Pāuatahanui Preschool is a not-for-profit community preschool catering for 23 children, from 2 years to school age.
Our four experienced teachers are early childhood qualified and registered, and we have excellent child-to-teacher ratios.
We are situated on Pāuatahanui School’s grounds and enjoy a beautiful semi-rural setting, overlooking the Pāuatahanui Inlet.
We are a well-resourced centre with a large outdoor environment, including an edible garden, worm farm, large sandpit, swings and a double slide. We have an excellent transition to school programme and have regular visits to the school. We have been operating for over 30 years, and our success has come from our close relationships with our families and the Pāuatahanui community. Our goal is to provide a quality early childhood service for children and their families, in a warm, safe and caring environment.
Mission Statement
To provide quality, early childhood care and education for children and their families in a warm, caring, and safe environment, which ensures children have a good beginning that will last forever. He timatanga pakari ka mau mo ake tonu atu.
Our Philosophy
Pāuatahanui Preschool plays a vital role in the local community by providing children and parents/whanau with a quality early education service that is safe, warm, welcoming and accepting.
As a community preschool, staff and families work collaboratively to operate the Centre. We acknowledge the importance of parent’s voluntary contributions to the operation of the Centre. We respect and value the role of parenting and support the choices parents make for their children. We strive to affirm each family’s culture and family background.
The curriculum we provide builds on what each child brings and recognises the cognitive, social, cultural, physical and emotional dimensions of a child’s development. We empower each child to learn and develop irrespective of age, gender, abilities, culture and family background.
Children are recognised as individuals and are supported and challenged at their own development level by providing developmentally appropriate experiences and opportunities to reach their potential. They are provided opportunities to learn with and alongside others. Each child is encouraged to be responsible for themselves, others and their environment.
We foster self-esteem and confidence so that the children see themselves as valued contributors to the Centre and the community. Children are encouraged to develop an understanding of the attitudes, beliefs and customs of the many different cultures that make up our community.
Our centre’s objectives and goals are regularly evaluated and modified to reflect the changing needs of our community and to ensure we maintain best-practice standards in the delivery of early childhood education.