Upholding the integrity of childhood
Joey’s Pouch Early Education Centre is dedicated to ‘upholding the integrity of childhood’ by connecting with children and their families to create a nurturing and enriching environment where every child thrives.
You will find our welcoming and homely community-based centre under the shade of a giant maple tree, situated on beautiful Bundjalung Country, only minutes from the main street of Murwillumbah.
About us
Our intimate, 39-place facility operates as a long day care and preschool, catering for children aged six weeks to five years of age.
Children build strong connections with peers, educators and their surrounding natural environment through play-based, child-centred learning. These relationships empower children with a sense of security and confidence to investigate and develop their curiosity and wonder about their world and their unique potential within it.
Our Space
Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on outdoor exploration, recognising the profound impact nature has on a child's growth. We encourage children to spend most of their time within our natural surroundings and teach them resourcefulness and sustainability by using elements of nature in learning and play.
Upholding the integrity of childhood.
Our mixed-age style environment promotes a dynamic and inclusive learning environment where children learn not only from our inspiring educators but also from each other.
What sets us apart
For over 35 years, Joeys Pouch is the only NFP Early Education and Long Daycare Centre in Murwillumbah. Over this time, we have established a reputation for providing warm and nurturing environments in which children are encouraged to grow and learn. This is achieved through a strong focus on making and maintaining meaningful relationships.
Our Joeys Pouch parent and community Management Committee are committed to providing an affordable high-quality service for families in our community.
Our educational programs values inclusion, diversity and is centred around play, exploration, and creativity; with outdoor learning being the foundation of Joey’s pedagogical approach.
Joey’s Pouch Philosophy
Joey’s Pouch philosophy is a living document that is forever evolving as contemporary understanding of practice changes and as the Joey’s community grows and develops. The philosophy is reflective of the values, beliefs, aspirations, and commitments of those who have worked in collaboration to develop this statement.
Joey’s Pouch is committed to providing a secure and nurturing environment that encompasses sustainability practices, mutual respect, social independence and fosters meaningful, trusting relationships between Educators, Families, Children, and the wider community.
Valuing Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, embracing diversity and inclusive practices through offering family groupings and simultaneous indoor-outdoor learning environments for children to explore, imagine, learn, and play.
Joey’s Pouch is committed to providing an educational program, reflective of the National Quality Framework, Standards and Early Years Learning Framework. We view children as competent and capable learners and work to support children’s development holistically through play-based learning, intentional teaching, ethical and sociability which results in school readiness and life skills.
Joey’s Pouch values partnerships and collaboration with families, respecting and supporting the role of the parent as being integral to our mutual understanding of their child’s individual needs
Our program implements the National Quality Framework to create an environment that acknowledges and values the individual needs of all children attending Joey’s Pouch. We use the Early Years Learning Framework to provide a meaningful educational program, based on early childhood development, where children learn through play.
The strong bonds our educators foster with children allow them to observe and identify children’s emerging interests and needs and develop targeted learning opportunities that are engaging and developmentally appropriate.
Our Program
“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”
— Kay Redfield Jameson