New Families
What we offer
Our Philosophy
“Kotahi te kākano, he nui ngā hua o te rākau. A tree comes from one seed but bears many fruits.”
Te Whāriki – Early childhood curriculum, 2017 by the Ministry of Education
At Avonside Early Childhood Centre we provide a mana-enhancing, culturally informed and responsive environment for all learners and their whānau. Tamariki are encouraged to grow and develop through play-based learning opportunities informed by tamariki interests and their unique potential to grow and develop. Partnership between centre and community is valued and cherished.
We acknowledge Te Whāriki as a basis for weaving our local curriculum with our tamariki, whānau and wider community and to reflect the bicultural partnership within Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Learner identity, language and culture is celebrated without barriers.
Te Whāriki plays an important role within Avonside Early Childhood Centre by providing principles for curriculum development, strands that align with our values and learning outcomes for tamariki that guide us to provide a positive environment and reflect our vision and values for our community of lifelong learners.
We provide an empowering environment, Whakamana, where tamariki show their own agency to be creative and expressive with their own ideas, developing skills and knowledge whilst following their own interests. Play is valued learning and kaiako initiate experiences that are inviting, equitable and enjoyable.
We celebrate the way tamariki grow holistically, Kotahitanga, and consider the physical (tinana), emotional (whatumanawa), spiritual (wairua), and socio- cultural ways that enable them to grow their capabilities across all these dimensions.
We celebrate and encourage Whanaungatanga (kinship) and understand that tamariki wellbeing is interdependent with the wellbeing of their kaiako and whānau. Tamariki remain open to learning when their culture, knowledge and community are affirmed.
We value Manaakitanga (kindness and generosity) through responsive and reciprocal relationships with all involved and connections to the past, present, and future are strengthened. We recognise tamariki learning dispositions that reflect learner identity and support lifelong learning. Tuakana-teina relationships are through our mixed age setting.
Tamariki have opportunities to play with ideas, understand and refine their working theories as they make sense of the world around them. They will identify and treasure their own potential with learning | te rangatiratanga.
Kotahi te kākano, he nui ngā hua o te rākau.
Our Curriculum
Our Curriculum is based on our philosophy and values, and we are influenced by the local curriculum, the community around us and our links with this. Tamariki and whānau, kaiako and Board language, culture and identity is reflected and celebrated.
We give mana to Tiriti o Waitangi through making our country’s bicultural foundations evident in our policies, organisation, environment, whānau and community engagement, and planning and assessment.
All tamariki in early learning can experience, learn about, and connect with te ao Māori (the Māori world) and te reo Māori (Māori language).
We promote equitable educational success for mokopuna Māori as Māori – with kaiako responding to the values, knowledge, and strengths mokopuna Māori bring to their learning.
We recognise our foundation curriculum “Te Whāriki” gives practical effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
“Competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.” (Te Whāriki. p 5).
Our environment reflects the individual learning needs of all tamariki to support them to grow and develop skills which enable them to confidently explore their environment and extend relationships. We reflect the Principles, Strands, Goals and Learning outcomes from Te Whāriki. These form the foundations of curriculum design and guide us in effective pedagogy and practice.