Browns Bay Taiaotea Kindergarten

Welcome to Browns Bay Taiaotea Kindergarten

Kia Ora, 你好, hallo, 안녕하세요 and welcome to Browns Bay Taiaotea Kindergarten. Our kindergarten is situated in the heart of Browns Bay and we are fortunate to look out across the beautiful Freyberg Park. Browns Bay is called home by people from around the world and our community’s unique multi-cultural heritage is an important and respected part of who we are at Taiaotea.

We are a team of passionate kaiako (teachers) who are patient, calm and respectful. We take time in getting to know our tamariki (children) and their whānau (families) through listening to what is important to them, acknowledging that the wairuatanga (spirit) of the child and their whānau needs regular nourishment and support. This enables us to provide individual learning programmes that ensure tamariki get the most out of their early childhood education before transitioning onto school.

Through research and planning we create inviting, stimulating and innovative environments where sustainable practices and thinking are fostered. These values are at the heart of our practice and strongly embedded within our kindergarten philosophy alongside Te Whāriki, (the Early Childhood Curriculum),  tikanga (ways of being), and dispositional learning.  We are part of Enviroschools and have an ongoing learning programme to ensure our tamariki become guardians of their environment.

Engaging with our local community is a key focus of our kindergarten with regular excursions out into the Browns Bay community to explore our local landmarks, make use of local facilities and build strong connections. We encourage our tamariki to manaaki, show kindness and respect to, all they meet and engage with as they explore our local taonga (treasures).

Our Purpose

To provide effective early childhood education services to ensure every child leaves kindergarten with the foundations of personal development and a love of life and learning

Your Child, Your Place

At our centres your child will learn:

• How to relate to other children and their teachers
• How to take responsibility, develop independence and self-confidence
• How to share and explore their understanding of people, places and things
• How to express ideas and acknowledge feelings
• Negotiating, turn taking, cooperation and conflict resolution
• Respect for other cultures, languages and traditions
• How to better interact with family and the wider community
• Hauora (the four dimensions of health), physical, mental, social and spiritual health
• Sustainability and the natural environment

Our History

Kaitiaki Kindergartens were originally known as the East Coast Bays Free Kindergarten Association. Torbay was the association’s first kindergarten which opened in 1954 and it is still a very active kindergarten to this day. As we grew we became known as the Northern Auckland Free Kindergarten Association. Today, we go by the name of ‘Kaitiaki Kindergartens’. Kaitiaki means, “a guardian or trustee, typically of an environmental area or resource.” This change reflects our responsibility to each and every child, community member and kindergarten in the Kaitiaki wider family.

We’re about:

• children, families and whanau
• quality early childhood education
• a qualified and registered workforce
• community
• not-for-profit
• home grown
• kiwi owned

Kindergarten is a partnership between:

Teachers

Qualified, registered teachers provide and deliver educational programmes under the guidance and support of the Professional Practice Leaders.

Our communities

Support teachers and the Association to help raise funds to ensure it has the resources required by the teachers and staff and to build community relationships.

Board of management

Elected by the community by members (parents/whanau) to govern the Association. The board sets policies and the strategic direction of the Association and appoints the General Manager to manage the Association on their behalf.