We are community

We are Kindergarten, We are Community

Community has an essential role to play in the growth and development of its young people. Kindergarten not only brings tamariki together for set hours each weekday but also brings together families, sometimes for life. Community connects mātua, whānau, kaitiakitanga, tamariki and kaiako allowing all to share stories, ideas, wisdom, advice and form lifelong friendships and support networks. Children form their sense of identity by seeing themselves within the context of their whānau and community.

A powerful sense of community has a powerful and positive impact on tamariki. Community can provide them with a sense of belonging and connectedness vital to social development. When children have the opportunity took to and learn from their elders, they discover how they can make valuable contributions to and their self-confidence flourishes as they realise that they are treasured both as individuals and members of society. With role models to show them respect for iwi and their environment, tamariki are enabled to blossom into the capable, independent individuals we already know them to be.
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Kaiako invite whānau to become involved in their children’s kindergarten experience, not only to enrich their child’s experience, but also to offer kaiako deeper opportunities to get to know the community and what is important to them. Giving is receiving is giving and this interexchange of ideas creates a vibrant community that enriches the lives tamariki, whānau and kaiako well beyond kindergarten hours.

Whānau Engagement

Whānau are as valued as each and every tamaiti in our care. We are always available for kōrero with whānau, to discuss parent/guardian concerns, questions and aspirations. We welcome parent and guardian support and participation in our kindergarten centres and on excursions. As each of our kindergartens are community-oriented, our kaiako actively seek input from whānau on kindergarten policies, procedures and projects.

Enviroschools

Part of our tamariki inheriting a safe world is building a sustainable future for them today. Currently, 20 NKA kindergartens are active participants in the Toimata Foundation Enviroschools programme which supports young people and their communities in planning and implementing sustainability projects important to them, and in learning to care for their environment and surrounds. Read more

Nature Programmes

NKA currently has six kindergartens who run regular, weekly excursions into community places of significance to their kindergarten. These areas include parkland (Mair Park, Mairtown Kindergarten), private native land blocks (Kerikeri), shoreline (Mania, Doubtless Bay), native farm blocks (Comrie Park) and a community land space (Portland Kindergarten). These programmes are designed to allow tamariki and whānau active participation in ‘wild’ spaces where the day’s agenda is set by being responsive to the rhythms of nature. The purpose of these programmes is for tamariki to develop love and connection to nature and local environment through place-based learning in spaces familiar to children and their whānau. Place-based education is important in the development of tamariki for it can strengthen a child’s sense of identity and belonging in the wider world, instil a sense of pride in their local environment and a desire to care for it as it cares for them, along with respect for the environment at large.

Community Events

Special events and celebrations bring kindergarten communities together and allow children to make significant cross-connections between their family life and kindergarten experiences. It also allows children to explore independence and repsonsibility by preparing their own contributions for such events, as well as practicing cooperation and working together. We actively encourage community engagement through whānau involvement and events relevant to that particular community. Annual events our kindergartens celebrate include Matariki and cultural Feast Days, festivals such as Chinese New Year and many more.

Languages

The tamariki attending our kindergartens come from a diverse mix of ethnicities and backgrounds. Many tamariki are also fortunate enough to be raised in bilingual households. Developing young minds are able to learn multiple languages very easily, and doing so has been proven to have a direct beneficial impact on overall cognitive function and ability. At NKA we encourage children to speak in all the languages they know, and in doing so, expose and share these languages with their peers. In our kindergartens, languages you might hear besides English include Te Reo Māori, Mandarin, Korean, Urdu, Malayan, and Afrikaans.

Community Involvement

As NKA facilities are maintained, updated and added to, and as we move towards more sustainable practises, such as through the installation of solar panels and water tanks, we actively engage local contractors in the community for this work. Likewise when seeking resources we also engage with local businesses to support the community. Not only is the community at large enriched by this approach, but our tamariki have the opportunity to appreciate the ‘paying it forward’ value of going local.

Its the little things that matter

We believe in the little things and the ginormous difference they can make and matter for a lifetime.

Play based learning

Learning through Play enables children to think creatively, problem solve and make decisions.

100% trained & registered ECE teachers

Our teaching teams must meet the same Education standards as qualified teachers in schools.

We are in your Community

Community participation helps us to adapt our philosophies and environments to suit the needs and of the children attending.

Our Facilities

If you would like to enquire about hiring out our training facilities, board room or speech and language clinic, visit our facilities page and fill out the form.

Our Facilities