Community Ownership: Parents likely have a strong say in how the service operates and what happens to children, all money earnt stays within it, and teachers may be paid better and childcare charges may be lower compared to most (but not necessarily all) private and corporate owned services. (Ask: Is it an Incorporated Society? Does it also have charitable status?)
Small Boutique Centre: Centres with 50 or fewer children make it easier for staff to provide a warm and nurturing environment, for children to have their individual needs met and skills, knowledge, and competencies extended. (Ask: For continuity of care and relationships, do children stay with the same group of children and teachers throughout their time at the service?)
100% Qualified Teacher Funded: All staff counted toward meeting the minimum adult-child ratio requirement must hold a practising certificate as a teacher if the service receives this level of Ministry of Education funding. (Ask: Does the service count teachers trained in the ECE of children birth to 5 years and not primary or secondary school trained teachers?)
Men Included on Teaching Staff (as at last year): There are strong benefits of having both men and women on the teaching team for the quality of care and education a service provides to children. Additionally, gender bias in staff recruitment and employment is not generally acceptable in society today. (Ask: How many teaching staff are employed and what proportion are men?)
(as at last year):
Clean Licence Record (last year and the year before): To be licensed a service must comply with regulations that help ensure children’s safety, care, and a suitable standard of education. When requirements are breached the Ministry of Education may downgrade a service’s licence to provisional or issue a suspension. (Check the lists of services placed on a provisional or suspended licence https://oece.nz/public/information/standards/ published each year)
(last year and year before):
Recommended Highly by 80% or More Families: At least 80% of families recommend the service and rate it as being very good to excellent on a range of aspects of quality. (Note that a response rate of at least 51% families on the OECE parent survey https://oece.nz/public/information/resources/parent-survey/ research instrument within the last three years is necessary here)
3 Reviews on “Te Puna Manawa o Whakaue”
I love the teachers (kaiako)they are welcoming, attentive, great values and do the best job with my son. I highly reccommend this ece. Nga mihi koutou katoa.
Best Puna iv ever come across! Before my babies started here we tried serval others but we new this was the puna as soon as we walked in we felt the love. They love puna so much there excited every morning to go and they love the kaiako so much too witch means mumma does an it helped me to feel so content with it being there first time leaving me. Top tier puna hands down! 5 star ⭐️
Kia Ora, I have my daughter and my granddaughter attend this kura since March this year 2023. What caught my eye was the name “Whakaue”. I did a bit of research of our hapu here in Te Arawa that my whanau and I are Ngati Whakaue – it also made me go forward for my girls to connect to their hapu and culture. Going there to meet and greet the kaiako, I immediately felt the surrounding like home in a Marae. Settling into the kura my granddaughter was all for this kura and always say “Nan, let’s go to school” and still tells me today. My daughter took a moment for her to feel secure and be independent until I see her for pick-ups. Even now my daughter has become reassured of herself that I will be back sometimes the odd cry too, lol. All the Kaiako are very helpful with you as parents and our tamariki. Everyday our Kaiako always welcoming and hard working kaiako. One thing I really appreciate when our kaiako know our own tamarki. When I’ve given a report about my girls the report is always on point of how my girls behave to each other or other kids. Gives me a laugh when i read their report cause as parent you do know what they up to hahah lol. My girls now know and speak Te Reo Maori, what is a Marae and whakapapa to Te Arawa etc… I totally support this kura for my girls, my whanau and culture of being Whakaue and proud to be….