Anchorage Park Kindergarten

Welcome to Anchorage Park Kindergarten’s Community. Kia ora, Namaste, Hia Hao, Konnichiwa, Ohaiyogozaimasu, Welkin, Malo e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Hola, Hello!

At Anchorage Park Kindergarten we believe in recognising and valuing the journey of learning for children and their whānau in our community through a collaborative, inclusive and reflective approach.  Partnerships are nurtured and respected for children and adults to experience a sense of belonging and well-being.

Teachers at Anchorage Park Kindergarten believe that:

• The culture of our kindergarten recognises and values the journey of learning for children, teachers and adults through a collaborative, reflective approach.
• Partnerships are nurtured and respected for children and adults to experience a sense of belonging and well-being within the kindergarten.
• Children are capable and competent learners within our enriched learning environment.
• Children’s learning opportunities and possibilities are enhanced with teachers recognising, valuing, listening and responding.
• Children’s well-being and learning will be empowered and enriched with our transition to school programme.

We have been recognised as a finalist for this programme in the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award 2015 Focus Prize – Takatū Prize which celebrates a focus on collaboration that creates Learner-led Pathways from early childhood to schooling. Click here to watch this video that explains our programme.

We are proud to be awarded again after 3 years the recognition of another Pā Harakeke – Gold Award from the Heart Foundation.

There is an important distinction between kindergarten and daycare or childcare. Auckland Kindergartens are community based and have a strong family focus. Parents and whanau are an integral part of what we do.

The passion and purposefulness of our teachers gives Anchorage Park tamariki a head start in their transition to school.

The kaiako/teaching team at Anchorage Park Kindergarten are caring, passionate, qualified, dedicated and enthusiastic.

Teachers value, listen and respond to learning opportunities and possibilities for children within an enriched magical learning environment.

All of the teachers are dedicated to, and passionate about, early childhood education. Our quality learning programmes are based on the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki and Reggio Emilia practices and principles.

Our learning philosophy

For the past 110 years, the Auckland Kindergarten Association has been igniting young minds by encouraging them to explore their imaginations through play. For many of us, kindergarten was where we began our life of learning; it was where we started learning skills like sharing, tolerance, patience, respect and self-confidence.

We view children as capable, competent, life-long learners, and our philosophy encourages children to make their own learning choices, problem-solve and observe and explore at their own pace…with support from teachers, parents, wider whānau and their peers. We value the importance of child-initiated, play-based experiences. Our kindergarten teachers nurture your children’s interests and natural curiosity by working alongside them, expanding language and introducing mathematical and science concepts, as well as literacy, digital technology and sustainable practices.

Our centres have gardens and natural outdoor spaces where children can create, explore, be imaginative and expressive. There’s plenty of room to safely run about, being imaginative and physically active. In fact, the natural world is essential to free-range play. AKA encourages each kindergarten community to explore and enrich their diversity and uniqueness. Some have regular excursions into the local community; some are Enviroschool kindergartens that live and breathe sustainable practices; while others engage in long-term research on child interest-based programmes of learning.

As an organisation, we formally acknowledge the dual heritage of Aotearoa / New Zealand, and work to uphold the spirit and intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in each kindergarten. We are accessible, secular and welcoming to the wide diversity of tamariki and whānau who attend our centres, and value ongoing partnerships between teaching teams and leadership staff with families and whānau. We value ongoing learning for teachers, parents and whānau, and the sharing of knowledge, skills and attributes is fundamental to achieving the best learning outcomes for children. Teachers and staff can access collegial professional time to ensure that quality practice is enhanced so current theories of learning and development within New Zealand’s world-class Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum are shared and understood.

Children learn

• Feel confident, develop responsibility and a sense of independence
• Play meaningfully alongside other children and adults
• Develop effective communication skills
• Persevere, problem-solve and take risks
• Explore limits, boundaries, routines and conflict resolution strategies
• Practice fine motor skills such as threading, writing, cutting and grasping
• Develop gross motor play such as physical games like climbing, throwing, kicking, balancing and lifting
• Develop creative expressions through painting, music, collage, movement, dance, finger-painting, drawing, cutting, pasting and story sharing
• Develop early numeracy, literacy and science skills
• Learn techniques through trial and error
• Explore the world through experimenting, questioning and curiosity
• Develop confidence and celebrate both attempts and successes
• Develop a passion for learning and a love of life
• Have fun!

Older children will be supported in their transition to school to make this process as simple and seamless as possible. Book a visit here on Kindello today, we’d love to meet you.