When the daily passenger train rolls through Dungog the driver gives the horn a toot which is met by a sway of little hats furiously waving back.
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It's a fun little routine for the children at the Dungog Community Preschool which sits near the railway line, the service having settled in the old railway barracks after setting up as the town's first preschool decades ago in a church hall.
With the help of the community over many years the verandah space on the building was enclosed and the preschool is a bright and airy educational centre - with a distinct country Hamptons style inside and two different outside areas which are rotated weekly.
"It's all about providing a space that is very welcoming, is like home, but brings the educational aspect as well," said the preschool's director Sam Delafontaine.
The preschool has just been through a rigorous mandatory national assessment and has been awarded the rating of "Exceeding National Quality Standards".
The assessors deemed the preschool goes beyond the requirements of the National Quality Standard in at least four of the seven quality areas - educational programs and practice; children's health and safety; physical environment; staffing arrangements; relationships with children; collaborative partnerships with families and communities and governance and leadership.
"For us it shows that we do know what we are doing, we are a presence," said Mrs Delafontaine.
"High quality is the most important thing for us and it's validation."
The preschool has predictable routines in the day - morning tea is a progressive picnic where the children choose when to eat within a certain time period. Lunch means everyone, teachers included, sitting down to eat together.
It's not just coming and having a play- it is early education.
The three learning domains cover STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), language and literacy and art. While developing their fine motor skills for writing they are also using their imagination to create art.
"We very much nurture the home environment because that is so important but there's only so much parents can do," said Mrs Delafontaine.
Early literacy skills are a dedicated focus at the preschool so children can be supported in their development so they are more prepared for "big" school where within weeks children are learning to read.
The preschool, which is managed by a voluntary management committee and operates from 8.30am to 4pm weekdays during school terms, currently has some vacancies.
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