Nōku Te Ao
Nōku Te Ao is an immersion early childhood centre. The centre was established in 2002 by members of Te Ahikaaroa who wanted their children to receive quality education delivered in te reo Māori.
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Our vision is to create an environment that inspires our tamariki to be:
The very best they can be
Happy, confident and of high self-esteem;
Self-motivated, curious and vibrant;
Respect for self and others;
Strong in their cultural identity: te reo me ngā tikanga Māori
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Kaupapa.
Nōku Te Ao was awarded the ‘New Zealand Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award’ for high quality governance and management, including the promotion of te reo Māori. This achievement acknowledges the unique, innovative and high quality level of education and care provided at the centre.
Nōku Te Ao also won Te Taura Whiri's Matauranga Award in 2016 acknowledging its outstanding promotion of te reo me ōna tikanga Māori.
We continue to strive for excellence in all areas and welcome all whānau to join us in our journey.
Our own personal Tino Rangatiratanga.
We will endeavour to give each tamaiti at the centre exposure to as many things that their world has to offer – so that they grow with the knowledge that it is possible to achieve anything
Any goal they wish to achieve is attainable; a ‘can do’ attitude in the face of any and all opposition
We will undertake to give tamariki every experience, every skill we can in order to expand and enhance their learning capabilities
We are committed to the continuing use and encouragement of te reo and tikanga Maori. To this end, te reo and tikanga Maori will be promoted at all times by staff to all tamariki, but not to the extent of limiting or excluding any experiences from other cultures or from non-speakers of te reo Maori
We have a commitment to encouraging self esteem, confidence, creativity and independence in every tamaiti by fostering the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of each tamaiti
We aim to provide a quality preschool in a whānau environment where our tamariki are respected and valued as individuals and where their rights to personal dignity, to equitable opportunities for participation, to protection from physical, mental or emotional abuse and injury, and to opportunities for leisure and rest are safeguarded.
We encourage an environment of challenging current beliefs and customary practices (including Tikanga Maori) to ensure that we teach our tamariki, and that we ourselves learn, ‘how to think’ rather than ‘what to think’. He taiao ihu mānea.
We encourage thinking outside the square, always looking for better ways to do things (including teaching curriculum), and being open to learning from other people
This philosophical approach is a statement of doctrine, values and tenets designed to improve the lives of our tamariki and ourselves. These are the principles foundations that established Nōku Te Ao Charitable Trust. This philosophy is not only a statement of “what” we wish to achieve, but more importantly it is a statement of “why” Nōku Te Ao was established.
