Discover our
rooms
Our rooms
We acknowledge the wonderful learning opportunities our environment can provide children. We strongly believe that the environment is our third teacher, and have created naturally beautiful and functional spaces in which we can ignite children’s learning and spark a lifelong passion for our natural world.
Acorn Room
Te Ruma Kano Oka
Zero to two years
In our Acorn room we provide a nurturing and calm environment where your child can build strong reciprocal relationships with consistent Kaiako. With our care routines as curriculum, we focus on working in partnership with whānau to provide as much predictability and familiarity for your infant, whilst supporting them to learn, grow and develop.
Children and whānau in the Acorn room have key Kaiako who have primary responsibility for them during their time with us, so that they can learn to anticipate who will be caring for them, enabling them to develop a strong sense of belonging. Respectful practices are reflected in all aspects of our curriculum and Kaiako provide unhurried time for children to explore their natural world around them.
Children have access to a curriculum that provides different activities that stimulate the senses, mind and body and encourage children to become active participants of their environment. We adopt free movement practices, where we support each child and their physical development as it unfolds naturally at their own pace.
Our environment reflects open spaces with safe and stimulating objects that children can use as their motor progression develops. We believe in empowering children to express themselves, explore freely and challenge themselves in an environment that promotes and fosters the holistic way in which children learn.
Seedling Room
Te Ruma Purapura
Two To Three Years
In our Seedling room, we acknowledge and respond to the developmental needs of each individual child. We support children to develop their self identity and knowledge as they navigate their world around them. Our Kaiako recognise and respond to children’s developing relationships with people, places and things.
Through fostering a strong sense of belonging within our peaceful environment, we believe we can support children to develop and extend these skills. We acknowledge that children are developing their independence and self care skills and aim to provide a flexible, calm and supportive environment as they transition through this journey. We know that children are creative learners; therefore we foster their curiosity as they explore their environment around them.
Opportunities are provided for children to actively explore, use their imagination and work together as they develop working theories and make connections within their learning community. We provide a safe, yet stimulating environment for toddlers to challenge themselves physically, develop their spatial awareness and take responsible risks. We provide a language rich environment where children can feel confident to express themselves verbally, as they develop and extend their social and emotional skills.
Sapling Room
Te Ruma Rakau hou
Three To Four years
In the Sapling room, children are encouraged to be curious explorers of their environment. We respond to individual learning and work with children as they test their hypothesis, discover new knowledge and become confident in their abilities.
We foster the positive development of social and emotional regulation and scaffold children’s increasing ability to problem solve, negotiate, work alongside and build relationships with their peers.
We provide a hands-on approach to learning, where children can develop their independence, have choice and autonomy in their play and work collaboratively with Kaiako to follow and extend individual and joint emerging interests.
We offer opportunity for children to take responsibility and leadership within their environment, nurturing a positive and confident sense of self, so that children feel valued and respected and that they are contributing to their community. We offer plentiful social opportunities where children in the Sapling room can discover, grow and have fun together.
The Oak Room
Te Ruma Rakau Rakau
Four To Six Years
In the Oak room, we believe in empowering children so that they can become competent and confident within themselves as they develop and extend their self-management and awareness skills during their preparation for school.
Our environment offers creative experiences where children can extend their learning, problem solve and co-construct their knowledge. We support and foster a smooth transition to school, working in partnership with the learning community to provide the best outcomes for each individual child and their whānau.
As part of this transition, we recognise the importance of ensuring our local curriculum is tailored to develop and extend learning. It is important for us that children have an environment where they feel safe and secure within themselves, so they can develop their resilience, have positive expectations of their learning and most importantly have fun!
We provide thoughtful and intentional pedagogy to ensure our children are supported, empowered and confident as they transition from The Oaks Early Learning Centre onto the next stage of their lifelong journey.
