7 November 2018

Our Lady of the Way School, Kingsbury, has received the 2018 Victorian Early Years Award under Category 4: Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing. These awards celebrate the exceptional contributions that individuals and organisations make to improving the learning and development of young children and their families.

The Kingsbury Play Map Project won the award after being initially shortlisted as one of the three finalists from over 80 nominations for its category.

The school became involved in the project in August last year, working in partnership with the City of Darebin, play-based learning specialist Cat Sewell, another primary school and some local children.

‘Listening to children talk with passion about what they do, helping them explore their creativity and seeing them lead more active lives, has been the most rewarding part of this project’ said school principal Kevin Burke.

The project was designed to raise awareness about the diverse play opportunities in the Kingsbury area, allowing families and children to try out free play spaces in their neighbourhood.

It also links to Darebin’s 2017–2021 Health and Wellbeing plan, where physical activity is one of the strategies employed to strengthen community engagement. Over 800 children and their families are now involved with the plan.