E rere ana ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa, ngā mātua me ngā whānau e poipoi ana i ngā rangatira ō āpōpō.
We greet and acknowledge our parents and whānau who are nurturing our leaders of tomorrow.

Auckland Kindergarten Association foreground the relationships required to enact the te Tiriti o Waitangi and the status of te reo and tikanga Māori as taonga (treasures), which are an essential part of the heritage of Aotearoa / New Zealand.

We are guided by, Te Whāriki, He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa, our national early childhood education curriculum which is a bi-cultural document affirming both official languages of NZ Māori and English. We uphold this bi-cultural curriculum, based on the attributes of trust, respect and partnership between Māori, as tangata whenua, and Pākehā.

Each of our 107 kindergartens has a Treaty of Waitangi statement of teaching practice, developed in consultation with parents and whānau, and specific to the aspirations of each kindergarten. This statement details how the kindergarten will embody the treaty principles of partnership, protection and participation in their everyday teaching practice with children and whānau.

What you will notice in our kindergartens as a parent visiting is how we incorporate bi-culturalism.  You may see and hear teachers and tamariki speaking Māori words and phrases, singing waiata, bringing Māori stories and art to life, and celebrating significant events such as Matariki, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori language week.

You may also see artefacts and resources around the kindergarten that reflect the both traditional and contemporary Māori worlds.

You will experience a warm welcoming atmosphere of whanaungatanga, kinship making close becoming kin and manaakitanga, the care of others. The tamaiti / child is a precious taonga/ treasure inherently rich in history, competent and complete descending from many generations ago. They are a reflection of their tipuna/ ancestors and an integral link to the past, present and future.

If you would like more information on our bicultural practice and how Auckland Kindergarten Association upholds the Treaty of Waitangi, please pop in to your local kindergarten and speak with our team.