Sharing the Journey of Learning and Discovery
Rangitoto Kindergarten is situated in Mairangi Bay on the North Shore, and it is a well known and integral part of the local community. The kindergarten has a great local and community feel to it. We are extremely fortunate with all the support we receive from our parents and whanau. We believe the kindergarten is very much about partnership and collaboration.
The kindergarten is well established and is even seeing those who once attended the kindergarten as four year olds now return as parents!
The children at Rangitoto Kindergarten move on to schools in the local area. These schools include Mairangi Bay, Murrays Bay, St Johns and a smaller number of children to Campbells Bay School.
Past and present kindergarten parents, committees and teachers, have worked to create an environment that provides children with spaces and opportunities to explore, investigate and create. Outdoors, our gardens have been landscaped to provide a natural environment with stepping stones, a river bed, pathways, mature trees and planted areas to investigate.
There are quiet places to sit, physical challenges such as monkey bars, climbing boxes and a zoomslide to master. There is a vegetable garden to nurture, a rabbit and worm farm to feed and bugs to collect. The inside of our kindergarten is newly renovated - it is light, open and inviting. The nature area is home to our birds, fish and Batman (our Mexican walking fish). The art areas provide children with resources to create and work on interests alongside their friends and teachers. Dance, music, the construction/block area and the family corner provide children with opportunities for ever changing play scenarios and all of these areas are well resourced.
Art by Taylor
Our kindergarten is very much about setting provocations for children. It is about listening to children's ideas, supporting them and providing exciting challenges as they experience and develop working theories about the world around them. Friendship and collaboration with peers and teachers provides a social framework for children. Positive relationships, a sense of belonging and shared experiences are valued and nurtured.
We believe strongly that kindergarten should be a happy experience where children have the opportunity to be children, to have fun, and enjoy the experiences of early childhood education and learning.