Our principles are active, we return to them to guide us in all the big and small decisions we make, from designing our building, employing our educators, considering our menus, organising our routines right down to the size and shape of our paint brushes.
We interpret the notion of curriculum in a broad way considering it to include all the experiences, activities and events, both direct and indirect, that occur whilst the children are in our care. We take a holistic approach to childcare that places respect, warmth and well-being at the centre of all we do.
As global citizens in a rapidly changing and interconnected world our children need the skills to be adaptive, creative and resilient. They need to ‘learn how to learn’. The curriculum we create is responsive to individual children and families, and so changes and grows regularly as we meet new children.
It is based in a secure knowledge of child development and recognises the central position of play in early learning. Through play children develop their own theories to help them make sense of the world, we give them time and space to explore these theories alone, alongside their friends and with the support of all the grown ups around them.
We believe the best learning is fluid, and that young children have the luxury of time while they are still small to learn organically and without pressure.
We encourage children to learn in their own ways, through their play, supported by adults who know them well and have their best interests at heart.
We believe that children live in the moment, our babies and young children are not storing up their questions until tomorrow or next week. We are mindful to stay in the moment with them.
We know it is in that moment of curiosity, puzzlement, effort and interest – the ‘teachable moment’ that we as skilful and interested adults can make a difference.
Our approach is to go to where the children are, get down to their level and make sure we interact with them wherever they are involved. We are alert to the enquiries and activities of individual children and groups of children, and by responding ‘in the moment’, through quality interactions, we help to facilitate their research.
Our teaching incorporates a range of pedagogic techniques such as encouraging, modelling language, providing resources, demonstrating a skill, exploring ideas, making links to prior learning etc. We do not hurry children to achieve adult imposed targets or next steps, rather we join them in their fascinations and try to immerse ourselves in their thinking.
Supporting the children’s well-being and involvement is the foundation we create which then allows the children to interact with us (and us with them) with confidence. Our curriculum is based in a framework of principles which are guided by Early Years Foundation Stage, The Reggio Emilia Approach, and the New Zealand ‘Te Whariki’ Early Years Curriculum.
These frameworks allow us to weave our own unique curriculum responding to the children and families we meet, which is flexible and with a developing and changing distinctive character. Our routine values the learning opportunities of meal times, which include eating well and the enjoyment of family style dining. We enjoy coming together, sitting together, sharing a good meal and taking part in conversation. The children help to set the table, serve the meals and clear up afterwards.
We incorporate mindfulness and relaxation into our days to allow reflection and digestion of new learning.
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