Our Philosophy

At Elm Tree Early Learning Centre, we pour our hearts into everything we do for our tamariki and whānau.

Our Kaiako are not only knowledgeable and playful but also deeply committed, nurturing and passionate about creating a “home away from home” that is safe, loving, and full of joy.

We know each child is unique and special, so we approach them with love, kindness, and empathy. We believe that every child deserves to feel valued, supported, and cherished, which is why we foster a warm, caring, and inclusive environment here at Elm Tree.

At Elm Tree we truly treasure each child as an individual, and we take great pride in helping them to develop their own sense of self-worth, resilience, and lifelong learning. We do this by empowering (whakamana) our tamariki, encouraging them to express themselves freely and to follow their own interest’s and passions. This supports their independence, emotional intelligence, and autonomy. This helps us maintain an environment that is child-led, interest based and supports the underlying principals in our Early Childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki.

We believe that our tamariki thrive when they feel a strong sense of belonging, which is why we embrace the values of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga. We work closely with our whānau to create genuine partnerships based on mutual respect, trust, and shared aspirations for each child. We scaffold tamariki to have tuakana teina relationships with one another where older children help teach and guide the younger. We also celebrate the richness of diversity in our community, upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and honouring the many beautiful cultures that make up our Elm Tree whānau.

We uphold RIE and Pikler philosophies of respectful practice and empower (Whakamana) our tamariki to learn in an environment that sparks curiosity and wonder, enabling them to feel safe to express their ideas, desires, and feelings. We value each child having their own key teacher who becomes the in-centre expert on your child, and value the warm one-on-one interactions we have with them.

We nurture the holistic development (Kotahitanga) of our tamariki, treasuring the knowledge that each child brings with them. Our local environment provides additional areas of learning and discovery, enriching our curriculum as we explore and engage with our community. Our centre pepeha connects us to our local curriculum.

Tipu tahi tātou. Tākaro tahi tātou. Ka ako tahi tātou.
Together we GROW. Together we PLAY. And together we LEARN.