Infant Rooms (3 months – 20months)
Vision
Our vision for this group is to nurture our youngest pēpi through supporting their natural rhythms and the patterns that have been created by families at home. As they move through various stages of development our team are supporting each individual child in an environment that meets their current needs as well as providing challenges for the next stage. We support freedom of movement for infant development and encourage pēpi to be in positions that they can move into and out of themselves at the appropriate stage of gross motor co-ordination.
Environment
We have 2 learning environments that connect, giving tamariki time and space to be smaller groups but also a way to mix and mingle in the dedicated outdoor environment. The transition between the 2 rooms for each pēpi is different and there is no set age that this move happens. Our Kaiako will speak with whānau and decide when the best time is to make that move. Both spaces allow for walkers and non-walkers to be engaged in play and our team of kaiako support independence in a completely supervised environment through lots of love and attention. It is important that infants receive 100% of our attention and therefore our staff to child ratios at this level are higher than the required standard of 1:5 with the intention being 1:3.
The Parakai Room is a calm and unhurried space that supports 3mth – 15mth olds
The Te Henga Room is a mix of chaos and calm that supports 11mth – 20mth olds
(18months – 3yrs)
Vision
Our goal for this age group is to extend independence and develop skills that encourage and support toddlers to communicate and develop social competence. By providing age-appropriate open-ended resources tamariki are able to make sense of the world around them at their own pace. So much is happening in the “2-year-old stage” and our kaiako strive to provide a balance of challenging their capabilities and being only a few steps away when they need support. Toddlers are finding their voice, discovering new physical capabilities, navigating huge changes in their eating and sleeping patterns, discovering emotions that people are putting labels on and creating almost daily new likes and dislikes.
Environment
Our Muriwai kaiako support the toddler stage but using the children’s natural urges in play to bring them through their developmental stages. Teachers are patient, caring and encourage toddlers as they encounter challenges and sometimes frustrations relating to their fast-developing minds and bodies. Having an outdoor space that is dedicated just for this age group also means that they can explore freely without being expected to constantly be careful of infants, and they won’t get overwhelmed by the preschoolers in their space.
As the Muriwai room is mixed age with under and over 2’s the adult to child ratio too is mixed and is dependent on the distribution of ages in the space most often there is at least 6 kaiako in the room when it is full.
(32months - 4years)
Vision
Our Piha room supports the “inbetweenies” stage, where children are no longer babies but not yet fully confident as big kids. At this stage, they are discovering independence, testing boundaries, and learning to express themselves. Our vision is to create a space where their curiosity and emerging confidence are valued, while guidance and support are always available. We aim to help children make choices, develop social skills, and build self-assurance. By balancing independence with nurturing care, we provide a safe and stimulating environment that encourages growth, exploration, and a sense of belonging.
Environment
Routines are established as a whole group at this age and children are moving into dropping their day time naps and also finding their independence with using the toilet. Our team are balancing supporting independence and being available when it isn’t falling into place. Children are given more opportunities to make decisions in their day with rolling morning and afternoon tea times allowing them to make the decision when they would like to pause their play to eat. They use our dedicated dining room area daily to have their lunch meal and this gives an opportunity to learn more about social aspects of meal times. They have access to the toddlers sleep space for those that still need a nap or rest in their day. Our outdoor space for the older 2 rooms is shared and the Piha children really enjoy learning and creating play alongside the older children when outside.
(4yrs - 6yrs)
Vision
Our goal for preschoolers is to support independence, develop individual potential and encourage social competence at a higher level in preparation for school and life. This is achieved through a wide range of activities that vary from day to day, providing lots of opportunities for children to develop intellectually, socially, attitudinally, spiritually, and physically – in a fun, safe environment. We are not only supporting them to be successful at school but to be confident in their own abilities and resilient in times of growth and change.
Environment
Literacy and numeracy are the 2 main areas that we get asked about and once again it is a matter of providing the time, space and resources for children to take an interest and then kaiako are able to challenge and extend the children through daily routines and play in connect to these areas. Connecting with local schools and finding out what creates a successful transition into school brings ideas and purpose to our pathways to Kura program, whilst experienced and specialist preschool teachers are able to bring out the spark in every child. Children over their time in the Karekare Room will be given the opportunity to have fortnightly lunch box days, regular walks in our local area, engaging in dance classes at a local dance studio, performing arts and waiata performances at our various family evenings as well as other trips around Auckland as part of their learning program.
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