At Mangawhai Kindergarten our philosophy is at the heart of what we do

Our Image of the Child – At Mangawhai Kindergarten we see children as competent and capable. We value the uniqueness of each child and the contribution that they make in our place of learning. At Mangawhai kindergarten, all tamariki learn to believe they can celebrate themselves, be confident and be resilient.

The Value of Play – Tamariki unfold their intelligence, imagination, and joy for life through play. At Mangawhai Kindergarten, teachers facilitate children’s learning and development within their play through thoughtful and intentional educational activities. We are passionate about the importance of learning dispositions as a foundation for children to develop working theories, ideas and understandings about the world around them.

A Culturally Responsive Environment – E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini – My strengths are not mine alone, but those of my family, tribe and ancestors. We recognise that children bring with them the knowledge, identity and culture of their whānau and community. The unique identity of each child is embraced and responded to in our curriculum. We value the special place of Māori as tangata whenua, and believe that te reo and tikanga Māori are an important part of the heritage of all children in Aotearoa.

Relationships with People and Places – Our kindergarten culture is founded on respectful and reciprocal relationships between kaiako (teachers), tamariki (children) and whānau (families). We acknowledge the fundamental importance of whānau involvement in education, and aspire for whānau to feel welcomed and valued at all stages of their child’s kindergarten experience.

Ko au ko koe, ko koe ko au – I am you and you are me – We provide a learning space that fosters an understanding of the importance of a healthy, peaceful and sustainable world, and recognises connections between people, places and the environment. We inspire our children to become empathetic and respectful citizens of the world.