Our programme is based on the emergent New Zealand curriculum, Te Whāriki (2017) and has its foundation in the principles of Te Tīriti o Waitangi.

We respect all children as a taonga, acknowledge and nurture their mana and while in our care their safety is paramount.

Our programme reflects the dual cultural heritage of New Zealand while embracing the rich diversity of the many cultures in Aotearoa.

We foster a learning environment of thinking, co-construction, problem solving, exploring with others and we respect how different children learn.

We practice Whanaungatanga – the fostering of family relationships and connections and see our parents and whānau as primary caregivers, and together we aim to meet the aspirations for our children.

We practice Manaakitanga – we aspire to be welcoming, kind, have caring relationships and celebrate together.

We foster responsibility and respect for Papatūānuku, our taonga and our Playhouse environment by embracing the principle of Kaitiakitanga.

Our Playhouse philosophy, values and learning priorities are what underpin our practice and guide our work. We strive to model these values and encourage our children to uphold these values in their interactions.

WHANAUNGATANGA: BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS, CONNECTIONS,

WHĀNAU ENGAGEMENT & PARTNERSHIPS

We value active involvement of whanau in our Playhouse learning community by:

Parents and whānau being able to participate in the committee, social gatherings, working bees, reviews and evaluations, deciding what are the priorities for learning, parent: Kaiako conversations, planning for their child’s learning and sharing their goals and aspirations for their child etc. We aim to create a sense of belonging within our space, for our children and their whanau to feel welcome and know this is their place.

MANA REO: SUPPORTING CHILDREN’S LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

We support language acquisition and developing language so that children can be active, confident communicators, able to express themselves effectively. We want children who are able to reason, solve problems and question things.

Children are heard and their ideas are valued here.

TĀKARO: LEARNING THROUGH PLAY - CHILDREN BEING CURIOUS, ACTIVE EXPLORERS CONFIDENT IN THEIR PHYSICAL ABILITIES

We recognise that children learn best when they are actively engaged in child-lead free play. Through play, children develop cognitive skills, as well as attitudes and expectations that shape their learning journey. Teachers set up the environment to foster wonder and curiosity.

HAUORA, EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE (Well-being)

Well-being, belonging and emotional literacy are a priority here. We create a safe, consistent and loving environment here, where children can feel supported and valued. Teachers co-regulate with children, to support their understanding of all emotions and their journey towards self-regulation.

Babies are cared for calmly and quietly, respecting their individual rhythms through unhurried routines and affording them the time and space to do things and learn things in their own time. (ā tōna wā)