Glen Education Bentleigh

Safe and Secure Environments 

How we create a culture where every child feels safe, supported, and confident and how our connections with the community help us strengthen that safety together?

As per the Glen Education Philosophy, Children develop confidence, resilience, and positive self-esteem through a supportive and secure environment. At Glen Bentleigh, we empower children, drawing on their thoughts and ideas to enhance the program.  We focus on creating a warm and welcoming environment where every child feels safe, supported and confident. Building strong relationships with children and families is at the heart of our program, helping children develop a sense of belonging within our learning program. 

During Term 1, we place a strong emphasis on building realtionships, to support children as they transition into kindergarten. In our multiage setting, where 3 and 4 years old children learn together, we recognise that each child is on their own unique developmental journey and may require different levels of support as they settle in. Daily routines and rituals– such as morning greetings, group times, choosing play experiences, and staggered/ shared mealtimes– help children feel secure and understand what to expect throughout the day.

These predictable routines support all children, especially 3 years old, to build confidence, while older 4 years old develop increasing independence and leadership skills linked to Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 (EYLF, 2022), Learning Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing- Children build confidence and resilience. 

The educational team encourages children to share their ideas, solve small problems together, and participate in decisions about their environment, such as helping set up learning spaces or choosing activities. Educators also support children to actively participate in learning experiences by guiding and modelling how to engage in play, helping them build confidence and develop new skills. These practices align with the Lev Vygotsky concept of “Zone of Proximal Development”, which emphasised the importance of social interaction and guided learning in children’s development. Through intentional teaching and collaborative play, children feel valued, respected, and capable as active participants in their learning. These experiences support children to feel valued, respected and capable as active participants in their learning.

Partnerships with families and the local community are also an important part of our program. Through these connections, children begin to understand that they are part of a wider community that cares for and support them, while learning about cooperation, safety and respect for others.

Glen Education approach is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 (EYLF, 2022) Learning Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity, through supportive relationships, predictable routines and meaningful experiences, children learn to engage with life's joys and challenges with increasing confidence and resilience.