Special Characteristics
Our Location
We are lucky enough to be located on site with Rawhiti School and enjoy a genuine and connected relationship with the school creating a genuine sense of whanaungatanga. Rawhiti School sees us as a vital part of their wider school whānau and our proximity means we are able to share resources and expertise and create seamless transitions from early education to primary schooling. We frequently access Rawhiti School, from playing and exploring the school grounds, visiting the school library, joining in Kapahaka practice, visiting assemblies and classroom spaces. We also welcome our Rawhiti whānau and friends into the preschool and often have our recently transitioned children join us throughout the day or at break times while the settle into their new learning environment. Tuakana-teina relationships are embraced with many opportunities for the older children to come in and help with our younger children creating meaningful and long lasting friendships
Community Relationship
We value relationships and this extends to the local community. North Beach is a richly resourced environment and we access this regularly. Both planned and spontaneous visits to the local library, beach, parks, community gardens, gymnastics facilities, schools and local events are undertaken regularly. This helps create meaningful links within the community and the wider world.
Environmental Relationship
We pride ourselves on our homely, unhurried & caring environment where children, teachers and whānau learn from and support each other. This is made possible by a commitment to working in partnership and the relationships formed. We believe in the importance of trusting and compassionate relationships with whānau and believe these support whānau aspirations for their child/ren. Relationships are woven throughout our programme and every day centre life.
School Transition ‘Wonder time’
This is a daily programme which children call ‘wonder time’ aimed at helping four year old children to develop early literacy and numeracy skills and to prepare them for school. Wonder time also supports these children to have the confidence to establish new friendships, to take risks and to have resilience in life beyond NBCP.
Environment and Sustainability
At North Beach we encourage our children to enjoy nature and the environment. We believe children need to care for and love nature and then they will understand it. We want to raise our next generation to make nature and the environment a core value. At North Beach we do this by environmentally friendly practices. We have a beautiful vegetable garden that the children plant and nurture and we encourage the children to continue to take care of this themselves. The children are free to eat these fruits and vege throughout the day, which also promotes healthy eating. We recycle all appropriate rubbish. All green waste is recycled to our worm farm or feeds local chickens, with organic waste then used in the garden. We trust our children’s ability to play and explore, all they need is water and mud.
Our Commitment to
Our Heritage
We weave Māori perspectives throughout our daily programme and teach our children about respecting Papatuuaanuku. We also promote respect for diversity of people and culture in our wider community and world. Our daily programme incorporates aspect s of Tikanga Maaori, Te Reo Maaori, Waiata, karakia and kani kani
