Key Teacher Approach

As teachers, we understand that change and transition can be daunting to children and whanau.

At Kindy Cottage we endeavour to support both children and whanau during the transition period. We pride ourselves in our key teacher approach to support and settle your Tamariki into our Kindy Cottage Whanau.

One teacher will be introduced to you and your child as thier ‘key teacher’. This means that, this particular teacher will be your child’s familiar and safe person whilst they settle in. They will show you around, be your main point of contact, help settle your child on drop offs where possible and help guide and support you and your child throughout the transition visits.

During the transition visits, your child’s key teacher will get to know you both and learn about your child’s; routines, rituals, likes, dislikes, interests and any important relevant information. They will build a deep relationship with you both which will help to build trust. To ensure consistency and to foster a secure attachment whilst your child is settling into the new environment, your child’s key teacher will be the one who ensures your tamariki’s needs are met and to carry out necessary care moments throughout the day.

We believe that when children have the consistency of one key teacher and build a secure attachment, it empowers children and gives Tamariki the confidence to try new things and explore the environment, aswell as supporting them to develop a strong sense of who they are. Once children feel safe, secure and confident in the Kindy Cottage environment and are familiar and comfortable with other teachers, then other teachers will help to carry out your child’s care moments throughout the day too.

Caterpillar Room

Our Caterpillar Room provides care for children from 5 months to around 2 years old. Our friendly and professional teachers care for your child and support their development. Routines for sleeping and feeding at our Caterpillar Room are arranged to match your home routine.

Our teachers creating a calm, nurturing environment for your little ones

At Kindy Cottage the days are unhurried. Rather than rushing children from activity to activity our nursery teachers respect each child and their routines.

Our Caterpillar room provides a calm, safe and inviting play space which empowers the children to be who they are. By offering the children space, time, and the support to be themselves they learn to explore and discover the world in their own unique way. We use effective communication to encourage positive interactions and talk to children throughout the day during activities and transition times to reassure and help them.

We only enrol a maximum of 10 children in Caterpillar Room at any time and we run a teacher to child ratio of 1:3.

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Caterpillar Room programme is varied and child-led

For the young children in our Caterpillar room, we encourage child-initiated learning through a combination of free play and structured experiences. We value the emergent curriculum and individual dispositions and interests. Our programme follows the National Early Childhood Curriculum document Te Whàriki.

Each day different learning opportunities are available including, sensory centred play, art, music, dance and outdoor play. Our team of teachers observe each child's interest and disposition, and develop learning opportunities on these interests. We encourage independence and acknowledges individual learning styles of each child.

Morning tea is available from 9.30am and lunch is at 11.30am. Children are encouraged to be independent at the dining table, sit on chairs, and use cutlery and crockery. The daily routines for sleeping and feeding are the same as those at home. Children are able to sleep or rest in their own full size cot. Your child's learning will be documented in their individual learning portfolio.

Butterfly Room

Our Butterfly Room cares for children from around 2 -years-old to 6-years-old. Our teaching team seeks to provide a warm and nurturing environment, where children develop a sense of belonging and create a healthy, happy, and secure approach to learning and living with peers. At Butterfly Room, we strive to meet the children’s individual needs with love, patience, and understanding.

Early childhood education based on individual needs

We believe that children learn naturally through play and we aim to foster each child’s individual social, physical, intellectual and cultural wellbeing. Our programme follows Te Whàriki, the National Early Childhood Curriculum document, which aims to ensure that children:

"Grow up as confident, competent learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valuable contribution".

At Butterfly room, children experience a safe and nurturing environment with routines that match those they follow at home to make them feel comfortable as well as new experiences to challenge them and help them develop new interests and skills. Children are also encouraged to develop social skills and understand the dynamics of group relationships growing in confidence and showing respect and responsibility.

A wide variety of activities on offer

We are influenced by both the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy and RIE approach to childcare and in following this we work hard to observe children's interests and provide activities and experiences to extend their learning in those areas of interest.

Children in Butterfly room are offered a range of organised learning activities including art, baking, carpentry, memory games, music & drama, games & puzzles. And time for spontaneous play and less structured activities including water play, play dough and outdoor play.

Group activities happen at set times during the day and at other times children are free to choose which activities they would like to take part in. If your child has a younger sibling in Caterpillar room, then they will also be able to spend time together if they wish. Positive social interactions such as turn taking, sharing and role modelling are encouraged and fostered.

Primary School Readiness Programme

Starting school can be an exciting time but it can also be daunting for children as they leave the familiarity of their preschool and head off to another place. To help your child make that transition successfully, Butterfly room runs the School Room Programme. This is an extension programme especially for our 4-year-olds to help them get ready for school. The programme focuses on early literacy and numeracy as well as skills to help children be independent. Skills include:

• dressing and putting on shoes and tying laces

• keeping belongings together and other personal organisation

• social skills such as taking turns and working together

• listening and following instructions

• enjoying table activities

Each child has a scrap book which is used for writing and collecting their learning activities. Learning is also recorded in your child's learning portfolio both in hard copy and online via Storypark.

Part-time & full-time options

Kindy Cottage is open from 7.30am to 5.30pm. For preschool children there are two options:

• a full day - 7:30am - 5:30pm

• a 7-hour day - 9:00am-4:00pm

The fees that apply depend on how many days per week your child is enrolled for and a child care subsidy may be available.

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Parent Info

Kindy Cottage welcomes families from all over the North Shore, including:  Albany, Browns Bay, Mairangi Bay, Murrays Bay, Rothesay Bay, Torbay as well as the suburbs of Pine Hill, Sunnynook, Rosedale, Unsworth Heights and Windsor Park.

Our early learning centre is licensed for 38 children and is open from 7.30am to 5.30pm, all year round except for statutory holidays and weekends. Children can attend for full days or short day. Children attend at least three days a week, and our fees are dependent on the days attended and the ages of your children.

We provide nutritious meals including healthy morning, lunch and afternoon tea.

Curriculum

Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum guides and inspires our work. Your child’s innate ability to learn will be sensitively supported by our uniquely qualified and highly experienced staff.

Our daily program focuses on building social and emotional skills through play-based activities, physical development through movement and exercise, and creativity by incorporating the arts and music.

We value each child as a unique and special person whose choices help to guide the course of our daily programme, such as:

• music and movement (supported by AbleKids)

• carpentry

• art and crafts

• pottery experience

• gardening

• loose part play

Healthy and fresh meals for our children

Kindy Cottage teams up with Nurture Kids to provide healthy and fresh meals for our children. Nurture Kids is a locally owned and operated food catering company established in 2017 by owners Frith Griggs and Kristin Burns. The meals are cooked from scratch, using the best quality and seasonal ingredients.

Nurture Kids has a great reputation for providing high-quality catering in the Auckland early childhood sector. They work to provide a daily menu that meets a variety of children’s food needs, reflecting the diversity of cultures and the unique needs of a centre. They deliver on their commitment to provide quality food and service. Nurture Kids have an excellent reputation, and recently they have been selected as the preferred supplier for the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme.

FAQ’s

• What are the hours of operation for the centre?

  Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm.

• What session options are offered?

  We have several session options:

  Full time - 7:30am to 5:30pm

  A 7-hour day 9:00am-4:00pm

• Does Kindy Cottage close at anytime during the year?

  No, Kindy Cottage is open throughout the year and is only closed on statutory days and weekends.

• How do I pay fees?

  Fees are paid weekly in advance by direct bank transfer. Fees are paid weekly for the sessions booked.

• Do I pay fees when my child is on holiday and not attending Kindy Cottage?

  All children enrolled at Kindy Cottage receive two weeks holiday discount of 50% each calendar year. These two weeks can be taken at anytime that best suits you. The child must be enrolled at Kindy Cottage for at least 6 months before there is eligibility to use the 2 week discounted holiday period. At the time of taking the holiday your fees account must be paid up to date.

  These holidays cannot be carried forward from year to year.

• Can my child bring a favourite personal toy?

  Kindy Cottage is well resourced for children's play and we ask that you do not send personal toys from home unless these are special comfort toys which are essential for sleeping or settling/ security needs.

• How many children is Kindy Cottage licensed for?

  The Ministry of Education has licensed Kindy Cottage for 38 children, 12 under 2 year olds and 26 over 2 year olds.

• How many children are in the Caterpillar Room?

  Typically there are 9 children or less in the Caterpillar Room.

• I have 2 children, one would be in the Caterpillar Room and the other is over 3 years, would the children see each other and spend time together during the day?

  Yes, while the two classrooms are separated by a low partition, Kindy Cottage is an open plan centre where siblings can spend time together during the day. The playground is shared and all teachers at the centre know all the children across all age groups.

• What ratio of teachers to children do you have at Kindy Cottage?

  We have a very favourable teacher to child ratio in the Caterpillar Room of 1:3 and in the Butterfly Room 1:8.

• How do I find out what my child has been doing and learning at Kindy Cottage?

  We recognise the importance of communication with parents about their child, we do this through:

  daily communication book for each child in the Caterpillar room

  An overview of the days events are captured in our Daily Diary which are prepared for both our Caterpillars and Butterflies.

  child’s individual interests for the month are recorded on pin boards

  multiple learning stories and "snippets" each month are created and maintained in each child’s portfolio and also available online on a secure website

  parent/ teacher conversations at the start and end of each day

  parents can call during the day for any reason

• Do I provide nappies for my child?

  Yes, please provide nappies that are named along the fold. This ensures that your child receives the correct nappies that suit him/her.

• Do you offer a programme to help the transition between Kindy Cottage and primary school?

  Yes, Kindy Cottage runs a "Transition To School" Programme for 2-5 year olds, this helps prepare the child for transition into the New Entrant Class at school. Our programme is highly rated by local primary schools.