At Wickham Preschool in Tauranga we encourage children to be responsible, independent individuals. Wickham Preschool is committed to providing a safe, happy stimulating environment for children to be cared for and to learn in. Each child is recognised and respected as being unique and is encouraged to explore and be creative in a supportive environment where he or she can experience emotional and cultural respect.
Staff:
At Wickham we know that high calibre teachers are a key part of high quality childcare. We select teachers with outstanding personal qualities who excel in preschool education. We encourage our teachers to be trained or in training towards an early childcare degree or diploma. All teachers are effective reflective practitioners and must be actively committed to a professional development programme.
Environment of Respect:
Wickham children are empowered to be independent in an environment of respect and tolerance. Individuality is celebrated. All cultures and ethnicities are enthusiastically embraced.
Learning Environment:
The importance and power of play is an integral part of Wickham’s philosophy. We provide a fun filled secure environment because we know that play and learning go hand in hand. Wickham’s richly resourced environment stimulates children to choose their activities. Encouraging such choices gives children a sense of autonomy and keeps their learning aligned with their interests and thereby increases the likelihood of tasks being completed. In this way our children grow their senses of self worth, confidence, autonomy and intrinsic motivation. These are vital pre cursors for the development of well balanced successful adults.
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Whanau Relationships:
At Wickham we know that a child’s learning journey is profoundly enhanced by a palpably positive relationship between whanau and school. We foster relationships between each child’s Family and our staff. Along with “Te Whanau” we embrace “tuakana / teina” where younger children learn from their peers and older children learn respect and responsibility for younger children. We are guided by our rights and obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of Aoteoroa.
Educational Programme:
Our Educational Programme is based on Te Whaariki, the internationally acclaimed New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum. Our programmes are child centred and offer a broad range of activities that stimulate and challenge each child so they develop in a supportive and emotionally safe environment. |
Our unique environment provides regular opportunities for excursions: bush walks, waterfalls, eel feeding, and Natures Place (right next door), with talking parrots, birds, reptiles, marine fish, frogs, tortoises, turtles and museum displays. |
