In the Infant and Toddler room we believe in the capability of all of our children to take control of their learning, to make discoveries and develop their working theories. Our image of the child portrays our children as active researchers, with a depth of curiosity about their world and the people in it, who are always striving to strengthen their understanding in all aspects of their own independent discoveries. We understand that our children do not come to our centre alone, but with their family behind them, and that it is important for us to acknowledge their kaupapa and work in partnership with them to best support our children to thrive.

Our environment is a reflection of the aspirations held by us, our children, and their families. By providing a richly resourced and well-provocated space for our children to inhabit they are able to take control of their own learning and follow their emerging interests.

In partnership with our children and families we construct the foundations to create an environment that acts as a third teacher and supports the children with their own prior knowledge, problem-solving, non and verbal communication as well as continuing to develop their social skills. 

Children carry within themselves worlds of infinite, unimaginable, and wonderful possibilities. In the Kea Room, we foster and extend these possibilities through meaningful and intentional learning experiences. We celebrate the uniqueness of each child and constantly seek to find ways to allow the children to express themselves and their creativity in ways that best align with who they are as individuals. We acknowledge and respect the different funds of knowledge that we each bring and use them to inform our collaborative practice and enrich the children’s respective learning journeys.

The Kea teachers understand the importance of building and maintaining meaningful and authentic relationships with our whānau to ensure the development of a strong sense of belonging for everyone in our room. We take the time to deeply engage with the children and families, actively listening to and working alongside them.

We aim to encourage within our children a sense of respect for ourselves, others, and our environment. We believe strongly in the role the environment plays as the third teacher and so incorporate it actively into our resources and learning experiences.

The Tui teaching team believe that all children are capable of achieving anything they put their minds to with the right support and guidance, not only from their teachers but also their peers. We believe responsive, well thought out and reflective planning is of vital importance in ensuring that we, as teachers, guide children towards their individual potential. In the Tui environment learning and development is a journey of discovery, exploration, imagination and adventure. The social and emotional well-being of a child is at the heart of all learning. It is imperative to provide an environment that fosters learning, is full of stimulation, laughter and creativity that will inspire and engage children’s minds, curiosity and promote a positive self-image. A safe, secure environment where social, caring and reciprocal relationships are formed between children, educators, parents and whanau is paramount.

In the Tui room, we believe it is important that the tamariki take ownership of their environment and relish in the responsibility given to them, ensuring the development of confident, capable, independent world-wise learners.

As a kaiako in Aotearoa, We believe it is our responsibility to honour our nation’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We believe we can do this by being committed bicultural kaiako. Tamariki should have many opportunities to learn and explore Kaupapa Māori. We will in the best of our ability ensure that we as a team are continuously upholding Te Tiriti o Waiting by ensuring that the curriculum reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. We believe it is important that the curriculum must also encourage children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.