Goodstart Early Learning Wangaratta - Murdoch Road

28/08/2026

📚✨ Celebrating Book Week! ✨📚

At Goodstart - Murdoch Road, literature is woven into our everyday experiences. Books, stories, songs and shared reading provide children with opportunities to develop language, communication, imagination and a love of learning, while also helping them explore new ideas, cultures, emotions and perspectives.

While literature is an important part of our program every day, Book Week gives us an extra special opportunity to celebrate the magic of books and the joy that stories can bring. 📖💛

It has been wonderful to see the excitement and enthusiasm throughout our service, particularly through the fantastic costumes worn by our children and educators! The children and staff have loved seeing everyone embrace the spirit of Book Week and sharing in the stories and characters that are special to them.

A huge thank you to our families for getting involved and helping make Book Week such a memorable experience for the children. Your participation strengthens the connection between home and our service and shows children that reading, stories and imagination are something we can all enjoy together. 🌟

Because every story shared is another opportunity to learn, imagine, connect and grow. ❤️📚

26/08/2026

Ever had one of those "What should I be doing with my child?" moments? You might already have the answer at home.

Earlier this year, every Goodstart family received a What & When for Families guide for each child. If it's been tucked away in a drawer since then, now might be the perfect time to pull it back out.

The guide is packed with simple, play-based activities that support your child's learning and development at home. Best of all, it's written in your child's voice, with ideas tailored to their age and developmental stage.

From singing songs with babies and playing peek-a-boo, to "I Spy" games, storytelling and treasure hunts with older children, the activities are designed to fit naturally into everyday moments you already share together.

We know learning doesn't only happen in the classroom. Those small moments at home can help build big communication, language and literacy skills.

Take another look through your What & When for Families guide to explore age-appropriate activities and learning ideas you can try together.

💛 Sometimes the best learning resource is the one you already have at home.

26/08/2026

🌿 Our Philosophy – Shaped by Our Community 🌿

Over recent months, we have been reflecting on what makes our service special and what we want our philosophy to represent moving forward. As part of this process, we have intentionally sought the voices of the people who know our service best — our children, families and educators.

Our children shared their thoughts through drawings, conversations and targeted questions, giving us valuable insight into what makes them feel happy, safe, heard and connected at our service. Our families contributed through our ongoing feedback opportunities, sharing what they value about our service and where we can continue to grow. Our educators have also reflected together on our current philosophy, practices and professional responsibilities.

These voices have helped us review, reflect and strengthen our philosophy so that it genuinely reflects who we are, what we value and the experiences we want for every child and family.

Our seven philosophy areas — The Child, The Family, The Environment, Child Protection, Inclusiveness, Our Voice and Professional Standards — remain at the heart of our philosophy, but the words and meaning behind them have evolved through this collaborative process.

Our new philosophy is more than a document on our wall. It is a reflection of our commitment to listening, responding, learning and continually improving. It will guide our everyday practice, inform our decision-making and provide a shared foundation for our ongoing quality improvement journey.

💛 Thank you to every child, family and educator who shared their voice. Your contributions have helped shape the future of our service, and we are incredibly proud that our philosophy belongs to our whole community.

25/08/2026

13/08/2026

JULY RECAP 2026
What a busy month, filled with so much learning, fun and activities for our staff and children.
Our 4 Year old Kindergarteners welcomed Gael and Finn from the Responsible Pet Program. The children were very excited to meet Finn and learn all about staying safe around dogs.
Through reading stories and sharing different scenarios, Gael helped the children to understand how dogs communicate through their body language. Together, they learnt how to recognise when a dog might be feeling happy, scared or uncomfortable, and discussed why it is important to respect a dog's feelings and personal space.
As a centre, we acknowledged ‘Pyjama Week’, raising money for The Pyjama Foundation to support children in foster care. By dressing in our pyjamas and taking part in a variety of age appropriate related activities, educators had the chance to have discussions with the children about different living and family situations, and how we can help children in need of a loving and safe home.
We also acknowledged NAIDOC Week across our service.
Here at Goodstart Wangaratta - Murdoch Road, we embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices daily, through welcome to country in the mornings, displays, conversations and environment set ups. However NAIDOC Week gives us an opportunity to really focus solely on these cultures, what they do, how they live, how they’re both different and the same as other cultures.
Our toddlers enjoyed learning about ‘boomerangs’ and the beautiful artworks that the Aboriginal Communities create, whilst having a go and making their own boomerang art piece.

12/08/2026

Strong relationships are the foundation for confident, curious learners 💛

Goodstart’s key educator approach ensures every child is known, supported and feels safe - through consistent, nurturing connections with educators and meaningful partnerships with families. These bonds help build wellbeing, resilience and a true sense of belonging from day one.

Discover how this approach supports your child’s learning journey: https://brnw.ch/2

29/07/2026

Did you know we invested $65.5M into our social purpose last year, a 14% increase on the year before? 👏 At Goodstart, we're proud of the impact we have on children, families and communities. As a not‑for‑profit, every dollar we earn is reinvested to improve outcomes – from high‑quality learning and educator development to extra support for children who need it most.
Because when we put children first, the impact goes further 💛

15/07/2026

The research is clear 📚 reading aloud is one of the most powerful things we can do for our children.

When we read with a child, we’re doing far more than sharing a story. We’re building the foundations for language, confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.

Decades of research shows that children who are read to regularly:

💛 Build stronger language skills
Hearing rich varied language in books exposes children to far more words than everyday conversation alone. This growing vocabulary helps them understand, communicate and make sense of the world.

💛 Develop early literacy skills long before they learn to read
Through stories, children learn how books work – that print carries meaning, that pages turn left to right, and that stories have a beginning, middle and end. These early understandings make learning to read feel familiar and exciting.

💛 Strengthen phonological awareness
Rhymes, rhythms and playful sounds help children hear the building blocks of language.

💛 Grow their comprehension and thinking skills
Talking together about a story, predicting what might happen, wondering how a character feels, and connecting events to real life helps children develop memory, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking.

💛 Experience connection, comfort and joy
Shared reading fosters calmness, closeness, and moments of joint attention. These warm interactions support a child's sense of security and belonging.

Most importantly, children who experience positive, engaging reading moments from a young age are more likely to develop a genuine love of books - something that matters even more than early literacy skills alone.

Reading is simple, joyful, and sets children up for success in school and life.

Here is a list of some of our favourites below 👇

13/07/2026

Our 4 Year Old kindergarten children enjoyed an exciting excursion to the Wangaratta Fire Station, where they had the opportunity to learn about the important role firefighters play in keeping our community safe, as well as meet 2 firefighters, Marcus and Luke. They both warmly welcomed the children and gave them a guided tour of the fire station.
It was explained what happens when an emergency call comes through and demonstrated how quickly firefighters put on their protective gear before responding. The children were amazed to see how fast the firefighters could get dressed and ready.
Our children learnt the purpose for the hoses, ladders, breathing apparatus, lights, and sirens, and eagerly asked questions, whilst also sharing their own ideas about firefighting along the way.
The Kindergarteners said that their favourite part of the visit was “when we got to use the real fire hose to spray water at the orange hats” (witches hats) as they pretended to put out a ‘fire’.
Before leaving, each child was presented with a fire safety activity book, comic book, stickers, and a firefighter hat as a special thank-you gift. The children were thrilled and continued talking about their favourite parts of the excursion on the journey back to the centre.

We would love to thank Marcus, Luke, and all involved with the Wangaratta Fire Station, for keeping our community safe in times of needs, and allowing us to come and visit today.
It is so important to show our children their community, who helps us in times of need, and give them an understanding of the importance of community participation.

03/07/2026

Yesterday, our 4 Year-Old Kindergarten children enjoyed a very exciting Reptile Incursion presented by Brandon from Wildlife Encounters.
Throughout the session, Brandon introduced the children to a variety of fascinating animals, including gliders, a baby crocodile, snakes, lizards, and a lorikeet. He shared interesting facts about each animal, including where they live, what they eat, and how they survive in their natural habitats. The children listened attentively, eagerly answered questions, and showed great curiosity as they learned about each animal.
The interactive experience allowed the children to closely observe the animals, with many confidently choosing to gently touch or hold some of them under guidance. There were lots of smiles, excitement, and thoughtful questions as the children explored the unique features of each reptile and native animal. The incursion provided a wonderful opportunity for hands-on learning, encouraging respect and appreciation for Australian wildlife while building confidence through new experiences.