10 Wairakei Road, Strowan, Christchurch 8052
We believe family/whānau come first.
Elmwood Preschool is a small locally owned and established early childhood centre that has been part of the local Bryndwr community since 1992.
Eileen Keane Owner: Kia ora, I am a fully qualified Early Childhood Teacher with over 30 years’ experience. My role is that of full-time manager of the preschool and I take a vested interest in the wellbeing of your tamariki. Rowena Fletcher, the Centre Manager and I work closely together in the running of the preschool.
Here at Elmwood we believe families/whānau come first. Your aspirations, family culture and values for your child will be respected and valued by our kaiako as your child embarks on their learning journey with us.
The maximum of only 18 children in the preschool room, and 7 infants and toddlers in the nursery ensures consistent, quality interactions take place between our kaiako and your tamaiti. The small number of tamariki allows your child to build strong friendships and connections with the other tamariki at Elmwood. These friendships promote a pathway for lifelong learning.
In the nursery your infant or toddler (pepi) will spend his/her time with Coral who is a qualified and registered Early Childhood Teacher
Coral believes that the most important thing in your child’s life is relationships, yours being the most important. To support the relationship between you and your tamaiti she has a primary care giving system operating in the nursery. Coral believe infants and toddlers needs should guide timing and pace of routines. A secure attachment with a familiar and unhurried adult creates a calm and respectful environment where children are free to explore, play and learn. She supports children’s learning by gaining knowledge of their interest and needs and developing and implementing a culturally inclusive curriculum, which includes Bi-cultural practices. This is a passion of Coral’s and she strives to incorporate these into her everyday practice.
At times, Rowena, the Centre Manager also teaches in the nursery with Coral. Rowena strongly believes in supporting tamariki and whānau holistically.
Children in the Over Two area will learn alongside Caroline, who is a qualified Early Childhood Teacher and a Team Leader.
Caroline, had a teaching placement at Elmwood while she was in training and she decided Elmwood Preschool was the place she wanted to work. Caroline prefers to work in a Centre with a smaller roll as she believes the teachers’ can give each child individual attention, which means better outcomes for the children.
Working alongside Caroline is Sherine who is a qualified Early Childhood Teacher. Sherine values the family environment of the preschool and believes it allows opportunities for greater relationships between teachers and children. She is passionate about creating positive connections with children which supports them in becoming confident and competent learners.
Working alongside Caroline and Sherine is Karen, who is currently studying for the Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education). She believes that given the opportunities and support children are able to achieve goals that they set for themselves. She is very passionate about promoting authentic bi-culturalism in the Preschool.
Statement Of Philosopy
Elmwood Preschool
Our Preschool recognises the importance of having a strong commitment to the bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand and this is clearly evident in our policies, practices and procedures.
We develop authentic partnerships with families/whanau and community based on relationships which foster honest communication, trust and respect.
We believe the role of the teacher is one who actively plays with children, a person who expands children’s thinking skills and genuinely engages with each child. We believe the best teacher is one who has a passion for the profession, is open to learning and has a willingness to keep him/herself up to date with the current theories of early childhood. This teacher sets realistic boundaries so that children feel safe and secure.
We know the importance of ensuring each child is emotionally, socially, culturally and physically secure within the preschool environment.
Our Preschool is a child-centered place: a place where it’s great to be small. A place where children are allowed to be children; they can take risks, have fun, embrace challenges and have the freedom to express their thoughts and emotions.
We want children to be active learners who are intrinsically motivated with an ‘I can do’ attitude. We encourage children to be independent learners who are curious to explore and make sense of their world.
Te Whaariki (Early Childhood Curriculum) is the key document that guides our teaching practice. Teachers use this document to plan experiences which ensures positive learning outcomes for children. We value the development of social skills and the attributes of kindness, respect, caring and building each others self-esteem.
We have been associated with Elmwood Preschool for the past eight years. Our son was a full time attendee and our daughter (now 4yrs) has been attending since she was six months old. We have always found the staff extremely trustworthy and caring, with Rowena providing professional leadership of the team. Our daughter suffers from severe food allergies and we have always trusted the staff to ensure that her special needs are met. Ultimately, what we love about the culture and environment at Elmwood compared to the large, corporate owned pre schools, is that our children are treated as special individuals in a small, homely environment where they are supported through fun and learning to grow and develop. John and Kathryn Jones
