We are Kindergarten

Enriching every child’s experience and helping them to discover a joy of learning. It also means creating magical moments and memories that are synonymous with kindergarten.

Community matters

At NKA we recognise that children are the seeds of our communities’ futures.

Scaffolding lifelong learning

For many, kindergarten is the place where key lifelong foundational learning skills, memories and friendships are first developed.

100% registered teachers

Our teaching teams are 100% qualified and registered teachers and must meet the same Education standards as qualified teachers in schools.

It's the little things that count

Each of our kindergartens has its foundations in the shared values, guiding principles and teaching philosophies upheld by all NKA kindergartens.

No Fees Service

A no fees service is offered in nearly all of our Kindergartens. That's no charges, no cancellation fees, absolutely free for a minimum 48 weeks per year.

Open all year

NKA kindergartens are open all year and operate six hours a day which is the same number of hours as a primary school.

Our Speech and Language Clinic

NKA employs two professional Speech and Language therapists to assist and support the holistic development of all aspects of a child’s communication abilities. At the present time, 58 children are benefiting from this clinic in combination with regular attendance to their local NKA kindergarten.

Every child matters, every child is valued

The latest from the nationalEducation Review Office of NKA kindergartens,show that NKA is leading the way in early childhood education, meetingcompliance regulations and exceeding quality standards. Te Tāhuhu o TeMātauranga (the New Zealand Ministry of Education) regularly contracts NKA towork with other early education providers outside of the NKA network as part oftheir SELO programme, to help ‘strengthen early learning opportunities’ for all tamariki.

Te Kura Kōhungahunga Tōpū o Te Tai Tokerau

Giving our children an excellent start for life long learning.

Our Locations

Frequently asked questions

FAQ page
How much does it cost?

All NKA kindergartens are FEES FREE and are all running 48 weeks of the year.

What are the session times?

All kindergartens run 6 hour sessions and these vary slightly from kindergarten to kindergarten and a list of these can be found on the web site in the Northland Kindergarten tab. All kindergartens have a license to operate and their license stipulates their start and finish times.

All Northland Kindergartens are

FREE!

48 weeks per year,
30 hours per week,
FREE

Tikanga & Te Reo Māori

E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū

The tūī, the kākā (parrot) and the kererū (wood pigeon) are referenced in this whakatauki in terms of their speech – the tūī chatters, the parrot gabbles, the wood pigeon coos. The popular meaning is, “it takes all kinds of people”, and that reflects our organisation and what each of us brings to the learning that each Kindergarten will provide your tamariki.

Northland Kindergarten Association is working towards embracing Tikanga and Te Reo Māori and recognising that Te Reo Māori is a taonga (treasure).  Some of these strategies include:

  • Ongoing Professional development for Tikanga and Te Reo Māori available to all Kindergarten teachers and staff of the Association.
  • Tikanga me Te Reo Māori Language Planning strategies for each individual Kindergarten.
  • Pou Whakarewa Tikanga Māori / Māori Advisor who works alongside each Kindergarten.
Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori
The language is the life essence of Māori mana

In 1987 Māori language became official in this country.  The quotes below provide some of the rationale for its recognition.  At a kaumatua hui organised by the Department of Māori Affairs in 1979, Sir James Henare said “Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori” (the language is the life essence of Māori mana). Language is the life essence and sustenance of a culture.  It provides the tentacles that can enable a child to link up with everything in his or her world. It is one of the most important forms of empowerment that a child can have.  Language is not only a form of communication but it helps transmit the values and beliefs of a people” (Pere, 1995, p. 9).

For tamariki to acquire the ability to communicate through language, they need to be guided by those closest to them (Drewery & Bird, 2007, p. 167).  Therefore in the early childhood environment it is crucial for staff to build positive relationships with tamariki and their whānau/families.  Vygotsky also emphasized the importance of these relationships in supporting and enhancing children’s development (Claiborne & Drewery, 2010, p. 18).  Conversely, the way we communicate with each other is one of the most important aspects of development that link people together.

Every contribution that we make, no matter the size, makes an important contribution to the growth and development of our language.

Me mau koe ki te tikanga Māori
Hold fast to the traditions of our Māori culture