Childcare options in Northcote

Our passionate and experienced team provide strong meaningful foundations for children's lifelong learning, with respect and empowerment being at the heart of everything we do. Establishing a strong sense of belonging through trusting relationships, and promoting wellbeing, self-confidence, independence, and individuality are our goals for every child in our care.

Our expansive outdoor environment is a hidden gem. Our fruit and vegetable garden, mud pit, climbing tree, bamboo cave, and purpose-built playground equipment are perfect for child-friendly learning and big adventure!

We are a not-for-profit centre, offering care and education for 42 children, including 8 under the age of 2, and our open-plan, mixed-age environment supports a welcoming, close-knit community.

You'll find us on the AUT North Campus. Book in and visit us soon!

Located in the heart of Northcote, LU has been providing high quality care and education to children aged 3 months – 5 years old.

We are privately owned and operated, with warm, friendly, qualified staff.

Our centre is currently licensed for 62 children, and has small group sizes with excellent teacher/child ratios.

We believe that every child has the right to the highest quality early childhood care and education, and we ensure that is what we provide.

Learning Unlimited Childcare Philosophy

At Learning Unlimited Childcare centre, we strive to provide a warm, loving, fun and safe environment to our children. By following each child’s curiosity, creativity and interest, we create endless possibilities and opportunities for learning at our childcare setting.

Our philosophy’s development is based on the four principles of Te Whāriki, the National Early Childhood Curriculum. These principles are:

Family and community

At Learning Unlimited, we recognize the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi and therefore Te Reo (language) and Tikanga (custom) Maori are woven into our daily practice. We take pride in ourselves to be a community based as well as a multicultural centre.

Therefore we welcome families from different cultures and we value their contribution to complete the identity and uniqueness of our centre. We also believe in the inclusion of children with diverse needs and we will modify our curriculum where possible to support all children in their learning.

Empowerment

We are committed to prepare and plan our environment in such a way to foster positive self-image and confidence in the children at LU.

We believe in the power of positive role-modelling, which has a profound influence on our children. Through role-modelling, our teachers strive to promote many internal skills such  as perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism in our children, which help the children become independent, life-long learners and contributing members of the society.

Holistic Development

We aim to always be aware of each child’s individual interests, strengths and levels of development.

This serves as the foundation of our curriculum which aims to foster development of children in the cognitive, spatial, social-emotional, spiritual, logical, physical and language domains. Values play an important role within our programme. We encourage children to think laterally about how they respond and the effect on others. We believe that a successful life has as much to do with emotions and behavior as it does with academic achievement (Gayne, 2004). Excellent facilities and resources are provided to promote both gross and fine motor skills development.

Relationships:

We strive to meet the needs of parents/whānau, who play the primary role in the development of their children.

It is paramount to establish and maintain reciprocal relationships between staff, children and their parents/ whānau. Children and their parents/whānau are greeted warmly as they arrive at the centre. Management and staff are always available to talk to parents regarding to their suggestions and concerns

Our Centre 

We are owner-operated and licensed to cater for at total of 35 children. We are licensed for up to 10 children under 2yrs old.

Facilities

We are so proud of our amazing outdoor play area. We have carefully thought it out through a childs mind and really tapped into a sense of natural play and "outdoorsie" adventure, being careful to keep safety top of mind, while letting our little ones play with delight! 

Online Portfolios

At Newbies we use the interactive portfolio system Story Park.

​Upon starting at Newbies we will guide you through joining and using Story Park

Staff

Newbies has a high teacher/child ratio with fully trained highly qualified staff. We welcome you to visit and experience the interaction for yourself.

Activities

In line with our Philosophy, we believe that children should be offered an environment where their well-being, belonging and development is nurtured and enriched. At Newbies we feel that our children deserve a beautiful centre to come to, one that they feel comfortable in and respect.

Onepoto Playcentre builds confident, competent learners by valuing our children’s play and exploration.

Our tamariki are free to explore the many play opportunities. Children love to explore, create, get messy and make believe. Sand, paint, jumping, swings, dolls, cooking, carpentry, and costumes are particularly popular. Adults support children with equipment, conversations and our participation in their play. We have fun together and build lasting relationships. 

We value the many languages and cultures of our families and the many skills of our parents and children. We are all learning together. Our adults participate in the free Playcentre adult education programme. This enables us to plan and set-up different activities each session. We also make decisions together and share the responsibilities of running an early childhood centre.

Thinking about Home Based childcare with Home Grown Kids?

All of our Educators are carefully selected and screened including Police Vetting, identity checks, an interview that assess their attitudes and values toward children and an overall assessment of risk.

Enquire today and we’ll be in touch with you soon to provide the perfect option for your family.

Choosing the Best Educator for Your Child

We stand strong alongside our Educators. We care about them and we’re committed to the work they do, supporting and communicating with them every step of the way. We understand that engaged, fulfilled Educators make for happy families and even happier tamariki who thrive in these small group settings.

Small Group Setting

Our Home Based childcare groups are capped at a maximum of four children under the age of six, including Educators’ own children. This means we can offer each child the individual attention they need to flourish.

The best fit for your whānau values

Our Educators offer a range of different programmes based around their beliefs, values, culture, background and philosophies. Over 90% of our Educators hold a recognised ECE qualification. Some of our Educators are mothers and grandmothers with fantastic life skills, experience and knowledge. We’ll listen to your needs and then offer, where possible, a range of Educators. You will get to choose an Educator that you and your whānau connect with and trust.

Exceeding educational standards

An education programme that reflects New Zealand ECE curriculum - Te Whāriki. We are a Ministry of Education approved and licensed Early Childhood Education provider. Regularly reviewed by the

Education Review Office to ensure all our Home Based environments not only meet, but exceed the Ministry of Education’s Licensing Criteria for Home-based Services (2008).

Subsidies available

We’re an approved Work and Income provider and can support you to access a childcare subsidy if you are eligible.

20 hours ECE scheme

The Government subsidises all children aged 3-5 years (or 6 if not enrolled in school) who attend an ECE facility, making access more affordable for all.

Leaders in development practices for each child

All our Educators are supported and guided by our Visiting Teachers who are Qualified certificated ECE teachers with many years’ experience and expertise in early childhood education. Our Visiting Teachers regularly attend professional development to keep up-to-date with current research and theory for best practice for Education and care for under fives.

Our philosophy, vision and mission

• Our Vision– The why – The reason we exist:

To provide a family friendly wrap around support service that enables all tamariki/whanau to learn, grow and thrive in a home-based setting. Investing in cultivating kindness, strong and professional relationships, in all our people to continue growing as lifelong learners

• Mission Statement – The How -How are we going to achieve the Vision?

We will achieve our Vision through ensuring that every team member is emotionally invested in the well-being of our people including tamariki, whanau, Educators, communities and our Edubase family. We value successes and that these are not ours alone, the greatest success comes from the strengths of many. Our passion, knowledge and commitment will be the catalyst that enables everyone to learn, thrive and achieve.

• Philosophy Statement

Edubase is a Home Based Early Childhood Education service that is committed to providing nurturing learning environments where tamariki thrive as individuals through an authentic play-based, natural learning education and care programme, in a home setting.

To enrich the learning of each tamariki we form strong community connections, developing links within the home and the learning environments of our Kaiako. Tamariki learn respect for people, places and things, shaping Aotearoa and developing an appreciation of New Zealand’s dual heritage. We continually strive to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi – supporting a holistic approach to learning which is guided by our NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki.

Educators and Nannies offer comfortable, small group sizes, fostering respectful and reciprocal relationships, promoting tikanga Māori within their practice.

As an Organisation, we pride ourselves on cultivating strong, professional relationships, strengthening capability in all our people to continue growing as lifelong learners.

Edubase celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of each tamaiti, whanau and Kaiako and the gifts they bring. They are taonga, a treasure or gift. All things cultural are affirmed and celebrated, aiming to support children in gaining a positive awareness of their own and other cultures.

Tiaki nga tamariki – take care of the children

Northcote Pre-School Community Trust (Kete Wananga) is licensed to provide all day and sessional care and education for up to 30 children aged over 2 years of age. It caters for an increasingly culturally diverse community.

The service is governed by a charitable trust and operates from the Northcote Community hall. The trustees supports the centre manager to oversee the daily operation of the centre. The manager leads a team of three registered teachers and one teacher in training.

The centre's philosophy is underpinned by the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers aim to work in partnership to empower children and their whānau and to provide an effective learning programme that supports each child's unique interests. Inclusion of all children is important to the team.

THIS CENTRE IS NOT CURRENTLY TAKING ENROLMENTS

For over 30 years we have been offering quality education and care to families in and around the Birkenhead and Northcote areas. Our lovely villa is a home away from home for children aged from 4 months - school.

Please note - This centre is full in the under 2 area

Conveniently located on Onewa Rd, this historic villa has offered high quality early childhood education and care since 1993.

Tots (as it’s affectionately known) is licensed for 37 children from 6 months to school age. This converted villa has three spacious learning spaces, naturally separating into two environments for children aged 2 to 5 years and a third nurturing space for children under 2 years. The large front yard is designed to offer challenges for the older children with a separate safe multi sensory outdoor environment for our under 2’s.

We offer education and care between 7.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and are open all year except for a two week period over Christmas and the New Year. This gives children and teachers time to re-energise both mind and body.

At Tui’s Nest Childcare we provide children with a positive and well-balanced environment that is safe, challenging, nurturing and educational. Our centre is conveniently located between Birkenhead and Northcote, providing top quality childcare, daycare and preschool on Auckland’s North Shore.

We take pride in providing a wide range of activities aimed at assisting the development of the children while remembering that they are still children. We mix fun with learning, socializing with ethical awareness, and good manners with a healthy serving of play and exploration.

We are licensed for 45 children with a maximum of 20 under 2’s. We have fully qualified teachers who specialise in all manners of creative learning – arts and crafts, dance, music, painting, dramatic play, games, and other ECE activities.  Our staff is motivated, warm and caring people who have empathy and the ability to relate positively to the children and their families.

Our Centre Philosophy

Is whanau based where we reflect our cultural diversity, our heritage and our community

Our Programme

Is based on Te Whaariki, the Early Childhood National Curriculum.

We encourage children to learn through their:

• Language
• Cognitive
• Social and
• Physical Development

To achieve this we have dedicated, registered, qualified teachers and in training staff who will observe, assess and evaluate every child’s learning outcome in a warm safe environment where all children and adults explore, have fun and learn together.

Our focus on learning and planning is developed to encourage positive learning experiences for your child which is included in our daily routines.

Our focus on learning is based on practices from your child’s interest which incorporates the principals of Te Whaariki

Our programme planning is displayed for all parents to view and to question.

We encourage you as parents to ask our teachers on your child’s development in our centre, to look at your child’s portfolios, to read our newsletters, read our policies and help with reviewing them, to attend Parent/teacher interview evenings, come on excursions and attend functions at the centre.