Te Whāriki
- Our philosophy embodies the principles of the New Zealand early childhood curriculum,Te Whāriki. We
- honor tangata whenua and our bicultural foundation as rooted in Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi)..
Child-Led Learning
The child is at the heart of everything we do
We offer a vibrant and flexible child-led environment that is rich in choices and provides dynamic
opportunities for learning both individually and as part of a group.
Children learn through play.
Activities are primarily driven by the child’s interests, needs, and pace.
The child’s voice is vital to our program.
Children are seen as competent, powerful, and full of ideas and curiosity, capable of constructing
their own knowledge and driven by their interests to understand and learn more.
Nature & Environment
The environment is our third teacher, providing numerous opportunities for children to explore,
experiment, develop their ideas, and test their theories.
Our spaces are comforting, cozy, and light-filled to create environments that are stimulating,
nurturing, flexible, and richly resourced.
We respect our Pohutukawa tree, fostering learning with the natural environment and valuing all areas
of learning and development through Papatūānuku (Mother Nature).
Our environment setup offers spaces for children to immerse themselves in learning through a rich
array of resources, including loose parts, natural, and recycled materials that encourage open-ended
engagement, allowing children to manipulate and transform these materials in any way they choose.
Relationships
We embrace strong reciprocal relationships between ākonga (learners), whānau (families), and kaiako
(teachers), which guide ākonga in their learning and development.
We welcome children, kaiako, and whānau into a compassionate and respectful environment where
we celebrate and value the culture and values of each individual.
We value and respect the unique knowledge and contributions of whānau in the decision-making
process regarding tamariki’s (children’s) care and education. Parents are encouraged and given
opportunities to share within our community.