About Us
Established in 1986, Bear Park has grown to 10 branches with the latest in Herne Bay opened in early 2007.
The steady growth over this period demonstrates the dedication of the staff and the loyalty of families, many of who have sent siblings to the same Bear Park as their older brothers and sisters. The philosophy of listening to the children and creating a nurturing environment has assisted in creating close relationships between the parents and Centres. Bear Park has an on-going involvement with parents, with parent teacher evenings, regular newsletters and an independent parent committee to address any issues raised by parents that may be pertinent to the services offered.
Our Bear Philosophy
- Our Bear Philosophy - is based on the 4 principles of our New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whaariki and inspiration of the Reggio Philosophy.
- Empowerment – our curriculum empowers the child to learn and grow through supporting them to become interactive learners and constructors of knowledge.
- Holistic Development – our curriculum reflects the holistic way that children learn and grow through acknowledging them as unique free-spirited individuals.
- Family and Community – the wider world of family and community is an integral part of our curriculum and we foster the child as active, inquisitive explorers of their world, being a spontaneous contributor and expressive communicator, to the group.
- Relationships – children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places and things and we encourage their participation in meaningful relationships.
Bear Park Centres are greatly inspired by the Reggio Philosophy and we encourage you to visit their site at www.reggiochildren.it