What will my child be doing?
We provide a Reggio-inspired programme which mixes free play with teacher-led learning.
Children learn through play, and so the majority of the time our children play at activities which interest them, supported by our teachers. We have a wide range of activities available for them, including drawing and painting, puzzles and matching games, construction sets and block play, dress-ups, the sand pit and our playground. Teachers supervise and take advantage of the "teachable moments', when they get actively involved to expand children's knowledge and excitement about a topic that's caught their interest. We believe that children should have a wide range of resources to choose from, so when you visit us, you will see lots of things to play and build with within their reach, so that they can explore them at will.
Before our meal breaks, we have mat time. Mat time is another group time which allows children to practice sitting on the mat (just like the big kids at school!) to hear stories, sing songs and jump and dance together. On Tuesday mornings a group of teachers and children will go for a Park Walk to Phyllis Reserve and Oakley Creek. This is where we get to put our Forest Kindergarten ideas into practice, as children explore the natural environment and bring back items that interest them - anything from bugs to leaves.
Our three and four year olds can also participate in learning groups. These are teacher-led activities which take place in the early afternoon while the younger children are asleep. Learning group activities allow children to practice skills such as using scissors, holding a pencil and recognising numbers and letters. Even more important, they learn to speak to a group, take turns and follow instructions. Best of all, they don’t even realise they’re learning these things because they do so in a play-based setting, doing science experiments, playing games and listening to stories.
Later in the day as children begin to go home, we will often sit together and read books and sing songs as we wind down from the day.
A typical Red Kite day
7.30am |
| Centre opens. Some children have breakfast, then it's free play |
9.30am | Morning tea | |
10.00am | On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Park Walks depart | |
11.15am | Tidy Up Time followed by Mat Time | |
11.40am | Lunchtime. We sing our Karakia and then eat together | |
12.00-12.30pm | Naps begin for younger children; older children have quiet play | |
12.30-1.00pm | Learning groups happen while the younger children take their nap | |
1.00-2.15pm | Free play | |
2.15pm | Tidy Up Time followed by Mat Time | |
2.30pm | Afternoon tea | |
3.00pm - 6.00pm | Free play. A late snack is served around 5pm if children are hungry |
Nutrition & meals
Morning and afternoon tea are offered every day. Seasonal fruit is an important component of our snacks, but they also include cheese, corn thins, yoghurt, sandwiches and raw vegetables and dips such as hummous. We offer generous portions so children can eat as much as they need, with milk in the afternoon too. Children always have access to their own drink bottles and bring them to the table when they eat. Our cook provides lunch.
As children sit and eat in a group, they become familiar with different foods and with teachers' help, learn how to serve themselves.
Settling your child
Time spent settling in - familiarisation with our centre, the teachers and other children - is an important investment in your child's emotional wellbeing. Our teachers will consult with you before your enrolment begins about your child's individual needs.
As a general rule, we suggest three pre-arranged “play dates” of about one hour in duration, accompanied by a caregiver. However, every child is different, so more or fewer of these may fit your child better. We will always be guided primarily by your opinions, as you know your child best.
We encourage new families to chat and ask questions of the teachers in the room – children will take their lead from their families and so we encourage teachers and caregivers to use this time to build relationships.
At any time during your visit, parents are welcome to leave the room and use our staff room. Until the child’s enrolment commences (ie until their starting date), a parent or caregiver must remain on the premises as we cannot take legal responsibility for a child until their starting date.
Whenever a parent leaves a child, we encourage them to say a brief goodbye and then leave, as this minimises stress on the child. We strongly discourage you from leaving without letting your child know that you are going, but will come back.
No charge is made for play dates.
Keeping you up to date & involved
We love to keep you up to date with what your child has been doing during the day, and share pictures and learning examples so you can see your child exploring their world and having fun. Apart from seeing you at drop off and pick up time, we use the Storypark app to post about your child's activities and learning. Your child's feed is private and available only to teachers and to you, but we also share centre activities, which all parents can access. You can post about things your child has been doing at home, too, so that we can keep exploring your child's interests at preschool.
You can choose to add extended members of your family to your child's feed if you'd like to - it's a fantastic way of keeping family in other places up to date with what your child has been up to. This service is included as part of your child's enrolment with us.
We welcome the contributions of parents and families! If you have information or a great idea to share, please email us at info@redkitepreschool.co.nz
We are also often on the lookout for materials we can use in craft activities such as:
Old knitting yarn
Fabric scraps
Small cardboard boxes, eg from breakfast cereal
Plastic bottle caps
Cardboard tubes (but not toilet roll inners)
However, please don’t give us large cardboard boxes or anything made from polystyrene. Thanks!
20 hours free
The New Zealand Government funds all children for up to 30 hours of early childhood education per week (a maximum of six hours per day.) For three and four year olds, up to 20 of these hours can be funded at a higher rate, to allow early childhood centres to offer those twenty hours ("20hrs ECE") free of charge.
If you require more than 20 hours or six hours per day of care per week, you may be asked to pay a parent fee, but it will be at a lower rate than we would otherwise charge. The centre also offers a limited number of places on a 30hrs free basis, aimed primarily at families in need. See our fees schedule (available from the Centre) for more detail.
We follow the precepts of the NZ Early Childhood curriculum, Te Whariki. You can find out more about Te Whariki here.
Parent reviews & ERO Reports
The Education Review Office (ERO) evaluates Early Childhood Education Centres periodically and publishes the results of its findings. ERO reports are based upon how well placed the preschool in question is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. Red Kite Epsom had its first review with ERO on 23 July 2019 and we were disappointed to find that this was merely a "compliance review", a procedure for new centres to confirm that we meet regulatory requirements. Hence the report says little about our teaching standards. However, we remain in the normal three-yearly review cycle alongside other centres with a "well placed" rating.
You can read parent reviews on Google, here. The ERO compliance report can be found here.
Settling your child
Time spent settling in - familiarisation with our centre, the teachers and other children - is an important investment in your child's emotional wellbeing. Our teachers will consult with you before your enrolment begins about your child's individual needs.
As a general rule, we suggest three pre-arranged “play dates” of about one hour in duration, accompanied by a caregiver. However, every child is different, so more or fewer of these may fit your child better. We will always be guided primarily by your opinions, as you know your child best.
We encourage new families to chat and ask questions of the teachers in the room – children will take their lead from their families and so we encourage teachers and caregivers to use this time to build relationships.
At any time during your visit, parents are welcome to leave the room and use our staff room. Until the child’s enrolment commences (ie until their starting date), a parent or caregiver must remain on the premises as we cannot take legal responsibility for a child until their starting date.
Whenever a parent leaves a child, we encourage them to say a brief goodbye and then leave, as this minimises stress on the child. We strongly discourage you from leaving without letting your child know that you are going, but will come back.
No charge is made for play dates.
Some key Red Kite policy documents have been placed here for your information. Further policies, such as procedures for medicines, sleeping arrangements, and a host of other information are available upon request: please email us at info@redkitepreschool.co.nz
Contact
M: 027 300 6167 OR 027 248 0073
E: info@redkitepreschool.co.nz
