Owlets Forest Early Learning Centre Philosophy
(formally Putaruru Childcare Ltd)
We are a locally owned and operated early childhood centre located in the heart of our small town. We are committed to providing natural and stimulating resources to our tāmariki, many of which we source from in and around our town. We utilise our whānau and local community members to teach our children about other aspects of life and how they work to help others; such as ambulance, fire, police and library. We are very much a community orientated centre and love taking our children for walks and exploring what Putāruru has to offer our youngest members!
We provide a natural outside play environment where children learn the importance of protecting and nurturing pāpatuanuku through taking care of our vegetables and looking after our gardens.
We believe that our relationships with children should be based on respect and trust from nurturing adults familiar to children. Our passionate and dedicated teachers will take the time to develop respectful responsive relationships with all children and their whānau.
At Owlets Forest we value early childhood education as the foundation for lifelong learning. We recognise that each child is unique and develops at their own pace. Our centre encompasses many differing cultures and we work hard to provide an inclusive environment for all whānau to experience and feel at home in.
Partnerships with families provide us with invaluable information relating to cultural backgrounds and heritage. Teachers strive to build relationships with families based on co-operation and a mutual respect for the reciprocal roles that each play in the lives of the child. Partnerships with families are developed through daily discussion, newsletters and meetings. Owlets Forest’s open door policy aims to facilitate an open flow of communication while maintaining confidentiality and respect of the privacy and wishes of each family, resulting in the highest levels of service.
We nurture children’s well-being through encouraging healthy and nutritious eating and sustainability.
We provide a natural outside play environment where children learn the importance of protecting and nurturing pāpatuanuku through taking care of our vegetables and looking after our gardens. We love nothing more than getting outside and delving into nature! This is a great way to let the child lead the way.
Te Whariki, our early childhood curriculum is embedded into our holistic approach and we uphold the curriculums vision “that children are competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society”
Our programme takes a child-led approach to learning which means children take responsibility for deciding what to learn. Children are given a free range to engage with materials they wish to choose. Teachers work to support children, including providing resources, praise, encouragement, feedback and the environment children need to make progress and achieve their goals.
Experiences at Owlets Forest afford children the opportunity to develop an abundance of skills in exploration, self discovery, social interactions and problem solving among others, in the overall attempt to set children up for success.