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Kakapo Creek Children’s Garden offers premium, attachment-rich childcare and education in the heart of Mairangi Bay on Auckland’s North Shore. With our relationship first focus and consistent long term caregivers, our weekly farm school, our environmentally friendly playground and our bespoke architecture, Kakapo Creek Children's Garden offers you the ultimate experience in early childhood care and education. Parents are often looking for something better for their children. Kakapo Creek offers this to discerning families.
Relationships Matter
Evidence based research shows that children’s best learning and memories take place in relationship with adults who matter. That’s why, at Kakapo Creek we take special care to maintain consistent, long term caregivers so that the child-teacher relationship is optimised. Research shows that disruptions in attachment relationships at a young age can be harmful to children's development. That's why we have carefully designed our processes to optimise warm, consistent care for your child.
- our teaches work every day - so your child can depend on consistent care from teachers they know and love (many other centres have part time teachers who work split shifts)
- our teachers are 100% qualified, experienced, warm, responsive and fun!
- your child will be hugged, nurtured, supported and known
- our teachers love working at Kakapo Creek and value our attachment rich practices
- we have exceptional child:teacher ratios to enhance the contact and attention your child receives each day
- we support families through regular social gatherings and parent workshops
Learning Program
Children spend time every day in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities, closely connected to teachers who know them and their family. Our teachers encourage a sense of wonder and delight in our children ensuring that their natural curiosity, joy and energy is nurtured.
Children experience an enriched curriculum with a large selection of quality resources and equipment - no expense has been spared to provide the very best. See our website for full details, information and to book a tour.
Reading and Numeracy
We use a phonics reading program and an integrated numeracy program in teaching literacy and maths skills. No child is forced to learn and teachers carefully watch for signs of interest in these concepts and encourage each individual child as they are ready.
Most learning takes place through planned, intentional and free play and conversations, while our dedicated school readiness program works with children nearing school age.
Specialist Itinerant Teachers
Each week at Kakapo Creek is full of variety. We contract specialist itinerant teachers to run developmentally appropriate specialist adventures in STEAM, sport, woodwork, music and movement. These are lots of fun and ensure that children of different ages and interests are specifcally cared for within our multi-age, family styled classrooms.
For Children Aged Three to Six
Children over three are placed in family styled classrooms that are the best fit for their unique personality and maturity levels. There are three teachers in each classroom and these teachers remain with the children for their journey at Kakapo Creek.
We use consistent caregivers so there is less changing teachers and classrooms. Research shows that this is best for children’s emotional and social development. Parents can rest assured that their young child is deeply and personally loved and nurtured throughout their journey at Kakapo Creek. Because of our family focus, strong bonds are built, not only between teacher and child but also between child and parent - we journey together.
Under Three Year Olds
Because we understand the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life, we support parents with children under three years of age through our highly experienced and quality ECE teachers with exceptional ratios. We provide ecologically friendly biodegradable nappies and wipes for our children - included in the fee.
Our Planet Matters - Farm School
We’ve designed an environment that is rich in nature including our very own farm school where children go on a field trip to our farm and native bush every week.
At Kakapo Creek we know children need nature to develop their sense of inquiry and curiosity. Nature also helps us find contentment and rest.
Once a week children visit our Farm School – a day spent at our very own 1.2ha farm-bush in Silverdale. Here children explore our one acre native bush, care for and learn about our animals – chickens, sheep, fish, and grow vegetables in our glass house and walled vegetable garden and pick organic fruit from our orchard. Children will be able to roam and explore our native bush and roll down grassy hills. This is an optional extra for families and is charged additional to our fees.
Meals
Our professionaly trained chef prepares nutritious cooked meals for our children every day. This is in additon to morning and afternoon tea and additional snacks for children who are with us for extended hours. Our chef also prepares treats for parents and will cook a special cake for your child's birthday (on request). We cook with our planet in mind - our food is vegetarian to help our planet.
Parent Support
Kakapo Creek Parents have free access to attachment and neuroscience informed parenting workshops. Full support is offered to parents who are struggling in their family relationships. Just ask at reception for an appointment with our family therapist. We also hold highly popular, regular parent socials and events.
Fees
Because we offer so many enhanced benefits to families, we don't compete on price. If you are looking for a cheaper early childhood experience there are many lovely centres in our neighbourhood. But if you're wanting better for your child, then come and visit Kakapo Creek to see if we would be a good fit for your child. Our fees are published on our website: www.kakapocreek.school.nz
PHILOSOPHY
Kakapo Creek Children's Garden is devoted to attachment rich and nature infused early childhood care and education in a sustainable, natural, award winning environment. Children at Kakapo Creek are surrounded by love, consistent nurturing care, and nature. We base our practice, not on philosophies of 100 years ago, but on modern, evidence based neuroscience and attachment.
OUR TEACHERS
We believe in the importance of a close and nurturing relationship between teacher and child to create a sense of safety where a child can then learn and explore. That's why we spend considerable time and effort ensuring that our teachers have the time and scope to develop these all important relationships. Kakapo Creek teachers teach five days a week - we don't do job sharing - so that your child's teacher is available for your child at all times possible.
Kakapo Creek has 100% qualified and highly warm, experienced and fun teachers.
We have exceptional teacher:child ratios of 1:4 in under twos, 1:6 for two to three year olds and 1:8 in over threes classrooms.
TEACHING, LEARNING AND CURRICULUM
We provide a healthy and developmentally appropriate blend of planned intentional teaching and free play. Structure and individual planning informs our teacher practice while children experience this deep and deliberate teacher planning as fun learning through play.
In addition to our daily exceptional teaching and learning we offer additional specialist teaching time each day so that children truly have an enriched education and curriculum:
- Monday: STEAM
- Tuesday: Playball (sports and gross motor skills)
- Wednesday: Carpentry
- Thursday: Playball (sports and gross motor skills)
- Friday: Dance and Music
- Our Get Ready for School Group (Tuakana) meets four days a week with our four year old children where they learn literacy, maths and self help skills to give them ample readiness for school.
Children aged over 3 years of age are invited to opt in to our weekly farm school excursion to our private 1.2 hectare farm and forest where children spend a day with a classroom teacher and a specialist farm school teacher in a stunning outdoor environment. This builds resilience, problem solving and a love of nature while giving children opportunities not normally available in an urban environment. Children are enrolled on a term by term basis in farm school.
Kakapo Creek Children’s Garden offers premium early childhood care and education with exceptional personalised service for families, 100% qualified ECE teachers, low ratios and substantial extra curricular activities.
Our fees are published online - we are a bit pricey. But you get so much for the extra price!
Check out our fees online: https://kakapocreek.co.nz/enrolment-options/
ADMINISTRATION FEE AND BOND
There are no enrolment application fees. However, upon acceptance and to secure your enrolment we charge a non refundable $100 administration fee and a $500 refundable bond payable at the time of enrolment. This bond will be refunded when your child leaves Kakapo Creek provided the appropriate notice has been given and all fees are paid in full.
INCLUSIONS
Bamboo biodegradable nappies, nutritious cooked meals, morning tea and afternoon tea, specialist teachers (carpentry, music, dance, playball, STEAM), lower teacher:child ratios, our parent portal app, Kakapo Creek events and parent support.
DISCOUNTS
50% discount for up to 15 days holidays per annum, pro rata. Full fees are charged for additional holidays. Holiday discounts can be applied to sick days by request. We offer a 10% sibling discount off the eldest child’s fees.
20 HOURS ECE* AND OPTIONAL CHARGES
Services over and above MOE regulation are able to be charged for during the 20 Hours ECE subsidy hours for children aged 3 years and over. If attending less than 20 hours per week, additional optional charges apply for the following services: Bamboo biodegradable nappies (where applicable), nutritious cooked meals, morning tea and afternoon tea, specialist itinerant teachers (music, dance, carpentry, playball), lower teacher:child ratios and our parent portal app in addition to the extra non-funded hours. For children aged over three years of age, attending over 20 hours per week these fees are included in the above rates. If attending less than 20 Hours optional charges apply. Further information on this is available on your tour or at reception at any time. If your child attends more than 20 hours, the above services are provided within your fees. See our website for full fee information.
FARM SCHOOL
There are 30 Farm School vacancies each term – 10 on each of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Farm School is available to children aged three and over who are toilet trained on a first come, first served basis each school term. Parents enrol in farm School for a full school term, and fees are charged at $70 per session and are charged at a rate per term, payable with your fees each week. Farm School does not operate during school holiday times. There is no discount from this fee and make up days will be offered only if and when available. There are no refunds or discounts if your child is absent.
LATE FEES
Late pick up fees apply as per the parent handbook.
MINIMUM ENROLMENT
3 days per week (minimum 6.5 hour days).
INTERNATIONAL FEES
Please inquire directly via email, phone or during your tour about our non-subsidised fees for international children (non residents visa). We do not enrol children for short term ‘English enrichment’ type holidays due to our attachment rich philosophy and our commitment to doing what is in children’s best interests.
We serve healthy, nutritionally balanced vegetarian meals in support of our commitment to nature and the environment and to children's health and wellbeing too.
Our meals are prepared by a qualified chef who cooks with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit purchased from our local fruit and vegetable retailer. Meals are on a 4 week cycle that changes between summer and winter.
- Morning tea consists of a variety of seasonal fresh fruit, vegetables and a carbohydrate such as hummus with crackers
- Lunch is a nutritiously balanced cooked meal including vegetarian protein
- Afternoon is is a variety of seasonal fresh fruit with some home baking
- There is a late snack of fruit and crackers for children who are here after 4:30pm