Welcome to Early Childhood Education at North Cottesloe Primary School.

We know just how important these years are for our students and their development. At our school, we provide a positive, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all children. Our education programs allow students to reach their full potential, in all developmental domains. We have a team of enthusiastic and skilled Early Childhood Educators who place great importance on developing a lifelong love and appreciation of learning.

At North Cottesloe Primary School, our Early Childhood students learn through a balance of hands-on learning and explicit instruction, due to the nature of how children or novices, learn new information.

Human knowledge can be grouped into two main types: biologically primary and biologically secondary. Biologically primary knowledge refers to the abilities humans have developed naturally over many generations. These skills emerge without formal teaching because they are vital for survival and everyday life. Examples include learning to speak and understand one’s first language, recognising faces, interacting socially, or solving everyday problems. Because these skills develop almost automatically, they place little demand on our mental resources and do not need explicit instruction.

Biologically secondary knowledge, however, is quite different. This type of learning requires direct teaching and sustained effort. Most school subjects fall into this category, such as reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history. Unlike speaking or listening, which we pick up naturally, these skills do not come automatically and require deliberate practise. As a result, learning them places a greater load on working memory.

When developing and implementing teaching programs, our educators are guided by the following beliefs and attitudes:

• Early learning influences a child’s future education journey.
• Well-being, optimism, resilience and engagement enables students to develop a growth mindset and positive attitude to learning.
• If motivated, given appropriate learning opportunities and necessary support, all children are capable of success and achievement.
• Dedicated literacy and numeracy blocks, with whole-school programs, to promote low variance within cohorts.

Our Early Childhood Educators promote the active engagement of all children. Classrooms use common full participation tactics, with pace and rigour, to encourage purposeful, active engagement from all students. This practice extends to our senior school, which provides consistency for all children as they transition through the year levels.