Mission  statement:

St John’s Progressive Childcare is a community based (Not for Profit) Centre, our service exists to offer inclusive, high quality care and education in a well resourced Centre with an optimum environment for learning for all children and their families.

Vision:

To be a Centre of excellence for the care and education of children.

Key values:

Focus is always the children, never for profit.
Nurture, care, education.
Quality staff.
Excellent resources and facilities
Community based centre, parent governed, focusing on families needs.
Curriculum provides interest, challenges and experiences for children of all cultures and stages.

Philosophy Statement:

E hara taku toa I te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini….
Its not the work of the individual that creates success but the work of the collective.

Whanaungatanga – our environment is friendly and welcoming for our tamariki and their whanau. We like to create an atmosphere which is home like, where we recognise the importance of creating a link between the centre and home and working collaboratively with our tamariki’s parents/caregivers and whanau. Families are encouraged to contribute both to their child/ren’s learning as well as that of the centre. We also recognise the importance of connections with our wider community and we are slowly developing these in order to secure meaningful connections.

Manaakitanga/Aroha – We care for our tamariki, whanau and each others mana. This is shown through how we care for one another and through the support that we show one another. This supports us in creating authentic, meaningful relationships with one another. The children are respected and in turn are
encouraged to show respect to their families, teachers, each other and their environment.

Ako – We celebrate learning alongside our tamariki. The children are co-constructors in their learning—they lead the programme with their interests and they
take an active role in researching and developing a deeper knowledge and understanding of these interests. We value each child as an individual with their own
unique capabilities and different interests and knowledge that they and their whanau bring with them. We also respect that each child has their own unique
culture and that these varying cultures contribute both to their own and the learning and development of others within the centre. We respect all tamariki,
giving them time and resources so that we are supporting our curious tamaiti (child) to develop in their own way, at their own pace.

Kotahitanga – We empower tamariki to contribute in helping each other. This supports the tuakana teina concept of a child more knowledgeable or learned in an area to support another with their learning. Through doing this, it creates mahi-tahi where we are all working together in our centre.

Tikanga – our centre has developed its own identity and culture which we encourage our tamariki and whanau to follow. Teachers support this through
role-modelling to our tamariki the practices that we have developed. This helps to support a sense of belonging and well-being within our centre.

Kaitiakitanga – We believe that through working alongside knowledgeable, caring and concerned adults, infants, toddlers and young children begin to develop a sense of responsibility and sustainability when interacting with the natural world around them. This also means that the kaiako think carefully about resources that are chosen and setting up the environment to offer diverse experiences in defined areas to promote the child’s natural curiosity and to continually offer new
challenges for them.