Fairholme College proudly stands on a place of learning thousands of years old. We pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians of this Land, the Giabal, Jarowair, and West Wakka Wakka peoples. We acknowledge their continuing connection to and care for the land, waterways, culture and community. Inspired by the love of God, we recognise that reconciliation is a whole-community commitment. May we always walk respectfully together.

At Fairholme Kindy our focus is to provide strong foundations for young children to build upon during their lifelong learning process. The fundamental focus for all our decision making is the safety and wellbeing of the children under our care and the formation of positive, meaningful and inclusive relationships and connections. We celebrate childhood as a valued part of life.

We believe:

• That all children have a right to play. We value this as an essential part of our program
• That the Kindy year is a crucial and important time in the child’s life that will lay strong foundations for academic, social, emotional and physical development
• Children are unique individuals with their own interests, learning styles, rate of development, life experiences and cultural heritage. They should be valued as active contributors to the program and practice
• Children require a safe, nurturing, stimulating environment where they are valued, respected and feel they belong - to their Kindy class, the Fairholme community and the wider community
• Children are active learners and communicators who learn and develop through creative free‐play, social interactions, planned experiences and spontaneous teachable moments
• Children learn through spontaneous experiences as well as through carefully designed intentional opportunities that broaden their understanding of the world and introduce then to existing learning possibilities
• Children and educators can take an active role in becoming environmentally aware and responsible, working towards a sustainable future
• Both the indoor and outdoor environments presented to children should engage the senses, stimulate curiosity, encourage active exploration and offer the opportunity to learn about the natural world
• Educators can assist children to develop resilience, wellbeing, confidence, flexibility, safe risk-taking and the ability to negotiate and share in order to foster a sense of respect for themselves and others
• Partnerships between family and Fairholme Kindy need to be encouraged, valued and respected. We acknowledge that they are essential for the optimal benefit of the children
• Collegial partnerships among staff are valued. We foster a collaborative approach where all staff are respected, valued as individuals and as a part of the team, sharing responsibilities in a fair manner
• Our curriculums - EYLF and QKLG - are embedded in the program and the NQS guides our decisions and practice
• It is essential to strive for continuous improvement through reflective practice based on observation, feedback, current research and professional development opportunities
• It is essential to support and mentor colleagues to ensure professional leadership and capacity
• Children need to learn about the importance of acknowledging, respecting and gaining an understanding about the diversity of their own and others’ families and the wider community, their histories, cultures, languages and traditions
• It is essential to work towards reconciliation, it is essential to develop an awareness of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures and their strong connection to place, language and community