Warkworth Kindergarten is a full day early childhood education and care service for up to 35 children aged from 2 to 5 years.
We recently relicensed under the new Education Regulations 2008 and Licensing criteria & ECE Curriculum framework (amended 2009)
though we have been a fully licensed early childhood centre since 1996.
Each morning session we have up to 32 children with 4 teachers and afternoon sessions we have up to 24 children with 3 teachers. We pride ourselves on maintaining high standards of staffing and facilities required to qualify as a quality funded centre.
Our purpose built modern facility is conveniently situated in the centre of Warkworth township, only a few minutes walk from the shops, parks and local library.
We currently have child contact sessions on Monday and Friday from 7.45 am to 3.15pm with staff non contact from 3.15 to 5.15 on these days. On Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday our session times are extended from 7.45am to 5.15 pm. Within each day we have "kindy" session times 9.00-12.00 and 9.00-3.00 to cater for both our younger & older children's needs. All children are expected to attend a minimum of two sessions per week.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our centre philosophy is inspired by the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia and strongly influenced by kaupapa Maori where our culture & values are reflected in our environment. Our beliefs as teachers and learners come from a shared image of a child as capable, trustworthy, intelligent, rich in potential, deserving, empathetic ,a researcher & explorer, an active participant and co-constructor of his/her knowledge and a valued, unique citizen of the community.
Our environment reflects the respect and trust we have in competent children when surrounded by aesthetic & natural beauty. Evidence of the value of importance we place in the acknowledgement of Maori as tangata whenua and our unique heritage is reflected in our centre kaupapa which embraces tikanga Maori practices and celebrates Te Reo as unique to our heritage as citizens of Aotearoa. Where diverse learning styles & cultural differences are supported and embraced. Children deserve the freedom and space to discover, create and explore at their own pace– where open ended materials provide opportunities for expression and the anticipation of possibilities…we value children’s individuality and celebrate self expression, independent thinking, and a sense of discovery. Provocations engage, inspire and give children a sense of appreciation & wonder. Spontaneous opportunities for sensory rich play, deep thinking & risk taking promote investigation, a sense of achievement and challenge our thinking fostering interdependence and collaborative learning.
Positive role models and forged relationships within our learning community are embraced and celebrated, giving a sense of community.
Teachers see themselves as passionate researchers, co-constructors of knowledge and advocates for children’s research & theories – children’s work is recognized and their achievements celebrated. Pedagogical documentation , where social constructivism, divergent thinking and hypothesis are revisited, is a record of our commitment to reflective practice.
Teachers value the importance of, and actively seek and participate in ongoing professional development. Teachers are committed to reflection about their own teaching and learning. Team “planning for possibilities” reflects an emergent curriculum that builds upon children as the compass for learning – “together we become a community of seekers”
We believe focusing on established relationships and having a sense of collective history for our learning community where children and families can leave their ‘footprint’ creates a strong sense of belonging and ownership. Parents are viewed as partners and advocates for their children in a collaborative learning community. Children will leave our centre with the knowledge they are affirmed as confident, capable citizens of a community and their contributions are acknowledged and valued.
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