Kia ora, Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava, Kia orana, Namaste, Nĭ hăo, Assalamu alaikum, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Hi

We celebrate our tamariki – What does this look like at our kindergarten? We value who they are, what they can do and where they come from. We celebrate Pasefika language weeks and other special days valued by our families from around our world. We recognise and value the special bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa, New Zealand and this sits alongside our celebrations of diversity and inclusion of other cultures at our kindergarten. We believe a strong cultural identity will support our tamariki to move confidently not only through their school learning but through life.

Whānau connection/Whanaungatanga – There’s a strong sense of community here at Wesley Kindergarten, parents and whānau are always welcome and encouraged to participate. Our whānau love being a part of kindergarten life and we share positive relationships with them – they come in to cook, sing, create, dance, and share kai with us. Whānau share positive feedback about how quickly their tamariki settle in and the aroha they receive. All tamariki and their whānau have a place at Wesley Kindergarten!

Quality learning – We value childhood and the importance of play, and support the ideas and thoughts of our tamariki by providing experiences that support their strengths, interests and skills. From gardening, carpentry and cooking to creating through art, dancing, singing, and storytelling, we are extremely well resourced to provide a variety of learning experiences. Through play experiences they see themselves as learners, nurture friendships and make new ones, and develop social skills such as turn taking, sharing ideas and resources, laughing together and having fun.

Dedicated team – Our teaching team share a teaching philosophy of aroha/love and manaaki/care for our tamariki with respect. We are passionate about language and recognise the variety of ways tamariki communicate through art, sharing verbal stories, or non-verbally. Tamariki look forward to going on excursions, such as watching a show at the Pumphouse which supports interest in performance and stories, and visiting the recycling plant to support education of looking after our environment. Tamariki are supported to recycle and learn about sustainable practices at Wesley Kindergarten.

Encouraging tamariki – We are big on encouraging tamariki to try new things, have a go, and never give up. Play lays the foundation for life learning and we encourage their sense of resilience and an “I’ll have a go!” attitude. This strengthens the mana in who they are and what they can do. Tamariki develop positive learner identities and are valued taonga/treasures of Wesley Kindergarten.

Manaakitanga – We encourage friendships and a sense of togetherness through not only tuakana-teina, where our older tamariki take care of our younger tamariki, but through promoting the idea that we are all responsible for each other. Thinking about others and acts of kindness are encouraged. This supports leadership within our older tamariki which helps our younger tamariki to feel safe and secure.

Specialist care – 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.

Ready for school – Promoting social competency and skills is a strength of our teaching team. We enrol tamariki from 2 years of age and support their learning journey so they are well equipped to start school. Children enrolling at Wesley Primary School get to meet the new entrant’s teacher, Miss Rose.

Contact us today, we’d love to show you around our kindergarten!