Why we exist

Chisholm Early Education was started by 2 families with a simple but uncompromising belief: that children in the growing Sophia Waters community deserved a high quality early education, childcare and preschool service.

Our centre was created with intention: to bring a deep commitment to thoughtful pedagogy and relational practice. We didn't want to build just another long day care centre. We wanted to build somewhere that draws on real strengths and values: respect for children, courageous and reflective leadership, high quality environments and meaningful partnerships with families.

We believe early education shapes not only children, but communities. Chisholm Early Education exists to contribute positively to both.

About us

We believe early education is about far more than getting children ready for school.

We hold a strong, confident image of every child. Not as an empty vessel to be filled with predetermined knowledge, but as someone who arrives rich in ideas, questions and theories about the world. Our job is to notice what each child brings and create an environment that stretches, challenges and celebrates them.

We take childhood seriously

Learning that goes deeper than activities

Most childcare centres plan a weekly schedule of activities. We take a different approach.

We believe play is a powerful vehicle for thinking, learning and meaning-making. Our studios and outdoor spaces are designed for open-ended exploration and uninterrupted inquiry, so children can explore freely, take considered risks, and build real confidence in their bodies and minds.

We value the ongoing journey of learning, and document this journey to better understand how children think, question, and build ideas over time. This approach helps us notice the depth of children’s thinking and makes clear how educators respond, plan, and extend learning in meaningful ways.

We treat children as researchers, and educators as careful observers of play. Our educators are present as co-thinkers and co-explorers, walking alongside children rather than directing them. Children are trusted to make choices about what they engage with and for how long, honouring their interests, rhythms and agency.

This approach is guided by the Rose Way Planning Framework and Australia's Early Years Learning Framework.

Inquiry-based approach

  • Children are natural researchers: they explore, question and test their ideas about the world. We create space for curiosity to lead learning, giving children time to wonder, investigate and revisit their ideas.

  • We see the whole child, not just their learning outcomes. Emotional security, physical health, a strong sense of identity: these aren't separate from education, they're the conditions that make it possible.

  • We respect each child's voice, feelings, and capabilities. We respect our families as children's first teachers. We respect our educators as reflective professionals. We respect all Traditional Custodians of our country. And we respect the natural environment upon which our centre sits.

  • Relationships are at the heart of our work. Children learn best when they feel safe, known and valued. Secure attachments with educators provide the foundation for confidence, independence and risk-taking.

What we value

Keeping you meaningfully connected

We use OWNA (a secure family communications platform) to share learning updates, photos, weekly threads and progress summaries. It's simple to use and keeps everything in one place.

But we also believe in real conversation, not just notifications. Our educators connect with families face-to-face at drop-off and pick-up every day.

Daily

Face-to-face updates

Educator updates at drop-off and pick-up.

Weekly

Ways of Sharing + Play Concepts

A “Ways of Sharing” document reflecting on how the week's research unfolded, children’s ideas and engagement, along with Emerging Play Concepts looking ahead at the next fortnight, with an open invitation for your ideas and feedback.

Bi-annual

Summative assessment

A personal, strengths-based portrait of who your child is as a learner, linked to the Early Years Learning Framework outcomes and posted through OWNA.

Anytime

Just ask

Phone calls and meetings with your child's educator are always available. Just let us know when you want to chat.

Always-on

Goal setting

Families are invited to share their insights and goals with educators who use this in an Emerging Image of the Child document. This is used to meaningfully inform and shape goal setting, decision-making, strategies, and educator approaches.

Why you won't see your child's face on our platform

We are careful and reflective of how children are represented and captured in photographs. Once a photo is published online, we lose control of how it's used. So we don't share identifiable images of children's faces through OWNA or any digital channel.

What you will see are photos that tell a better story: hands deep in clay, a child absorbed in building, a group mid-discovery (a better reflection of how children are learning and developing).

Reconciliation and care for country

We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in respectful and authentic ways. Our practice reflects a deep respect for Country, culture and the rights of all children.