Childcare options in Methven

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

Methven Pre School Learning and Child Care Centre is a community based service that is run as a non-profit organisation, situated in the village of Methven, only 10km from the base of the world class ski resort – Mt Hutt Ski Area. The curriculum we offer is based on Te Whariki – the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum and we believe that children are our primary focus, with each child bringing their unique and exclusive set of capabilities and needs to our centre.  

We are proud of our facilities both inside and out and believe they enhance the warm, friendly and fun environment that children and staff alike can enjoy!

Leap Ahead has purpose built early childhood centres located in Methven & Hinds.

We believe that children learn best in an environment where they feel safe and secure and reassured that their needs will be met, and where they feel that they have a special place. We provide an environment that lays this foundation so that children can develop through communicating effectively, contributing in a variety of situations, and exploring almost everything.

MISSION & VISION

At Leap Ahead Early Childhood Centre we vision a quality learning environment that is interesting, varied and that has well-resourced spaces.  At Leap Ahead we maintain a high calibre of educators at all levels of the profession and a curriculum that is based on the National Framework Te Whariki. Leap Ahead values the importance of play as a key tool for children to learn, and believes that play is the work of the young. We as a centre believe that play contributes to all domains of development.

Our Mission Statement:

At Leap Ahead Early Childhood Centre we believe that children learn best in an environment where they feel safe and secure and reassured that their needs will be met, and where they feel they have a special place. We provide an environment that lays this foundation so that children can develop through communicating effectively, contributing in a variety of situations, and exploring almost everything.

We will provide an environment that:

• Is calm, relaxed, and respectful
• Is inviting and interesting
• Promotes learning and development
• Provides a wide variety of equipment that children can easily access
• Is safe physically and emotionally
• Is inclusive and provides equitable access and opportunities
• Accepts differences in ideas and practices (based on research of best teaching practice)

Educators will:

• Role model respect, loving interactions, and healthy, happy relationships
• Use respectful tones and voices at all times, and encourage children to do the same
• Work alongside children
• Be accepting of individuals and their uniqueness
• Acknowledge, support, and enhance individual needs, interests, and abilities
• Build on children’s individual and collective interests
• Support children as they learn at their own pace to encourage deep learning
• Spontaneously extend children’s play
• Implement and incorporate Te Reo Maori and tikanga practices naturally into the programme
• Provide stimulating, challenging, and fun learning opportunities
• Help children research and gather information
• Provide activities and experiences which challenge and foster children’s thinking and reasoning
• Introduce resources and activities related to events in the wider community
• Collectively plan for specific learning based on observations
• Build on the curriculum emerging through children’s play
• Use the New Zealand Early Childhood Education curriculum, Te Whariki as the basis of their observations, planning, and evaluations
• Communicate with parents every day about their child’s day
• Work with parents and whanau to achieve the best environment for each child
• Maintain a high level of professionalism
• Undertake regular professional development to maintain their knowledge of best teaching practices