Torbay Kindergarten

Welcome to Torbay Kindergarten - Nurturing a Lifelong Passion for Discovery and Learning

Torbay Kindergarten is the oldest kindergarten in the East Coast Bays, officially opening on Saturday 31st May 1969. However, it started long before then… In 1947 a private kindergarten was started in the new hall by Miss Wiseman and her sister, Miss Enid, as a helper. After much fundraising the site and building that is Torbay Kindergarten today was built.

We welcome you to browse our site or come into our kindergarten and have a look around, meet the teachers and enjoy our warm and friendly environment.

Our curriculum reflects the principles of Te Whariki and our commitment to creating and maintaining a unique bi-cultural, sustainable environment that reflects Aotearoa New Zealand.

We provide a welcoming, safe, caring and fun environment where learning, play and extending children’s strengths and interests are promoted.

Exploration of the natural environment encourages children’s imagination, independence, creativity and respect.

We build positive partnerships with whānau through effective communication and foster a sense of belonging and well-being for children and whānau.

All children are valued as individuals and supported in their unique learning journey. We focus on developing positive dispositions for life long learning.

We are facilitators, observers and provocateurs who provide opportunities and possibilities to extend children’s interests and promote best learning outcomes for children.

We are leaders in our learning community, acting as role models for citizenship by fostering respectful and reciprocal relationships where social competency is currency.

At Torbay Kindergarten we weave sustainable/environmental practice through all aspects of our programme.  This is reflected in our beach trips to Waiake Beach, our recycling and bokashi composting system, and our wonderful natural environment including our mud pit, earth kitchen and lazy river with rain water tanks.

Our children are surrounded by an environment that they treasure and this in turn nurtures a strong sense of belonging. They learn to respect their surroundings and are acquiring skills that will translate into sustainable lifelong habits.

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.