At Oranga Kindergarten we are passionate about creating an environment that creates wonder, awe and a real sense of belonging and home.​

Natural resources – We believe nature should be abundant in children’s lives, our kindergarten is full of natural resources. Plants and dried flowers are used in playdough instead of the usual bright colours, glitter and plastic cutters. ​

Recycle and upcycle – We recycle, upcycle and aim to provide authentic resources for the tamariki to explore, thus learning to handle items with care and respect.  Most of our resources are come from thrift shops or from treasure hunting online.

Loose parts – We are advocates for the use of ‘Loose Parts’ and have a dedicated area where these are available at all times. Loose parts are beautiful found objects and materials that children can move, manipulate, control and change while they play. Children can do all manner of things with them – limited only by their imagination.

Authentic resources – These are simple, real-life items that become opportunities for intrigue, play and curiosity for tamariki. ​For instance, we have beautiful wooden dressers and old-fashioned ornate teapots – all ‘real’ items that once had a purpose in a home. Tamariki love these items, appreciating their beauty and authenticity. Unlike plastic toys, which typically have a set purpose and limited learning outcome, authentic resources often have multiple purposes and provide children with the opportunity to experience a range of textures, size, shape and weights.​

​ Inquiry based learning – Our inquiry approach encourages tamariki to be active participants in their own learning. We encourage tamariki to ask questions, research, explore ideas and discover answers through their own investigations. This approach to learning supports tamariki to develop critical thinking skills and practice their problem solving abilities. It also encourages collaboration and helps to develop independence skills.  This develops a deeper understanding about what they are learning and creates a sense of ownership and engagement in the learning process.

Transitioning to school – We have developed a highly regarded Transition to School Programme which is based around a timeline of communication in partnership with our local Primary Schools, whānau, tamariki and us.   It is not a one angled approach.  We were part of a two year government funded research project on this topic.  Please feel free to talk to us further on our findings- we would love to share them with you!

Independence – The school environment requires children to be increasingly independent so kindergarten is a good time to encourage children to be confident and to give things a go all by themselves. Teachers support children to develop independence – we take notice of when we see children trying new things for themselves and recognise and celebrate their achievements with them.

Partnership – Part of our transition to school process involves inviting families to share what you know about your child, their learning and progress at home and any information you would like the school to know about them when they start. We share how your child is developing and learning at kindergarten. Together we choose what information is shared with your child’s new school teacher. Your child will also have the opportunity to tell us how they feel about starting school and what special things they would like their new teacher to know about them.