521 Ferry Road, Woolston, Christchurch 8023
Kimihia Early Learning Centre operates as a non-profit Charitable Trust
Kimihia Early Learning Centre is managed by a Trust made up of community members who direct, oversee and monitor our operations and general service.
The Trust ensures the centre’s operations meet the requirements of the Charities Commission and the legislated criteria and regulations for Early Childhood Education provision.
Policies and Procedures
Our Policies and Procedures provide details on almost everything we do, you can read our Policies and Procedures at the centre. These cover;
OUR CENTRE
Kimihia Early Learning Centre operates as a non-profit Charitable Trust
Kimihia Early Learning Centre meets the legal requirements of Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Licensing criteria for center-based ECE services, and other legislated obligations. We use Te Whāriki – He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum. These are key in the Ministry of Education’s guidance on the provision of early learning services. Kaiako work collaboratively with all tamariki/children and whānau, but at Kimihia every child has a lead kaiako/key teacher.
Your child’s kaiako/teacher is considered their primary caregiver in the centre and will take responsibility for;
Kaiako assess and plan for learning based on the Learning Outcomes of Te Whāriki. We actively ensure you can join in with us in supporting your child’s learning. We utilise our local community as a learning context.
All teaching and learning documentation is shared directly with whānau via EDUCA our online platform.
NURSERY
Whare whakatipu o Kimihia
Our nursery caters for infants from birth to walking and provides all care facilities and our ample playroom and outdoor space.
Our nursery provides a settled, responsive and nurturing daily rhythm, and kaiako work with whānau to echo home care approaches and routines.
The curriculum focus in our nursery is relationship bound care, loving communications and interactions, and safe exploration/play for learning. We appreciate that at this time of life the most important learning takes place through caring relationships with consistent and reliable adults, and this grounds our approach to sharing care for your baby/pepe with you.
Relationship centred care, learning and play is our priority.
TODDLERS
Kohungahunga o Kimihia
Our toddler room creates a bridge between the infant day and the busy day of a preschooler and provides all the care facilities and our ample playroom and outdoor space.
Our toddler room maintains responsive relationships and a settled, nurturing daily rhythm, while expanding opportunities for the growing confidence and competence of a toddler on the go.
We understand that toddlers sway between needing the high intensity of infant care and their rapidly increasing desire for freedom and independence. During toddlerhood the pace of learning is rapid, language is developing and social interest is growing. Toddlers love to be with and alongside one another but are still learning how to do this. Our toddler kaiako pay particular attention to supporting our tamaiti to increasingly be able to play together, manage their emotions, use language and participate in the opportunities each day presents.
PRESCHOOL
Kura kōhungahunga o Kimihia
Our preschool is a busy, bustling learning space that caters for children from about 3 until they leave to school between 5 and 6 years old.
Our preschool room maintains responsive relationships and a settled, nurturing daily rhythm, while expanding opportunities for the growing confidence and competence of young children.
During this period children are eager to explore, try new things, practice their skills and increasingly become masterful in using language and participating in the world with others. Our preschool curriculum focuses on ensuring a rich environment, responsive relationships and engaging play-based learning.
Our kaiako guide and provide a socially dynamic, play-based day focused on their interests and passions. Our preschool curriculum, rhythms and routines support children to become increasingly able to manage themselves, independently play, work on projects and share in collaborative ventures with their friends.
Ngā Tikanga o Kimihia
He whāriki hei whakamana i te mokopuna, hei kawe i ngā wawata.
A whāriki that empowers the child and carries our aspirations
At Kimihia Early Learning Centre the tamariki come first and we know that their parents and whānau will always be their first and most important teachers. With this in mind, we aim to establish and maintain positive, responsive relationships and work in partnership. We strive to get to know children, parents, caregivers and whānau well and ensure their aspirations play a pivotal role in creating an inclusive, equitable community where every child and whānau have a place and a sense of belonging/mana motuhake. Our practice is grounded in treaty partnership with tangata whenua iwi katoa and ensure te reo me ngā tikanga Māori is a visible part of everyday and we work in a bicultural manner.
We value our professional kaupapa and pride ourselves on being attentive in our interactions and actively listening as part of being responsive. We pay attention to wellbeing and appreciate diversity. We recognise that acceptance, love, kindness and laughter make a happy learning atmosphere, and this is what we want tamariki to grow up in.
We appreciate reciprocal relationships and aim to create a community characterised by trust, security and honest and encouraging communication. Kaiako aspire to role model respect, positivity, collaboration and learning, as key features of what it means to be an education professional. We actively ask questions, share insights and recognise ourselves as life-long learners.
We enact Te Whāriki – The Early Childhood Curriculum as the foundation to our teaching. We draw on the curiosity and interests of tamariki and utilise our local resources to explore, investigate and make sense of people, places and things in the world around us. We actively support play as the most profound tool for learning and use creativity and thoughtfully introduced experiences to advance language and learning strategies.
We believe hauora/health, manaakitanga/respect, emotional security/ and te ahuru aronganui oranga tinana/physical wellbeing are critical. To ensure these needs are met, we create nurturing daily rhythms and calm, unhurried experiences so tamariki can engage and play with others, learning to negotiate socially and become increasingly capable of managing big emotions. We aim to ensure a rich environment for learning, where sustainable practice and social contribution is encouraged.
FEES
We welcome you to come and visit the centre, meet the kaiako and have a tour.
Fees are invoiced weekly.
Our fees are $6.50 per hour and this includes all daily meals.
Depending on your circumstances, your family may be entitled to a range of support. Where eligible we can ensure access to 20hrs ECE (for children over 3), Work and Income Subsidy, or ELP Subsidy and may be able to access hardship support in specific circumstances.
Full costs, entitlements, and expectations will be clearly established with you before you begin attendance.
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