A community of learners where learning is viewed and valued as a lifelong journey, filled with potential, exploration, wonder and delight.
Welcome to Tots Corner – Northcote
Conveniently located on Onewa Rd, this historic villa has offered high quality early childhood education and care since 1993. Tots (as it’s affectionately known) is licensed for 37 children from 6 months to school age. This converted villa has three spacious learning spaces, naturally separating into two environments for children aged 2 to 5 years and a third nurturing space for children under 2 years. The large front yard is designed to offer challenges for the older children with a separate safe multi sensory outdoor environment for our under 2’s.
We offer education and care between 7.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and are open all year except for a two week period over Christmas and the New Year. This gives children and teachers time to re-energise both mind and body.
“ERO’s observations of children show them to be independent, confident, and highly engaged learners. The curriculum is child-led and responsive to children interests, strengths and capabilities. Teachers foster a learning environment that encourages children to follow their curiosities and to apply their own ideas and understandings in making sense of their experiences”. Education Review Office Report (2023)
Our Team
Our teachers/ kaiako are all registered, passionate and dedicated to providing high quality learning experiences and environments for children and their families. We have a deep commitment to ongoing self-review and continue to engage in multifaceted professional learning.
“A clear vision and shared understanding underpin teachers’ collective teaching practice. Their interactions with children are purposeful and intentionally focused on extending children’s learning. Children’s language and thinking is fostered through authentic dialogue with their teachers and peers in meaningful contexts”. ERO (2023)
Learning Space
The environment is viewed as the ‘third teacher’, a philosophical stance that necessitates a richly resourced environment, valuing both aesthetics and beauty as a teaching tool that is flexible and dynamic. Stimulating children’s engagement, imagination and exploration of both learning materials and spaces.
“Well-established learning-focused partnerships with parents and whanau enable teachers to extend and enrich children’s learning and progress”. ERO (2023)
The visual presentations on our walls show exciting investigations inspired by the children’s interest and echo the children’s voices. It is a place where the inspiration of the Reggio Emilia philosophy meets New Zealand culture to create a challenging yet supportive and encouraging environment.
“Learning through play is highly valued by teachers. Creativity in all its forms offers opportunities for children to explore, experiment, design, make and record their thinking”. ERO (2018)
THE NEST
A very special place for our youngest children 12 to 24 months. The Nest is located in the heart of the house, with a spacious sleep room that opens off the main play space. A separate outdoor garden is accessed off the villa verandah by wide accessible steps. The two teachers are supported by a teacher aide, who together strive to provide a calm, nurturing environment, supported by strong relationships that foster a sense of belonging and well-being. Recognising and igniting their critical thinking as they engage in ‘daily wonder’.
“Teachers know the children very well and are welcomed into a calm and settled environment. Infants benefit from consistent care as teachers respectfully respond to their individual needs”. ERO (2023)
KIWI ROOM
An inviting space for our two to three year old children, who are competent and capable, encouraged to be independent explorers and learners, whilst building relationships with others. A wide range of opportunities are available to them to support discoveries, creativity, prompt problem-solving and challenges as they play together.
“Tikanga Māori concepts are woven naturally into the curriculum and physical environment. A strong commitment to teachers’ ongoing learning of te reo Māori is evident”. ERO (2023)
“Teachers extend opportunities through their conversations with children. Helping to build children’s persistence, research and experimentation, leading to learning that affirms their sense of themselves as successful learners and leaders”. ERO (2018)
TUI ROOM
A space where our older children are entrusted to make their own choices, encouraged to pursue critical thinking and facilitate complex play opportunities. Teachers enhance opportunities for investigations, problem solving, imaginative and creative play with the use of carefully selected provocations, meaningful conversations and a variety of resources and tools.
Ngahere Exploration
We view Cecil Eady Bush as the perfect environment and a catalyst to create a sense of interconnectedness; a place where the children can continue to form their ‘notion of self’, where the group can forge deeper connections and relationships with each other and where a pervading essence of connection with nature can flourish. This exploration supports children to build the foundations to become lifelong learners and kaitiaki (guardians) of the natural world.
Our visits to the local ngahere invite the children to explore the environment; provoking thinking, creativity, emotions, problem solving, and communication within an authentic and dynamic environment. Opportunities arise for working theories to be created, deconstructed, and evolve; complexities intertwined with simple moments of unhurried research and pleasure. Materials collected enable continued exploration back at the centre, by using ‘multiple languages’ to study the objects, and their relationship with the ngahere and all they offer us.
“Capable and knowledgeable teachers continually evaluate the quality of their practise with a focus on continuous improvement”. ERO (2023)
A Culture of Research
Our curriculum is encapsulated by two fundamental approaches that guide and inspire our work with children and adults. We recognise the socio cultural basis of learning in the early years based on Te Whāriki, the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum and critically reflect on the principles that underpin the Reggio Emilia Approach. This in turn enriches our curriculum.
The ongoing pedagogical research between teachers/kaiako, children, parents and the community creates many opportunities for authentic teaching and learning. The knots and complexities that emerge from these encounters support us to look and think more closely at the education we offer our children.
“Effective leadership, connectedness with families and high-quality provision for children are strengths of this service that have been sustained overtime”. ERO(2023)
“Research is a habit of mind… It is a response to curiosity and doubt. It constructs new knowledge, makes for critical thinking and is part of citizenship and democracy. Research is not a solitary activity, but a process of relationships and dialogue”.
Carla Rinaldi & Peter Moss (2012)
Kāhui Ako – Community of Learners
Tots Corner is an active participant in the Northcote Community of Learners (NCoL), together with Northcote College, Northcote Intermediate, Northcote Primary, Onepoto and Willow Park Schools and Northcote Baptist Community Preschool.
Our priority is to build a community that inspires learning. We aim to grow community support for a cohesive educational pathway that delivers success for all Northcote learners from early childhood through schools and beyond.
Ahakoa he tino rerekē hoki te ao o te kura ki te ao, o te hau kainga, ka tupu tonu, ngā ākonga. Mehemea he maha ngā arawhata i waenganui I ngā ākonga kia whiti ai ki ngā huarahi wāia, ōtira ki ngā whenua, o tauiwi.
Viviane Robinson 2011 (translated by John Marsden)
‘Although the worlds of school and home may differ greatly, students will thrive if there are enough bridges between them to make the crossing a walk into familiar, rather than foreign territory.’ Viviane Robinson 2011