exploring your options, it's natural to have questions.

💭 Will my child feel safe and supported? 💭 How will they cope with new experiences and changes? 💭 What can I do to help them feel confident and settled?

Listen to Episode 1 of What I Wish I Knew... The Early Learning Guide podcast, with child development expert Dr Billy Garvey as he explains why transitions are such an important part of childhood and how strong, supportive relationships help children navigate change with confidence.

From starting early learning to moving rooms, making new friends or tackling other big milestones, transitions are a normal part of growing up. When children feel safe, supported and connected, they're more likely to embrace new experiences, build confidence and develop the resilience they need to thrive.

🎧 Tune in to hear Dr Billy's expert insights and explore more episodes of What I Wish I Knew... The Early Learning Guide podcast: https://brnw.ch/21x5zwi

💛 Because every child deserves to feel safe, supported and a true sense of belonging as they grow, learn and discover the world around them.

One of the things we're most passionate about in early childhood education is that we're always learning.

At Goodstart Pooraka, we don't just ask children to be curious and embrace new learning opportunities. We challenge ourselves to do the same. As a team, we are continuously building our knowledge, skills, and understanding so we can provide the best possible learning experiences and outcomes for children.

Over recent months, we've explored topics including Key Word Sign and Trauma-Informed Practice through Flying Start, Foundational Language Strategies with a Goodstart Speech Pathologist, the Architectural Role of Pedagogical Leadership, and Critical Reflection.

Each learning opportunity has encouraged us to pause and think deeply about our practice. It has reminded us that quality early learning is not just about what we do, but why we do it and how it impacts children.

As educators, we continue to ask ourselves:
💭 What do we do?
💭 Why do we do it?
💭 How does it support children and families?

These questions inspire meaningful conversations, challenge our thinking, and help us grow both individually and as a team.
We're proud of our commitment to learning, reflecting, and growing together, all in the pursuit of creating the best possible environment for every child to belong, learn, and thrive at Goodstart Pooraka. 💛

💛 Happy Educators' Day! 💛

Today, we celebrate our incredible team at Goodstart Pooraka and the important role they play in shaping the lives of children every day.

This year's Educators' Day theme, "The Future Starts With Us!", reminds us that every conversation, every learning experience, and every meaningful relationship helps build the foundation for children's futures.

We're especially grateful for the kind words and feedback shared by our families. Your comments remind us that the care, dedication, and passion our educators bring each day truly make a difference.

Thank you to our amazing team for inspiring curiosity, supporting growth, and helping children thrive. 🌱💛

The future starts with us, and we're proud to be part of every child's learning journey.

Goodstart Pooraka team invited our families to share their ideas about how we can build stronger connections with our wider community and create more meaningful experiences for our children. 🌱

We love hearing our families’ voices and using their ideas to shape our learning and community connections.

👀 Can you guess what our next community connection might be?

Stay tuned to find out! 💛