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Our Philosophy

At Newton Street, we are inspired by the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whᾱriki which is underpinned by sociocultural theories. The Principles and Strands of Te Whᾱriki are embedded and weaved throughout our practices and routines ensuring positive learning outcomes for all our children and whᾱnau. Our teachers learn alongside the children in a credit-based environment wrapped around our children’s interests. Aligning our practices alongside Tᾱtaiako, Whanaungatanga and implementing a Te Ao Mᾱori cultural view ensures the identity, language and culture are recognized and valued.
We will endeavour to identify and meet the aspirations of parents and how they wish for teachers and the centre environment to meet the holistic and educational needs of their children.

This will be achieved by:

  • Ensuring all children and their families feel a sense of belonging within the centre. Having a sound and reciprocal partnerships between teachers and parents including honest communication between, teachers, families, and children. We aim to work collaboratively with our community and be recognised as a quality service.
  • Ensuring our children are safe and protected while attending the centre. We will provide preventative strategies and policies that will protect the physical and emotional well-being of the children within the centre.
  • Having an environment that is age-appropriate, challenging, and aesthetically pleasing. Ensuring children reach their full potential to feel confident in risk-taking while learning their limits and boundaries.
  • Promoting inclusive practices that acknowledge and include the bicultural and multicultural perspectives of all our families. Including providing a program rich in content that is relevant to children’s/tamariki cultures. We aim to recognise and incorporate the Treaty of Waitangi to reflect the unique place of Māori as Tangata Whenua.
  • We aim to create an environment where learners can be confident in their identities, languages, cultures, and abilities. Where their unique strengths are recognised and valued, which in turn highlights their special strengths.
  • We aim to market and promote our philosophy and strive for excellence and commit to continuous improvement.
  • Our program is play-based which encourages children to make their own choices about where what and who to play with.
  • Providing primary caregiving that is a team approach allows new parents and children to feel safe and secure knowing they have someone who is conscious of their needs and is working collaboratively with the parents building a solid relationship built on trust and respect for the well-being, care and education of their child.
  • Ensuring all children are “school ready” by offering a program that allows children to develop the dispositions that are needed to be successful learners in all areas of their learning and development.
  • Center management has an open-door policy, employ high-quality trained/registered teachers who aspire to achieve the aims of the Newton Street Early Learning's Philosophy.

The following quote from Te Whᾱriki sums up our goals for the children who attend the centre.

To become confident, competent learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit. Secure in their sense of belonging and security in the knowledge that they contribute to society.