Heathdene Preschool

26/08/2026

Bravo to Jannali East Public School for taking the advice of the eSafety Commissioner seriously and putting the online safety of children at the forefront.

We love seeing Primary schools taking a proactive approach to safeguarding children in an increasingly digital world.

Protecting children’s privacy and digital footprint is everyone’s responsibility, and initiatives like this are an important step in keeping children safe online.

Well done, Jannali East Public School, for leading the way and setting such a positive example for the wider community 👏🏼

Going Faceless: A New Chapter for Our School’s Social Media

You might notice something a little different on our school social media pages over the coming weeks, and we wanted you to hear the why straight from us.

Our school is leading the way. We’re trialling a new approach to social media for the rest of the year, taking a proactive stand on protecting our students’ online safety. We’ll keep sharing what our students are learning and achieving, the wins, the projects, the everyday moments that make our school community special. But we will not be posting identifiable photos of children’s faces on our public social media pages.

Why the change? This follows new guidance from the e-Safety Commissioner about how AI tools are being used to misuse photos taken from school social media pages. We want our school to be known as a school that takes online safety seriously, not just for our students, but as an example for the whole community.

We’ll share event memories directly with families through our newsletter via our secure Schoolbytes portal. We ask that these photos aren’t used on personal social media platforms. Families who have selected ‘not for publish’ will still not appear in these photos. To update your permission, please contact the office.

A note of honesty: this is a trial, and like any new approach, we may not get it perfectly right every time as staff adjust. We appreciate your patience as we find our feet.

Thank you for backing us as we take this step. Watch this space, we think our faceless posts are going to be just as fun to follow. 💙

Jane Shepherd and the staff at Jannali East Public School

23/08/2026

📚 IT’S BOOK WEEK! ✨ Our Heathdene educators have stepped out of the classroom and into the pages of some much loved children’s stories! 📖

Can you guess which character they are and what story they’re from? 👀

20/08/2026

National Science Week at Heathdene! 🧪👩🏼‍🔬

The theme for National Science Week this year is “The Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All” 🌱

The children have been busy cultivating their love of science through hands on experiments, investigations and exciting discoveries. Our educators created a range of engaging experiences that encouraged children to be curious, make predictions, experiment, observe what happened and ask questions.

Introducing children to science from an early age is so valuable. These early experiences plant the seeds of curiosity, critical thinking and a love of learning…skills and dispositions that can continue to grow throughout their educational journey and beyond.

This is the EYLF in action. Through play based learning and intentional teaching, children are developing as confident and involved learners, building their capacity to investigate, problem solve, persist, think critically and make meaning of the world around them.

Most importantly, we’re nurturing curious minds and children who feel confident to ask the wonderful question at the heart of every scientific discovery…

“I wonder what will happen if…?” 🌱💡🔬🌎

30/07/2026

What started as a collection of recycled boxes, paper and loose parts has become something truly extraordinary!

The children worked together to transform everyday materials into a vibrant collaborative artwork, gluing, taping, painting, experimenting, sharing ideas and celebrating each other’s creativity along the way.

As the children moved around the giant collage, they explored colour, texture and different painting techniques while negotiating space, taking turns and building on one another’s ideas. Large group experiences like this foster communication, problem solving, confidence, creativity and a genuine sense of belonging.

By reimagining materials that may have otherwise ended up in landfill, the children also discovered that sustainability can be creative, meaningful and fun.

At Heathdene, we believe the most beautiful masterpieces aren’t measured by the finished product, but by the conversations, collaboration and joyful learning that happen throughout the creative process 🧡

We can’t wait to see where this ever evolving masterpiece takes us next!

21/07/2026

As we begin Term 3, the children have returned with great excitement and curiosity about the construction work taking place at Cooper Street Park, just across the road from our preschool!

During outdoor play, the children noticed the diggers, dump trucks and construction workers working together to build another section of new playground. Standing tall on the obstacle course provided the perfect viewing spot as they eagerly watched the progress. The children observed with curiosity, discussing what they could see, asking questions and sharing their ideas.

“They are building new things at the park.”
“I can see a digger.”
“And a dump truck!”
“Dump trucks and an excavator.”
“They are building a flying fox.”
“I saw the dump truck when I went to the park with Poppy.”
“I can see it too.”
“Me too.”
“Hi, digger man!” the children called out together.
“Look, he sees us… he’s waving!”

This spontaneous moment encouraged observation, communication, vocabulary development and an understanding of how people work together to improve community spaces. It has also sparked meaningful conversations about construction, teamwork and the exciting changes happening within our local community.

As the children continue to observe the changes at Cooper Street Park, we will extend this learning through further investigations and conversations. The children may explore topics such as the roles of different community workers, the tools and machinery used in construction, how plans become reality, and how community spaces are designed to support children and families. We look forward to following their questions, ideas and discoveries as this project continues.

We can’t wait to continue following the park’s progress and hope to visit on a walking excursion once the new section of playground is complete. It will be an exciting opportunity for the children to explore a community space they have watched being built from the very beginning.

16/06/2026

🔒 Protecting children’s digital footprint starts early. At Heathdene, child safety extends beyond our physical environment and into the digital world.

You may notice that many of the photos we share focus on children's learning, discoveries, creativity and connections, rather than clearly identifiable images. This is part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening child safe practices and protecting children's privacy.

The photos included in this post are examples that our educators have taken in the past few weeks, demonstrating how we can continue to share children's learning, creativity and discoveries while thoughtfully protecting their privacy and digital footprints.

You may notice:

📸 Learning captured from a child's perspective
📸 Hands engaged in exploration and creativity
📸 Moments of collaboration and discovery
📸 Images where children are not easily identifiable
📸 Group learning experiences shared in a conscious way

In today's digital age, children begin building a digital footprint long before they are old enough to understand what that means. Once an image is shared online, it can be difficult to control where it goes or how it may be used in the future.

By taking a more thoughtful and international approach to photography and documentation, we aim to:

✅ Protect children's privacy and identity
✅ Respect children's right to dignity and privacy
✅ Reduce the risk of images being shared beyond their intended audience
✅ Promote safe and responsible digital practices
✅ Strengthen our commitment to child-safe standards

We believe meaningful learning stories don't require a child's face to tell the story. Sometimes a pair of busy hands, a moment of collaboration, or a child's perspective captures the learning just as powerfully.

Importantly, this approach does not change the quality of the learning stories we share. Our focus remains on documenting children's experiences, achievements, relationships and growth while putting their safety first.

As educators, families and communities, we all play a role in helping children grow up safe, respected and protected, both in person and online.

To further support understanding around this important topic, we encourage our community to watch the powerful awareness video Pause Before You Post, which highlights the importance of considering a child's digital footprint before sharing their image online.

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/4QL1FmBaof8?feature=shared
(Please note that some viewers may find the themes confronting. We share this resource as part of our ongoing commitment to promoting awareness, encouraging thoughtful conversations, and working together to keep children safe both within our service and in the digital world).

07/05/2026

💐 To all of our beautiful mums, grandmothers, carers and special people who nurture and care for the children in our community, Happy Mother’s Day!

As Mother’s Day approaches, we celebrate the love, patience, strength and care you give so generously every single day. From the early mornings and packed lunches to the cuddles, encouragement, listening ears and endless support, the impact you have on your children’s lives is immeasurable.

We know Mother’s Day can hold many different emotions for different families. We also hold space for those missing someone special, those longing to be mothers, and those for whom this day may feel difficult.

Thank you for trusting us to be part of your children’s journey. We hope Mother’s Day brings moments of love, appreciation and connection with the people who matter most.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
Proverbs 31:25

With love from all of us at Heathdene Preschool 🧡