Decoding Early Education: Understanding Our Nursery's Educational Philosophy

The early years of a child’s life are about educating and inspiring them. It’s important in these early years to balance formal learning with a creative approach to education through play – establishing and building on the kinds of interests that inspire future passions.

Nurturing the next generation of can-do characters and young people is, for us, the main motivation behind our educational program. Whether it’s classroom learning, an outside activity, or something for a child to take home and share with their family, everything we do is grounded in learning and development – but in a way which excites children.

What this means, first and foremost, is that education is never used as a tool to stunt creativity at My Ohana. As part of our work to put individuality at the forefront of what we do, we recognise that everyone has different ideas and ways of doing things – and will adjust the nursery day to suit individual needs.

What’s more, through our child-led structure of working and the diverse selection of activities available for children to choose from, we encourage the development of other skills – notably negotiation, discussion, and understanding.

In short, every part of the nursery day at My Ohana has an element of education or development about it but is often exercised in the most creative and inspiring way possible. And yes, every day really is completely different from the last – but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Of course, early education is not just about intellectual learning and preparing children for school and a classroom setting.

Early education is just as focused on the development of social skills, interpersonal and communication skills, and the formation of a child’s own belief system and values. At nursery, we see all sorts of emotional reactions to different situations – it’s something we are used to and expect on an almost daily basis, with very little expectation regarding how children will react. Each child’s own experiences and the concept of nature vs. nurture play a huge role in how they address and respond to different situations.

To us, early education is as much about helping them to manage and channel those reactions as it is about teaching them the ins and outs of modern life, the world around us, and the do’s and don’ts of society.

All of this culminates in our main values, which span the following areas.

·        Family

·        Individuality

·        Creativity

·        High standards

And an upside down approach to team management and the development of our own extraordinary people – recognising that the people at the heart of our nurseries are both the children and the adults who work with them.

We achieve and focus on these goals by encouraging children to challenge their minds, their bodies, and their world view. We believe that the mind and body are intimately connected and rely on an understanding of diversity and individuality in order to thrive and find one’s own place in the world.

Nursery may be small, but for our children it’s their first step into a world away from home. And our goal is always to make that first step as well-supported, as inspiring, and as exciting as possible.

If you’re reading this and nodding along like a nodding dog, then we are fairly confident we’ll be a good fit.

But you don’t have to decide now! Why not give us a call to discuss our ethos and educational program further – or get in touch to find out more about places and availability. We’re here to help!