We offer a holistic early childhood education programme, in a ‘Kiwi backyard’ setting among nature and animals. This includes:
We invite you to visit us and learn more about our preschool.
Country Village Preschool is a private, family-run preschool situated on a large rural block in Pukekohe, South of Auckland.
Our under 2s enjoy a large open space which has a warm ambience created through natural lighting, neutral colours and the use of natural resources. With a covered deck alongside their space, a connecting playground and a large paddock for the centre animals our children are able to enjoy uninterrupted play both indoors and out. An importance part of Country Village Preschool is being able to get our children outdoors engaging with nature and with our centre animals.
Our pepi love to wonder up to the paddock to feed our animals, pat them and have a little chat with them. They also love to feel the grass under their feet, explore the puddles and crawl, climb and run freely. With four experienced teachers in the room and no more than 16 children, teachers are able to have beautiful one on one times, reading stories, exploring learning opportunities and providing loving, nurturing care moments.
Our teachers provide peaceful unhurried routines and rituals that follow the natural rhythm of the children in our room. Teachers work with families to ensure the routines from home are followed to provide consistency for children.
Our Tuis room is right beside our Fantails room which allows for lovely transitions between the two rooms. Our younger children often show us when they are ready to transition between rooms as they venture off in their own time between the two spaces. With a one to six ratio and no more than 24 children in our Tui space, our teachers are able to support the changing needs of this age group. From helping with growing independence and self-help skills such as toileting, learning to dress themselves and care for their belongings, teachers are on hand to work alongside children. The daily routine in the room ensures all children’s needs are met with staggered mat times, mealtimes and sleep times. Teachers provide a challenging environment within a well-resourced, stimulating room where children can enjoy the wonder of play. Literacy and numeracy and woven through the day with teachers picking up on children’s readiness moments. Mat times are fun and interactive helping children learn best.
Our 3yr old children venture off each day after lunch with one of their teachers, up to the Kereru centre for the afternoon. They are able to build relationships and friendships in the older centre while enjoying the extension this centre has to offer. This also allows for a gradual transition between the centres which empowers the children to show us when they are ready for the next stage of their learning.
Our children also love to explore the outdoors and with the use of wet weather gear, aren’t limited to a sunny day. Rainy days are often spent outside catching rain, stomping in puddles and exploring mud. The freedom of childhood is fully explored and understood at Country Village Preschool.
Our Kereru centre is the centre you see when first arriving at Country Village Preschool. It has a large playground with a variety of natural spaces such as bark, grass, gardens, a mud pit, and a big sandpit. Filled with open ended resources to stretch children’s imaginations, encourage risk taking, problem solving and co-operative play, children are provided time and space to lead their learning. Our animals live in the paddock alongside the centre and the children enjoy collecting the chickens’ eggs, feeding and caring for the animals and looking after the worm farm and fruit trees each day. Gardening also features strongly in the children’s day with a large vegetable garden and herb garden to care for.
Concepts of maths, science and literacy are authentically weaved throughout the day by experienced teachers working alongside children. A well-resourced, literacy rich, indoor area means teachers can pick up on learning opportunities with children and extend their thinking. Teachers reflect on and spend time ensuring curriculum ideas are well thought out to ensure a rich curriculum is provided. Mat times throughout the day are a sharing time together to explore curriculum ideas, encourage literacy, extend on numeracy concepts and build confidence.
Independence and pro-social skills also feature strongly in this age group with children developing friendships, learning to negotiate and work with and alongside others. Our teachers work within our philosophy of respectful practice where they role model empathy, kindness and aroha.
Owner/Manager/Teacher
Owner/Administrator/Teacher
