Our Philosophy
Our aim is to provide individual portfolios for each child, documenting how we support their passions, interests and learning by offering opportunities and possibilities in an attempt to extend these.
We believe
Lancaster Learning Centre is a family owned and operated Early Childhood Centre, providing quality education and care to mixed age groups of children’s for over 20 years.
Our child and teacher collaborative learning programme is based on the New Zealand early childhood curriculum “Te Whāriki”, providing the children with opportunities to grow into competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit.
We have a strong belief in building positive and collaborative relationships with children, whanau and the wider community. Parents contributions and aspirations are valued as we work in partnership to gain their insight and knowledge of their child’s home life. These come in many forms from daily korero (talks), learning stories, educational discussions, feedback forms, surveys, special events, excursions and celebrations.
Papatuanuku and our extensive outdoor environment is seen as an extended classroom and is incorporated into the daily curriculum. In this way we believe children develop strong connections with nature as they explore, experience, appreciate, and respect their environment and the wider community thus acknowledging the dual cultural heritage of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
At Lancaster Learning Centre independence and life skills are fostered and supported throughout the children’s daily experiences. We allow children the freedom to learn and explore at their own pace, nurturing and encouraging the ’tuakana-teina’ relationship between children, where the tuakana (older child) can help teach or guide the teina (younger child).
Kai (Mealtimes), Huis (small group times), experiences and other regular events are flexible and respond to the children’s strengths, interests and needs.
The children can feel happy and secure in a loving environment and have the opportunities to take, assess and manage risks in a safe, supportive environment. We document how we support and extend their passions, imaginations, interests and schemas for each child in their personal ’Spotlight folders’.
We provide healthy and nutritious meals and opportunities in the growing and preparing of the food they eat.
We encourage a stress free transition to school for the children, aiming to visit local schools where the children shall attend to allow the child to become familiar wilh school expectations and settings while being supported by their Educators and peers.
Our “famous four years olds” are given the opportunity to prepare their own lunch box and practise
budgeting the contents in preparation for school.
A profile, based on schools key competencies is provided for the new entrant teachers, to support
the child and their whanau through this time of adjustment.
Our dedicated team is receptive to changes in Early Childhood development and research. They are supported and encouraged to continually seek improvements in their practises to be reflective professionals who are responsive to tamariki (children), whanau (families) and management.
Child intitiated play
Allows children to follow their dreams and choose where and what to do…
Play is initiated by the children with staff emphasis on facilitating the learning not instructing it.