At Peninsula Community Preschool, we encourage children to choose from a wide range of activities with teachers supporting and guiding them as they play and learn. Some activities will be teacher-initiated, such as food technology, gardening, music and arts activities. Our programme is based around Te Whāriki, the Early Childhood Curriculum set down by the Ministry of Education.
We support our children to initiate activities and learning experiences from their current and emergent interests. As your child plays and learns our teachers will be collating learning stories about your child’s progress, interests and abilities which are shared with children and whānau in online profiles and also our profile books. Our online profiles provide an invaluable way for our planning and assessment information to be immediately shared with parents and whānau and are a great way for parents to keep up-to-date with what their child has been exploring at Preschool. They are also a fantastic tool for parents to share information with us about their child’s interests and development outside of Preschool as well. The hard copies of the Profile Books are valued by children and families alike and allow the children to share their achievements with peers and family members as they desire.
Learning outside of the classroom
As well as a wide range of activities and events, trips, Nature Walks, and excursions are a regular part of our programme. We use them to encourage children to develop and extend their knowledge and learning while connecting with their community and the environment.
Continuity of Learning
At Preschool we have a ‘Pukeko Group,’ which consists of the eight oldest children. This group meets each day and focuses on small group activities and group projects to support essential skills for your child’s continuity of learning as they transition on to school. There is a focus on the other areas of science, literacy and numeracy in which children are introduced to a range of basic science and mathematical concepts through discovery, play and enjoyment. The programme also includes the creative arts including music, movement, drama and visual arts. Project work allows the children to pose questions, solve problems and develop social skills through working with others, learning how to plan and increasing their awareness of the world around them.
Our Values and Philosophy
Our key values are respect, kindness, caring for the environment and family and community. Our philosophy is to encourage all children to learn with and alongside others in a safe and harmonious, yet challenging environment where children find a sense of well-being, belonging and are comfortable with daily routines and customs.
All children are acknowledged and respected as unique individuals and supported in their learning to enable them to reach their full potential. We plan for children’s holistic development and encourage creativity and individualism, we place a strong focus on care and respect for the people and the things in the environment.
Parents and whānau are valued and encouraged to contribute and share in their child’s activities and learning. We strive for open and reciprocal communication between parents and teachers.
We foster the principle of Whānau Tangata – Family and Community, and acknowledge the learning children have gained prior to attending the preschool. We include a programme of regular outings for children to ensure they feel a sense of connectedness with the wider world.
We are committed to honouring the Treaty of Waitangi and New Zealand’s bi-cultural heritage. We believe all children’s cultures should be respected and represented within the preschool.
We allow children to expand their horizons through both play and structured learning experiences based on the national ECE curriculum Te Whāriki, which we believe sets the children on a pathway for lifelong learning.
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