Emanuel Woollahra is a unique early learning centre, with the charismatic Fiona Ozana (Director), leading her vibrant team to make the ordinary into the extraordinary on a daily basis and instil a sense of wonder in our world.

We offer a unique and innovative learning environment filled with many repurposed treasures collected from the side of the road that have been given a new life in our centre. These treasures reflect our commitment to recycling and re-using and inspire a culture of thinking, creativity and investigation as children explore the workings of an old telephone, typewriter, sewing machine, record player, television and really anything weird and wonderful from another era. Fiona Ozana is a collector of note, and on a regular basis arrives with her arms overflowing with her ‘finds’ from someone else’s trash!

We believe that every day brings a new opportunity for learning and joy, providing an enriching environment that invites discovery. Our holistic and responsive approach to teaching and learning recognises the connectedness of mind, body and spirit which is reflected in the way our children care for each other, respect and care for the environment and learn to help others. We are passionate about connecting our children with nature and believe that immersing ourselves in nature enhances children’s wellbeing. With this in mind, we have embedded our ‘Bush Kinder’ nature program, bringing nature into the hearts of our children, teaching them alongside nature to develop a love and respect of the natural world. Although we are based in the city, we bring the forest to our children in unique and creative ways, as well as heading out into the bush or forest environment once or twice a month. Our Bush Kinder program gives children the freedom to learn through nature on a regular basis, instilling a sense of adventure and experiencing the exhilaration of being immersed in a forest of towering trees, the discovery of a tiny bug, or the accomplishment of having created a cubby from fallen branches. Gathering around a campfire to roast potatoes or bake damper and tell our stories instils a sense of belonging and being, filling our hearts with warmth and a strong sense of community.

Social justice is a theme we endeavour to bring to our children throughout the year, following the ethos of the Emanuel synagogue, with whom we share premises, community and like-minded progressive, pluralist philosophy.  We encourage  our children to be aware of social justice and have a voice, be it in through our support of many charities, interfaith program with Muslim children of the same age or our engagement with our local aboriginal communities and beyond. We have formed ongoing relationships with  Aboriginal educators who regularly come in to engage with our children on multiple levels, either through our nature/bush program or for visits to enrich our learning of culture and respect for the land on which we play and learn.

We are all about community! We work in partnership with our families, building wider community connections at the same time. Our philosophy of ‘beyachad’ (together) embodies our belief that everyone is welcome, and everyone belongs – ‘we are all in this together’ at Emanuel Woollahra Preschool.