The Secret Garden Preschool

The Secret Garden is a beautiful, boutique, mixed age and family owned service nestled in the heart of the Howick community.

At The Secret Garden, we believe in the magic of free play, creativity, and encorage tamariki to be the architects of their own learning. Our stunning learning space (inside and out) is where our tamariki can explore, learn, express their unique selves, and take delight in the beautiful provocations within their learning environment.  Our space belongs to our children!

We want every child at The Secret Garden to feel loved, respected and a strong sense of belonging and identity.  Our wonderful kaiako are here to help tamariki discover and expand on their strengths, interests, and unique ways of learning. They encourage children to think for themselves, make decisions, and express their ideas and feelings. We want every child to become confident and capable in every domain of their holistic being. Our child: teacher ratio's are outstanding, and our 100% qualified teaching team have many years of early childhood experience.

Tamariki experience a heart-centered, compassionate, and respectful learning environment, which facilitates them to thrive as they explore the world around them. This nurturing atmosphere fosters a sense of security and belonging, allowing young minds to flourish. Kaiako prioritise emotional well-being, recognising each child’s unique strengths and needs. Through gentle guidance and empathetic interactions, tamariki learn to express themselves, build meaningful relationships, and develop a lifelong love for learning. Respect for each child’s individuality is paramount, creating a space where curiosity is encouraged, mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth, and every achievement is celebrated. In such an environment, tamariki not only gain knowledge but also grow into confident, compassionate, and resilient individuals.

We have an exceptional transition to school programme, that has been developed with local new entrant teachers, who have provided feedback that our tamariki are some of the most successful new entrant transitioners in our community.  Our team are passionate about ensuring that your tamariki are set up for success as they embark on the next part of their learning journey.

We partner with families to ensure every child is happy, healthy, and reaching their full potential, while valuing family aspirations for their learning. We are honored to be part of your child’s early years and love what we do!

We hope you’ll come visit us at The Secret Garden soon! In the meantime, feel free to call or email us for a chat.