Our professional educators are committed to forming strong and meaningful bonds and interactions with each child and family at Campbell Cottage.

We are a team of leaders and learners who are passionate about early childhood education. Our strengths are our diverse backgrounds, knowledge, cultures and life experiences.

We acknowledge our role in children’s lives as positive role models and educators who can support and promote children’s learning.

Director: Donna

Donna has worked in ECEC for 14 years and has been with the YWCA Canberra since Jan 2023 and at Campbell Cottage from Feb 2024. She has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and care.

She has worked in early childhood education and care (ECEC) across Queensland, Singapore, South Australia, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. She is passionate about providing respectful, empathetic, and high-quality care for children. Relationships are at the heart of what we do and building relationships with children, families, community, and peers is top priority for her.

She thinks it is important for an ECEC to allow children to be children, with the freedom to engage in active play and learning. Children benefit from playing outdoors whatever the weather. For her there is no bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.  

Our separate but interconnecting outdoor gardens/play spaces offer many shaded areas for children to learn, play and explore. We have beautiful, large established trees in our yards, along with vegetable and herb gardens to help children learn about nature and sustainability.

We practice all-weather play, with children going outside whether there is sunshine or rain.

Our indoor learning spaces offer an organic, natural and warm feeling. Each child’s personality is reflected within the learning environment, and we work to foster a strong connection to the broader community.

We have four rooms:

• Nursery one caters to children age six weeks to 12 months.
• Nursery two caters to children age 12 to 24 months. We work with the children to help them transition to Nursery two when they are ready for change.
• Toddler and preschool rooms for children age two to five years. These both back on to a large outdoor area that promotes physical and emotional development. This space is set up based on the children’s interests and includes focus areas like active play, nature play, sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders learning.

The educational setup of our service provides opportunities for children to engage in structured mixed-aged learning experiences.

Mixed-age learning and play has significant benefits for children. It allows siblings to interact and gives children opportunities to play and learn from those outside their age group. Older children develop supporting and nurturing behaviours, while the younger ones learn social skills and language, and develop further confidence.

Our progressive routines allow the children to have more choice and flexibility, creating happy and calm environments to learn, grow and thrive.

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