Teaching & Learning
Growing With Your Child
Throughout your child’s journey with us, our approach thoughtfully adapts to your child’s development over time. Moving from the close loving care we provide for our babies to fostering the burgeoning independence and transition to school of our older tamariki. We adapt our approach to your child as they grow with us.
Following Their Lead
Children are natural inquirers, when you allow children to have the space and time to explore freely this supports their own learning. Our teachers have a great understanding of knowing how to follow children’s lead through respectful interactions, uninterrupted play and supporting learning with the environment as the third teacher.
Respectful Approaches
Our approach is to see each child as an individual who comes with their own mana and knowledge. We believe the child should always be at the heart of the matter. We have an understanding of RIE (Recourses for Infant Educarers) - Magda Gerber approach to respectful care for early childhood educators and parents, caregivers, which we adapt to the context of Leigh Community Preschool. Respectful care is at the heart of what we do.
Hauturu Space:
Under 2 Year Olds
Here at Leigh Community Preschool we provide a safe, unhurried space for our under 2 tamariki.
We hold a strong emphasis on free movement where the child can move in an environment that is suited to their developmental needs and stages. This provides a respectful environment for under 2s to learn about their own capabilities, build confidence and explore in a beautiful and unhurried environment.
Our philosophy supports teachers’ understanding and ability to support our tamariki and whānau with the utmost respect, love, and care. We are so lucky to have our teachers support our precious toanga (gift) which is our children.
1:3 Ratio
We pride ourselves in having a low child to teacher ratio for our under 2 tamariki as we know the importance of taking the time to slow down and support children through their special care moments. We also pride ourselves in ensuring our group size is small and intimate for our tamariki and teachers where we care for only up to 5 under year olds per day with two teachers. This intimate ratio creates beautiful relationships between teachers and children.
Natural Rhythms
Young infants and toddlers come with their own natural/home routines this is why our teachers support children’s own rhythms and routines by following children’s cues and having a partnership with parents where communication supports the needs of the child. When you come to see us you will see children are able to move freely and have access to the kai table where a teacher will sit with and support them, as well as individualised attention for sleep times and any special care moments.
Loving Care
Our Hauturu space holds a special place for not only our babies but also our teachers. In this space we create peaceful and loving relationships. With two teachers and 5 babies at a time it feels like a home away from home. Our outdoor space also allows for wonder and awe as children explore the new things in their lives and teachers share this excitement with them through their learning journey. It truly is a magical time for our babies.
Aotea Space:
3 to 5 Year Olds
We continue to provide a safe, unhurried environment for our tamariki as they transition to our Aotea classroom. This space allows for wonderful interactions between peers, teachers and the world around our children.
We love to provide loose parts in our environment for the tamariki to explore, imagine, construct and negotiate with their peers. We allow for children to have the time to play, and to revisit their play over and over again, as this is part of their learning and understanding about how things work as they develop their own theories about the world around them.
Our tamariki also have the chance to go outside the preschool gates and go on walks with teachers around the Leigh community. We visit the local primary Leigh School as well as the local library and fire station.
1:3 Ratio for under 2 yrs
1:6 Ratio for 2 yrs1:8 Ratio for 3 yrs
Our low ratios continue for our over 2 children. This intimate ratio creates beautiful relationships between teachers and children.
Transition to School
We are so lucky to be situated next to Leigh Primary School as this creates beautiful transitions from ECE to primary as we are literally ‘going through the gate’. Leigh School and Leigh Community Preschool work together to support our tamariki and whanau with the next step. With many school events such as athletics day/ swimming sports we often go over to support past Leigh Preschool children and siblings with big cheers from us. Our 4 year olds get many opportunities to visit the new entrant class and meet the teacher.
Play Based
We follow a play based philosophy, interwoven with Te Whariki- New Zealand’s Early Childhood Curriculum. We support our play-based philosophy with ongoing research and follow Pennie Brownlee’s work around children’s natural urges of play as well as Nathan Wallis's work around children’s brain development. This is why we believe play is vital for children’s well-being, learning and development and why we uphold an environment that allows children to have a freedom to move, allowing uninterrupted play alongside guidance from teachers who support the social, emotional and physical aspects of children’s development.
Nature Inspired
Having a large outdoor space allows for children to explore the natural environment. It’s important to let children have a sense of wonder and awe in their life and the natural environment provides this in many ways. Through learning about different life cycles, seasons, water conservation, caring for living things and learning about kaitiakitanga which is respecting and being guardians of our land and resources. Having teachers that share the same passion and interest towards nature provides a supportive learning environment based around respect of nature and the natural world.