At Precious Pipis we provide a home away from home where children feel safe and secure in their environment. Our teachers develop strong trusting relationships with children in order to nurture their holistic wellbeing and build the foundations needed for lifelong learning. Teachers are consistent and set healthy boundaries and guidance for children to respect themselves, others and their environment.

We are passionate about providing children with endless opportunities in a child-centered, say yes environment to explore, discover, experiment, play, create. Our teachers promote unrushed routines without expectations of outcomes. An active learning environment encourages children to thrive as they drive their own learning, explore and discover at their own pace and engage in risk taking and making their own decisions whilst supported by skilled and dedicated teachers. Teachers value children’s individuality, they encourage and scaffold children throughout the day to extend their learning and build valuable dispositions such as confidence, resilience, determination, empathy, problem solving, independence and curiosity.

We view free play as vital to our children and recognise it as a child’s most important work in order to learn skills for life. Play is hands on active learning that makes connection of head, heart and hands! To inspire and provide play opportunities teachers provide authentic resources, recycled and reclaimed materials, loose parts and other open-ended resources with a focus on natural materials that allow children’s curious and creative minds to use in any way; their way as it lights up all their senses.

Precious Pipis Teachers focus on heart centered teaching practices and value caregiving moments to connect with the children. Teachers view children as equal human beings and commit to respectful practices at all times. Teachers ask and wait for consent to help, offering choices and support not intervention. We practice free-movement for our infants so they can develop and move without restrictions. This allows them to naturally unfold and develop as it promotes core strength, coordination, independence and gives the child a sense of accomplishment.

Teachers focus on effective communications to develop reciprocal and respectful relationships with children’s whānau. We encourage and provide opportunities for continual engagement from families with centre life and operate an open door policy. We recognize that whanau are the most important people and first teachers in their child’s life and it is vital to have their collaboration and communication with teachers to support learning, development and aspirations for their children. Mixed age space encourages benefit all age groups. Younger children have more opportunities to be extended and challenge themselves, learning new ways to play and think. Older children have opportunities to share their expertise, help and encourage younger children, learn empathy, and develop leadership skills.

We recognize and acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi and respect it’s principles in the daily operations and planning at Precious Pipis. In our curriculum we celebrate our multicultural society and acknowledge the uniqueness of all tamariki / children. Our curriculum includes individual planning, that our teachers ensure individual needs are identified and planning is in place to extend and support these needs.

Sustainability practices and respect for the natural environment is extremely important to us at Precious Pipis. We value the environment as a taonga / treasure and teachers learn alongside children on ways to look after our world and role model this throughout our curriculum.

We are guided by the Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whāriki and our kaiako / teachers support children ‘to grow as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society’.