Our Story
The owners’ of Co Kids originally developed a reputation for offering quality early childcare services in 2005. Basin Reserve has risen as the first centre following the innovative brand that is uniquely Co Kids. With a decade of experience, the company’s owners are committed to creating excellent education and care facilities throughout New Zealand.
Management
Co Kids is managed by a team of experienced early childhood professionals that work closely with the Co Kids owners.
With a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience between them, the managers are well placed to guide and support the Co Kids teaching teams in the delivery of outstanding education and care. Our managers are not included in teacher to child ratios to ensure they are available to focus their attention on the smooth running of the centres, and meeting the needs
Teachers
A Team Leader heads the consistent team of teachers in each of our centres’ aged-grouped rooms. Our team leaders are fully registered and qualified early childhood teachers who hold the responsibility for overseeing the programme planning and implementation in their rooms. They work closely with the centre manager and are involved in recruitment and resourcing decisions for their rooms.
At Co Kids 100% of the government regulated, minimum employed staff is covered by qualified early childhood teachers. Our Co Kids centre is staffed to levels above minimum adult to child ratios and our additional staff members include primary trained teachers and teachers in training who are currently studying towards a recognised ECE qualification.
Co Kids encourages all staff members to engage in ongoing learning in the belief that extended knowledge and strengthened teaching practices benefits children. A robust performance review, and healthy professional development budget ensures individual teaching goals are identified and supported by relevant professional development opportunities.
In our centre
The happiness of your child, and your resulting peace of mind, is of paramount importance to us. We aim to provide a service where parents are free to concentrate on the day at hand, secure in the knowledge that the emotional and developmental needs of their child is being met.
Every consideration has been taken to create light, safe and engaging environments where children can access a varied range of age appropriate resources and spacious play areas. Each centre has an outdoor playground, providing opportunities to strengthen the emerging physical skills of younger children and challenges to increase the confidence and ability of those who are older.
At Co Kids we promote development of active and confident learners, who think, question, seek information and apply knowledge. A higher than minimum regulated ratio number of qualified, nurturing teachers ensures children experience social concepts that are guided through sensitivity and respect. Emerging literacy and numeracy concepts are experienced through real, and imaginary play.
Imperative to the high quality of service is the opportunity for teachers and families to share information, ensuring an inclusive learning community for the child.
We staff our centres in excess of minimum regulated ratios to ensure that personal attention and the flexibility to respond to each child’s natural rhythms is practiced consistently. Good communication is high on our list of priorities and our staffing level provides for both planned and spontaneous sharing of information to occur regularly between teachers and families.
The government’s 20 Hours ECE subsidy for 3, 4 and 5 year olds is available at all Co Kids centres. Some families may also qualify for a WINZ childcare subsidy, which is dependent on income. More can be found out by contacting WINZ directly.
Curriculum
Te Whāriki is a holistic curriculum that recognises the unique qualities of each young child. The curriculum guides our philosophy and practice. The strands of Te Whāriki link directly to the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum (for primary schools).
Your baby will begin learning life skills from the day he or she is born. Many of these skills will contribute towards achieving a smooth transition to school and other life changes. We believe the acquisition of social, creative and academic skills begins in infancy and continues to develop over the first five years of life. At Co Kids development during these influential years is fostered with enriching, developmentally appropriate environments and through strong relationships of trust and respect.
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/EarlyYears/WhatTheyLearn.aspx