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Philosophy
At The Junction, each child is respected as an individual, valuing their own unique interests, needs and abilities.
We believe in the holistic development of the child, allowing them the confidence, space, time and the freedom to develop and grow as a whole person.
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We are guided by the RIE philosophy in our infants space, which focuses on the utmost respect and care for our youngest learners. This approach is peaceful and unrushed, allowing our children to feel calm, secure and confident. Trust between infants and adults is built through strong connections, allowing the infant to have faith in their teacher, learn to problem solve, and embrace their ability for self-discovery. We trust the child to be the initiator of exploration. We provide time for uninterrupted play and allow the freedom to explore and interact with other infants. When allowed to unfold in their own way and in their own time, children discover an authentic sense of self which lays the foundation for secure relationships, enduring curiosity and lasting self-confidence. Our environment is full of natural resources and provides challenging age-appropriate equipment to help encourage your baby to develop naturally.
We know how important it is for childrens' wellbeing to be in a centre with small group sizes because large groups of infants are a very stressful environment to be in and are detrimental to a baby's wellbeing. We are very proud of our small group size of maximum of 12 children in our infants space. We have a 1:3 ratio for infants under 12 months and a 1:4 ratio for infants over 12 months. Your child will also have one key caregiver who will build a strong connection with your child and will be the one who performs most of the key caregiving moments with them (putting down to sleep, nappy changes, cuddles) and will be your key liaison with the centre.
INFANTS
For our older children, we are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. The Reggio approach to early childhood education views young children as individuals who are curious about their world and have the powerful potential to learn from all that surrounds them. We have a focus on hands on discovery using loose parts and open-ended materials. We foster an environment that stimulates creativity, problem solving, communication and self-expression. Nature inspires a lot of our play and our toys are mostly made of open-ended natural materials or authentic real world resources.
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We view the young child as an active participant in their learning. We offer ample opportunities for self-directed learning, scaffolded and supported with provocations and experiences from our teaching team. Children are empowered to solve problems, seek challenge, test theories and refine ideas & skills.
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School readiness is intertwined in daily routines and experiences. Alongside traditional numeracy and literacy skills, we encourage self-help and social skills, extending emotional intelligence and supporting relationships. We ensure our children leave the Junction confident and engaged learners, ready to take the next step in their learning journey to school.
YOUNG CHILDREN
Guiding Principles​
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Foundation of Relationships – Nga hononga
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​Respectful and trusting reciprocal relationships are at the core of everything we do. Children learn best when they feel safe, secure and loved unconditionally so we support a strong secure mutual attachment with a primary caregiver. We have created a culture of kindness where we have strong open partnerships with our families, learning collaboratively and being responsive to each child’s needs, identity, language and culture. We respect and empower our passionate teachers, fostering a positive working culture and encouraging continuity in our teaching team.​
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Nurturing Environment - Taiao
​We provide a nurturing and caring home-away-from home environment. Our spaces are calm but also stimulating and thoughtfully designed to allow children to make their own choices, follow their curiosity and deepen their learning through discovery and experimentation. Our centre is safe for children to explore, challenge themselves and take calculated risks. A deep connection with nature is supported through open-ended natural resources and plenty of time outside learning to love and care for our environment.​
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Holistic Development – Kotahitanga
​In order for a child’s full potential to develop, their learning and wellbeing must be supported naturally and holistically. We nurture each child’s physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. We celebrate the individual child and their unique qualities and we provide all children with equitable opportunities to learn. Our children build strong foundational skills in literacy and numeracy by being actively engaged in play based experiences. Alongside these traditional skills we foster social and emotional intelligence and support children to develop resilience, flexibility and adaptability. We are the guardians of children’s creativity so we ensure there are many opportunities for children to use their wild imaginations and express themselves in a variety of ways. ​
Empowerment – Whakamana​
Authentic and deep learning happens when children’s natural curiosities are engaged and supported. Our teachers closely observe children to really understand them so we are able to respond to their cues, body language and gestures and fully support their emotional and biological needs. We offer a play-based curriculum that provides plenty of opportunity for uninterrupted learning. Our care-giving moments are unhurried, respectful and empowering. Freedom of movement is essential for allowing a child’s development to unfold naturally and for them to develop full control over their bodies. We value each child’s voice and their contribution. By empowering children, we encourage a life-long love of learning.