Meet Karen and Raquel - Service Managers Sparrow Early Learning Worongary

Karen
I have been an Early Childhood Teacher in Schools and in Long Day Care for 35 years and have always been passionate about helping children reach their full potential. At Sparrow Early Learning Worongary, we believe that children are encouraged to explore and experiment when provided with a stimulating, warm and caring environment filled with wonder and excitement. Their active involvement, combined with the support of our experienced Educators, builds strong relationships, and leads to the development of age-appropriate skills, knowledge, and a feeling of self-worth. I am fulfilled when I watch the children having fun and enjoying their learning.

I am passionate about school readiness and believe a child needs to be surrounded by a supportive team to assist in this transition. My burning ambition is that every child in our care will become independent, confident and have the skills and emotional resilience necessary to successfully continue their educational journey.

I feel privileged to partner and work with the families in our Worongary community and to support their children’s development.

Raquel
Raquel brings over four years of experience in early childhood education to Sparrow Early Learning, supported by a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care and a Bachelor of Business. With a strong background as an Educational Leader, she combines practical knowledge with thoughtful leadership to support both educators and families.

In her role as Service Manager, Raquel is passionate about helping teams and families achieve their goals. She values collaboration, clear communication, and creating environments where everyone feels supported, included, and confident to grow.

Raquel is particularly driven by building inclusive early learning spaces that reflect the needs of children, families, and educators. She takes pride in fostering strong connections within the service and the wider community, and deeply values the experience, care, and dedication her team brings each day.

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“The Sparrow Way combines proven international early learning methods to create a unique and purposefully contemporary practice designed for today’s society. Guided by the principles of Reggio Emilia childcare and underpinned by The Early Years Framework for Australia, we embrace children’s inherent abilities to learn and develop, creating an environment for them to find solutions through exploration, discovery and invention, marveling in everything around them. The Sparrow Way is our method of working with children based on these beliefs and principles.” 

- The Sparrow Early Education Team

The Sparrow curriculum is thoughtfully planned by our educators and shaped by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Being guided by the EYLF and National Quality Standards (NQS) ensures we offer high quality learning programs that are responsive to children’s ideas, interests, strengths and abilities.

Programs are play-based, child-driven and inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach with a strong emphasis on nature and outdoor learning experiences.  Educators carefully design environments that stimulate curiosity and provide opportunities for hands-on learning experiences that are reflective of real life.

Play is viewed as a powerful tool for children to explore, discover and make meaning of the world around them. Activities are largely open-ended, providing a wide variety of natural resources and materials which stimulate imagination and foster creativity, problem-solving and meaningful interactions with friends and educators. 

Children are encouraged to express themselves through various mediums, such as art, music and dramatic play, allowing them to develop a deep sense of autonomy, confidence and joy in their learning journey.

The Sparrow team values the role of families as children’s most important teachers and our educators foster positive and collaborative relationships with families. Parents are encouraged to contribute their ideas for programming, learning activities and the overall operation of the service. 

Our inclusive open-door policy welcomes parents to visit our service, engage in discussions with educators and participate in children's learning. Our educators maintain open and continuous communication with families, ensuring a strong connection between the children's home learning environment and their educational experiences at the centre. During pick-up and drop-off times, educators are readily available to engage with families and gladly share insights into the children's progress, well-being and participation. 

The use of the Storypark communication app provides daily updates, photos, and videos, fostering regular connections between educators and families. Parents also receive frequent communication through emails, newsletters, displays, notices, information evenings, special events, and Facebook.

• Planned and delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers
• Government Accredited
• School Readiness focus
• Transition to School program including school visits & transition reports

Sparrow Early Learning centres provide high quality kindergarten/preschool programs led by qualified Early Childhood Teachers. While the curriculum remains play-based, these programs follow a more structured approach to teaching and learning experiences to prepare children for transitioning into a primary school environment. There is a careful balance maintained between child-led and teacher-led learning activities.

Our Early Childhood Teachers cater to the individual needs of each child and in collaboration with parents, ensure that children are adequately equipped with the skills and experience required for a smooth transition to “big school”. Ongoing assessment of children’s progress and development is carefully documented and communicated with families and transition statements can be shared with future schools to facilitate a smooth transition to school. 

Attending kindergarten/preschool at their familiar Sparrow Early Learning centre makes the transition from the long day care setting less intimidating and children can continue their early learning journey in a safe and familiar environment, surrounded by friends and familiar educators. It also means families can enjoy the flexibility of extended care hours and continued care during school holiday periods. All meals and snacks are provided, adding to the convenience for busy families.