Our Rooms

We have three purpose built areas which focus on age appropriate experiences.

The Nursery/Kōhanga

This environment is perfect for children aged 3 months to 2 years as our Kohanga provides loving, caring and compassionate teaching in a calm and peaceful environment. Our Kaiako are all certified with Early Childhood qualifications and have great love and passion for the foundation years for our youngest pepe- we know the value of consistent, calm and quality relationships in this age group.  Equipment in this area is designed for our specific children and we aspire to challenge and inspire their developing skills and dispositions through careful individual planning woven in collaboration with the child and their wider community.

Our Nursery values and beliefs/Philosophy

Whānaungatanga is at the heart of our philosophy. Creating an environment that is inviting, safe and respectful.

We share with our whānau to create authentic partnerships that align both with home and centre philosophy.

Manaakitanga is shared as we welcome all children and whānau into our kōhanga and care for their well-being and wairua.

Ako is valued through providing encouragement, guidance, and support. Empowering the tamariki to explore freely, develop confidence, a sense of self worth and identity. We provide a curriculum that celebrates each child’s uniqueness alongside enjoyable learning experiences suited to each child’s needs and development.

We believe each child is special and have the right to be nurtured, respected and empowered.

This room nourishes our tamariki ages 2 -3.5 years. Here we continue to build strong relationships with children, so they feel comfortable exploring their environment, learning with and alongside their Kaiako and peers and develop further curiosity and thirst for learning.  We really value this age group for their inquisitive minds and ability to take on deeper and more complex discovery and learning.   We also understand that this age group still requires a lot of support to encourage their independence and social skills, therefore we keep this group size small and with higher than average adult to child ratios. Children in this environment share their natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge, and play is extended through individual planning and care.

Our Pohatu tunga waewae values and beliefs/Philosophy

Whanaungatanga and Manaakitanga are the values we use to support tamariki to thrive and succeed.

Warm, secure, and respectful relationships with whānau, kaiāko and tamariki are the key to all success.

Every child is unique and therefore we provide practices which are inclusive and invite everyone with aroha into our environment.

Ako is valued collectively as we learn together empowering us and our children to succeed in a environment which is stimulating for our physical, mental, social and emotional needs.

For our over older tamariki, we focus on building skills that will support a smooth transition to school and for life beyond the preschool. We cultivate independence and self-help skills, and encourage discovery and exploration. This environment is seeped in opportunity for rich discovery and learning, encouraging children to use self-directed exploration and learning as well as teacher supported activities and events.  We are the tuakana in our centre and enjoy the leadership and sharing opportunities this presents.

Our Ruma Whakawhanui values and beliefs/Philosophy

In the extension room we know our tamariki can do anything!

We encourage children to give it a go themselves, empowering self-belief.

We know children are capable, confident learners who engage in their community and develop their understanding of the world through others and through experimentation.

Topics in the community and world are evident in our teacher directed activities and reflect a level of comprehension that is appropriate to their development.

Individual tamariki are empowered to be responsible and encouraged to strive for independence.

We celebrate this collaboratively through encouragement and positive praise.

Tamariki are respectful of themselves, their peers, adults, and their environment. We work as a team and are kind humans who use manners.

We use role modelling, reinforcing, and encouraging. If we keep it tidy, they will too. If we show respect, they will too. They can help too; we are a team.

Children are encouraged to recognise and regulate their emotions to better understand challenging situations, which is evident in their social skills and ability to negotiate sharing their environment with others.

We demonstrate calmness, and reflect, recognise, and label their emotions when they are able.