An important part of our philosophy at Sandringham Kindergarten is supporting children to develop their independence. This leads children to practice their self-help skills; explore their interests; become leaders of their own learning; and have the confidence to make friends and develop their social competence.

Our practice is intertwined through Te Ao Māori in which we value manaakitanga (respect and generosity), kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and whanaungatanga (relationships).

Our environment is calm and engaging which encourages children to take ownership of their own learning and at their own pace. The learning environment is constantly evolving and adapting to the interests of tamariki. Every day we set up different provocations which are focused on the current interest and develop different skills for individual children and for larger groups.

Tamariki have the opportunity to be the ‘Special Helper’ for the day and wear a special badge. This role allows tamariki to ring the bell and take lead and sit on a chair next to the kaiako/teacher at mat time. It empowers them to take on extra responsibilities throughout the day and ensure the rules are being upheld. We want to foster independence, helpfulness, boost confidence, and encourage leadership! This is also a wonderful way to create great citizenship, where the children feel they have learner agency over the place that they call home.

Our mat times help tamariki get prepared for school as they learn patience and how to listen and be respectful to others. We give tamariki the opportunity to build their confidence by sharing news. This can be about anything that they have created, a story to share, a toy from home or photos of their latest adventures. We do a range of different games, songs and movement activities throughout mat time to ensure tamariki aren’t sitting for too long.

We also practice ‘Manaakitanga’ daily. This is where we highlight and nominate others who have been kind, friendly, brave, resilient, caring, helpful and respectful towards others. Tamariki who are nominated get to put a special Manaaki stone in the Manaakitanga bag and feel very positive and uplifted when they are chosen.

We work with whānau and support them through the transition process from home to kindergarten, as well as kindergarten to school. Each child is different, some may take more time to settle than others and we want to ensure that they have a fun and positive experience, where the child feels nurtured and safe and is confident throughout the transition.

As a team we have completed an early language and literary course which has enabled us to confidently teach literary skills to our learners. Literary moments are naturally woven throughout our programme and play a big part in our planning. From puppetry to letter writing, all children are encouraged to take part in their own literary journey.

Our kaiako are skilled in implementing the Incredible Years Teacher Programme which supports young children with self-regulation and their social, emotional and academic competence.

We welcome you to visit us so you can see our wonderful learning environment and all the experiences our tamariki enjoy.