Childcare options in New Brighton

The best way to prepare children for the future is to meet children's needs and focus on their strengths in the present.

Our Teaching Philosophy

We believe in providing quality Early Childhood Education and care at our preschools for families/whanau in the Canterbury communities.

Our commitment to quality means:

• respecting, valuing and supporting each child as an individual.
• providing a safe secure, nurturing, creative and challenging environment that builds on the child’s strengths, interests and meets their holistic needs.
• fostering an atmosphere in which parents are supported in their role and feel confident, welcome and are able to contribute to the life of the centres.
• teaching staff are professional sensitive, responsive, committed practitioners who deliver a high-quality learning programme in a nurturing, caring environment.
• providing a quality adult to child ratio that ensures all children have opportunities for positive, constructive individual interactions with teachers.
• providing a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses the Principles, Strands, and Goals of Te Whāriki, the Early Childhood Curriculum.
• all children are given the opportunity to develop a knowledge and understanding of their own culture and the cultural heritage of both partners of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Welcome | Nau mai, haere mai New Brighton Community Preschool and Nursery is a place that provides high-quality education and care for tamariki (children) through to their primary education years. For 40 years our innovative, child directed learning centre has had a strong history and connection within our seaside community, and a keen interest in nurturing our environment, alongside our tamariki and their whanau.

Preschool & Nursery | Kōhanga

The nursery and the preschool learning environments are each designed to facilitate both individual and small group learning interests. The curriculum is responsive to the needs, strengths and learning interests of tamariki. Our role as kaiako (teachers) is to support and inspire children’s mana and identity as a successful learner and contributor to our community.

The curriculum design is based on play-based learning and we provide a thoughtfully prepared learning environment that reflects risk taking, humour, playful banter and accomplishment. Our richly resources environment gives our tamariki opportunity to explore and be intentional about how they want to engage within our centre curriculum design.

We believe in partnership with tamariki and whānau and therefore listen carefully to needs and aspirations to foster trusting and reciprocal relationships. We come together (whakawhanaungatanga) to share our place, we enjoy being with tamariki and learning together. We take the time to get to know each child, recognising their uniqueness, embrace this and plan around this knowledge, supporting learning interests.

We listen to whānau and create a sense that this is their place; their language, culture and identity is valued within our centre and they belong. We support whānau to create relationships with others so they feel they can contribute to this community and our wider community.

We create an environment where children see their image as a successful learner and feel that what they do matters. We create a fun learning environment in which tamariki can choose how to participate. We advocate for tamariki whether this is within assessment or role modelling in our learning environment.

Located in Central New Brighton, Kidsfirst Kindergartens Nuffield is situated between the river (Otakaro), the sea (Moana), and the estuary (Te Wahapu). The kindergarten's vibrant atmosphere is evident as engaged children aged 2 to 5 years enjoy the spacious backyard, which is marked by visible flags. With its unique location, the kindergarten offers a strong connection to the natural environment, allowing children to participate in challenging and physically active play while engaging in creative and sensory experiences. Inside, the learning environment is open, expansive, and inspiring, fostering collaborative learning approaches among the students. At Kidsfirst Kindergartens Nuffield, tamariki have the freedom to explore, interact with their peers, and learn through play. Visitors often remark on the calm and relaxed yet bustling atmosphere as children work alongside each other, making choices that immerse them in the people, places, and objects within their environment and community.