The 2026 school year has commenced with great joy in our Early Learning Centre. At the beginning of each year, we are very intentional about where we place our focus, ensuring that what we prioritise genuinely supports every child in our care to thrive.
As we welcome new girls and those returning, we deliberately slow down. We take time to notice, to observe, to listen to the children and to watch them play. We ensure that familiar friendships are gently re-established and that new connections are given the time and space they need to grow. This period of settling is not a pause in learning. It is the foundation of it.
There is play and there is intentional play. At Wilderness, play is carefully designed, deeply observed and thoughtfully interpreted by our educators. Our team works collaboratively to document what we see, hear and notice about each child. We gather to reflect on this shared documentation, considering not only what the girls are doing, but who they are becoming within our setting. Through this collective reflection, learning is made visible and meaningful.
Once learning is visible, we are able to plan thoughtfully for what comes next. Individual planning cycles support each child’s continued growth, while group planning responds to shared interests and emerging ideas. This work is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework and interpreted through our school’s values and pedagogical approach, ensuring learning is purposeful, responsive and deeply relational.
We also dedicate significant time to establishing routines and rhythms. There is great learning in routines themselves, but there is even greater learning in knowing what to expect and what comes next. Through this predictability, the girls develop a strong sense of security and belonging. From here, they are ready to engage fully in the rich opportunities offered throughout their day.
Already, the girls have delighted in specialist lessons including PE, Yoga, Music and Library, and have cherished time spent connecting with their Year 6 buddies. We have also loved hearing the girls share their All About Me posters, building confidence as they speak in front of their peers and developing the equally important skill of listening to one another.
Each day has been filled with joy, play, purposeful routines and meaningful learning experiences. The learning environments, so thoughtfully prepared by our teachers over the holidays, have already begun to evolve as the girls’ interests shape and transform the spaces around them.
It has been a wonderful beginning, and we look forward to the year ahead as we continue to slow down, notice deeply and plan with intention, ensuring every child is known, valued and supported to flourish.
