Preschool, 2 to 5
Big ideas, real materials and time to finish the job
Our preschool space is built for children who want to build, dig, question, negotiate and create. Kaiako sit alongside to stretch the thinking rather than take over.
20 Hours ECE applied for three to five year olds.
How the day works
Long play, not a conveyor belt of activities
Deep learning needs uninterrupted time. Tamariki here can spend a whole morning on one project and come back to it the next day.
- Karakia and waiata to start the day together
- Long, uninterrupted indoor and outdoor play
- Carpentry, clay, paint and loose parts
- Books, storytelling and early literacy in context
- Numbers, patterns and measuring through real tasks
- Quiet rest time for those who still need it
What tamariki get
Skills that matter long after preschool
Real tools, real risk
Carpentry, gardening and cooking with proper equipment and careful supervision.
Open ended creating
Materials without an instruction sheet, so the idea belongs to the child.
Te reo in daily use
Karakia, waiata and everyday kupu, used naturally rather than taught as a lesson.
Working things out
Sharing, negotiating and repairing friendships with a kaiako close by, not stepping in too soon.
Early literacy and maths
Writing lists, counting harvest, measuring timber. Skills used, not drilled.
Ready for school
Independence, resilience, focus and the confidence to ask for help.
Transition to school
School readiness that is more than letters and numbers
In the year before school we build the things teachers actually notice: being able to concentrate, look after your own gear, join a group and keep going when something is hard.
In the last year we focus on
- Self help skills, from shoes to lunchboxes
- Listening in a group and taking turns
- Recognising and writing their own name
- Talking through problems instead of giving up
Enrolments open
See the preschool in action
Visit during the morning when the room is at its busiest. It is the honest version, and the best way to judge whether it suits your child.