Our Philosophy
​​At Arabanoo our philosophy revolves around creating a nurturing environment that encourages play, exploration, and a sense of community for children. We prioritize safety, creativity, and self-expression, aiming to make learning enjoyable. We foster improvement as it's critical to meet evolving needs.
Open communication between educators, children and families is encouraged, fostering a secure and inclusive atmosphere. Our main goal is supporting children's development by instilling lifelong skills like independence and cooperation while nurturing individuality and self-expression.
Arabanoo’s values promote respect, inclusivity whilst treating every child as an individual.
We support and recognise children’s voices, rights, and agency, whilst acknowledging the inspiration we draw from children, families, and staff.
A little bit about Arabanoo
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Established in 1994, Arabanoo Inc. is a licensed, not-for-profit childcare Centre for school-aged children. Our reliable and efficient service is overseen by a Parent Management Committee made up of parent volunteers whose children also attend the service. Membership is required for families using the service, and as members, you are welcome to attend monthly meetings and the Annual General Meeting.
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Arabanoo OOSH offers a welcoming and caring space for children before and after school, as well as during school holidays, at Balgowlah Heights Public School. The Centre is run by a Director (the Nominated Supervisor), Assistant Directors, and a dedicated team of educators who work hard to make sure every child feels safe and supported each day, whilst also being able to enjoy the fun and engaging activities planned each week by the Educational Leader and programming team!
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Arabanoo OOSH is located at Balgowlah Heights Primary School, primarily on the Western 'Senior' Campus, and also has a smaller Centre at the Eastern 'Junior' Campus. Throughout each morning and afternoon, we use the school's playground, covered learning areas, netball courts, and play equipment. Our Centre in licensed to accommodate up to 215 children, but this may vary depending on the availability of our educators.
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Our goal at Arabanoo is to create a safe and enjoyable environment where all children feel like they are part of a big family. Our program is based on the 'My Time Our Place', which is Australia's framework for School Aged Education and Care.
We offer a wide range of fun and engaging activities, such as various arts and crafts, cooking, sports, and active play. We also have a system in place for drop off and pick up for various extracurricular activities within the school grounds.
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You can view our weekly schedule and menu on OWNA, or on the parent notice board in our Junior and Senior Centers.