When your tamariki step through our gate, they become part of our whānau – as we become part of yours.
Central Kids has been providing high-quality, affordable early childhood education and care since 1951. We are a non-profit kindergarten association, with 47 kindergartens in 26 towns across the central North Island.
Our kindergartens are a home away from home, a place where every child is recognised, respected and included for who they are and who they want to become.
Meeting the needs of our enrolled whānau is important to us, because when whānau thrive, so do our tamariki. Our kindergartens have a range of opening hours depending on the community they serve, and some are all ages kindergartens, enrolling tamariki from 0-6 years of age.
We know that to play is to grow. Using Te Whāriki early learning curriculum, we encourage every tamaiti to reach their potential by giving them the best possible surroundings to experiment and discover the world they live in.
At Central Kids our teaching practices are outcomes focused, which means we intentionally provide a range of learning experiences that allow tamariki to follow their own interests while learning through play, at their own pace.
We monitor and measure learning outcomes using Te Whatu Pōkeka, a kaupapa Māori learning assessment framework that recognises tamariki are products of their whakapapa, bringing with them the talents, understandings and abilities of their tīpuna (ancestors). This framework allows us to measure progress over time, in a way that is deeply personalised to every tamaiti, regardless of their cultural background.
The future of our tamariki includes all of us – because when they grow, we all grow together.