Birchwood Kindergarten
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311 Seaview Road, Stoke
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Whakataukī
Ka whangaia, ka tupu, ka puawai.
That which is nurtured grows, then blossoms. 
At Birchwood Kindergarten we foster warm, supportive, and responsive interactions between teachers, children, family/whanau, and the wider community.
Positive guidance is modelled to children in a respectful and caring manner to support their emotional competence.
The outcome of this is evidenced in independent, calm, trusting and skilled learners. 
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Whakatauki
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Birchwood Kindergarten has a magnificent outdoor learning environment, enriched by well established trees and open spaces. The area is used to explore, challenge, excite and to develop children as kaitiaki/guardians of our environment so that they can develop an appreciation of the natural world.
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The Māori concept of kaitiakitanga is one of the foundations of our kindergarten philosophy. Kaitiakitanga is a traditional Māori world view about safeguarding the future. It includes the conservation, replenishment, and sustainability of the environment. Birchwood Kindergarten is an enviroschool. In essence this means that we strive to operate sustainably and care for the environment. We consider these things when making decisions about the kindergarten environment, operation, children’s learning programme and the resources we provide.
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Environmental education includes us:
- Inviting children and family involvement in caring for and beautifying the gardens and grounds.
- Talking with children about Ngā Atua, the guardians of the world, who are significant in the Māori culture of Aotearoa/New Zealand.
- Encouraging children to enjoy being in, and caring for, the natural environment and the creatures who live in it.
- Having a rainwater tank to supply water to the sand and mud areas.
- Spend time out and about becoming familiar with the local community.
- Take small groups of four-year olds to Teal Valley Forest Kindergarten.
Check out some of the things we do..
Teachers plan a programme which recognises that
each child is on their own learning journey
each child is on their own learning journey
Teachers support children to aquire social skills such as
- Asking, offering and waiting for turns.
- Cooperating, sharing tools, equipment and materials.
- Collaborating, listening to others, problem solving, negotiating and sharing ideas.
- Supporting others, appreciating another persons point of view, understanding their own feelings and emotions and those of others.
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Teachers support children to acquire reading and writing readiness through
- Engaging in language rich conversations.
- Story telling, books and puppets.
- Music, dance and drama.
- Offering a wide range of creative tools and materials.
- Appreciating te reo Māori as a living and relevant language.
- Providing many opportunities for children to practise mark making and learn about print symbols.
- Experiences where children develop control over their body, large and fine motor skills.
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Teachers support children to aquire science, maths and problem solving skills through
- Puzzles and board games.
- Blocks and construction equipment.
- Sand, water and messy play.
- Making comparisons, matching, grouping and categorising.
- Experiencing the natural world in our expansive outdoor environment and out and about in the community.
- Providing purposeful experiences with counting and numbers.
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Starting Kindergarten at Birchwood
Ngā mihi nui – a big welcome to all tamariki and whanau.
Tamariki start kindergarten from two years old.
Kindergarten is open from 8.30am - 2.45pm for all children over 2 years of age.
We are open from mid January through to late December. We are open during the school holidays during the year but closed for the Christmas holidays.
We encourage three settling visits before your tamariki start Kindergarten. This will give all of you time to start your relationship with your child’s key teacher as this will support a successful transition to starting kindergarten in your new environment.
We look forward to meeting you and showing you our great kindergarten.
Tamariki start kindergarten from two years old.
Kindergarten is open from 8.30am - 2.45pm for all children over 2 years of age.
We are open from mid January through to late December. We are open during the school holidays during the year but closed for the Christmas holidays.
We encourage three settling visits before your tamariki start Kindergarten. This will give all of you time to start your relationship with your child’s key teacher as this will support a successful transition to starting kindergarten in your new environment.
We look forward to meeting you and showing you our great kindergarten.