Centre Philosophy
Lollipops Educare St Lukes is a purpose built all day care and education centre. The lay out of the centre enables our skilled and caring teachers to meet the needs of individual children. Our centre philosophy has been developed as a team to ensure that we offer our community a high standard of education and care and also to ensure that we work together as a team with a shared vision to ensure positive outcomes for all children. We believe that children learn best through respectful and reciprocal relationships with interested adults.
The learning Programme
Our teachers are reflective and thoughtful. Our teachers aim to provide a child initiated programme to encourage each individual child’s development. Regular staff and planning meetings are held to ensure that teachers have time to reflect, plan and implement a rich and interesting learning environment for children to explore.
Teachers are guided by the principals of Te Whaariki the national curriculum for Early Childhood education. We aim to foster children’s dispositions and interests to empower them to develop a love of learning. Each child is valued and respected as an individual and all children are encouraged to learn and grow through making a contribution to the learning environment and programme. Children are encouraged to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings and teachers work to engage and support individual children’s strengths and interests. Teachers observe and respond to children’s dispositions and document through programme planning, photographs, children’s creations and learning stories. Each child has a portfolio of their learning journey. Teachers collaborate to develop the documentation of these and aim to give a balanced view of children’s learning and development.
At Lollipops Educare St Lukes children have opportunities to:
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Be active participants in their own learning
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Spend time with interested adults and develop their communication skills
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Develop confidence about who they are and what they know
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Develop social competencies and build friendships with other children
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Develop a love of learning and have fun doing things they are interested in
Partnership with Families and community
Parents are also encouraged to contribute to the programme and their child’s portfolio and teachers value parents and whanau contribution. Teachers aim to partner families and whanau in the aspirations they have for their child and do this by making time to talk with parents each day, regular newsletters, parent evenings as well as including families centre events. Parents are encouraged to participate in trips, celebrations and to also share their culture with the centre. We consider our centre to a nurturing and inclusive place within our community.
