Childcare options in Spotswood

Nga mihi o te wa ki a koe te whanau. Greetings to you and the family

Nau mai haere mai, welcome to Ngamotu Kindergarten

We would love to have you and your child/children come and join us at our beautiful kindergarten. We have spacious grounds, large trees, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, wilderness as well as space to run and explore. Our curriculum is fun and educationally enriched with activities and experiences that nurture and promote children to grow as competent and confident learners, healthy in mind, body and spirit.

Our teachers are all experienced and committed to providing quality learning for your child.

Positive and responsive interactions between children, teachers, and parents nurture relationships to support a peaceful atmosphere where cultural diversity is recognized and valued.

We are proud of the many strengths or special features that our kindergarten offers families. Some of these include:

• Environmental awareness – gardening, observing, exploring and nurturing the environment
• Self help and self care skills – toileting, handwashing, karakia and healthy eating. (We provide a healthy morning tea every day for the children. This includes fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade dips e.g hummus and bean dip, plus other wholesome foods.)
• Social awareness and competence – We support children to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will foster ongoing relationships with others.
• Literacy and Numeracy – This is integrated into planned and spontaneous experiences with children. Our teachers have all completed a Ministry of Education literacy programme to ensure our teaching practice is aligned to what is recognised to be ‘best practice’ to support children’s learning.
• Celebrating language and cultural diversity – We use te reo Maori and English at the kindergarten and we are committed to extending our knowledge, skills and attitudes.
• The Arts – We enjoy dancing, singing, performing, making music, listening to music as well as exploring a range of visual art experiences with children.

Te Kōhanga Reo

The kōhanga reo movement is a unique initiative based on total immersion in Māori language and values with the aim of passing on Māori culture to future generations.

Kōhanga reo emphasise the revitalisation of the culture through te reo Māori and are dependent on the active participation of the whole whānau. The kaupapa of kōhanga reo aims to strengthen whānau capabilities in cultural, social, economic, spiritual and political matters. Education, health and wellbeing are inherent within all aspects of the kaupapa. The prime focus is the whānau – its collective development, growth, accountability and wellbeing set within a Māori cultural context.

Kōhanga reo do not regard tamariki in isolation, but as important members of the whānau. The kōhanga reo philosophy is that tamariki will benefit when whānau successfully operate according to the kaupapa. Tamariki are an integral part of whānau development.

The following key goals are the foundation of te kōhanga reo kaupapa established in 1982:

• total immersion in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in daily operations
• whānau decision-making, management and responsibility
• accountability
• health and wellbeing of mokopuna and whānau.

The key goals of te kōhanga reo assure that there will be:

• security in te reo Māori
• a supportive, caring environment for mokopuna
• whānau (collective) sharing of responsibilities, knowledge and expertise
• greater respect and appreciation of each other.