Pikopiko Learning - Whitford

About

Children and Adults Inspired by Kindness and Learning
Set on 5 acres, we aim to create confidence, creativity, imagination, and relationships with nature.

Story

Our classrooms are large open plan indoor spaces with areas set up to enhance the open and natural environment and to invite the children to explore and learn. The use of mostly natural resources throughout the centre allows for deeper exploration and understanding of our world.

Set on a 5 acre block, the lush grass lawns, complete with mature fruit trees, magical playgrounds and fabulous sandpits for creative construction, Pikopiko Learning really is the perfect place for discovering and learning both inside and out.

The Infant Toddler room provides a nurturing and intimate environment with a philosophy based on the ideas by Magda Gerber and Emmi Pikler, allowing your baby opportunities to explore and create relationships with the world around them. As your child develops the room allows for further extension, empowering each child to use their environment to further their relationships with both other children and teachers. With respect at its core, the programme ensures that our teachers work with and alongside the children, at the child's own pace, and moving forward with the child as they are ready. The Infant Toddlers outdoor garden and play area is separated from the Preschool, creating an environment designed for their individual needs.

While still nurturing the individual child, the Preschool room also promotes independence and encourages children to begin forming their own theories as individuals and in group settings. With a philosophy based on the ideas from Reggio Emilia the children are supported in being involved in group investigations, focusing on exploring their ideas, theories and concepts and engaging in long term investigations to test their hypotheses. Our teachers encourage children to think for themselves, make decisions and work towards their own solutions, by expressing their own ideas and feelings.

We have a dedicated team of professional teachers who are passionate about children and their right to be given every opportunity to develop in their own unique way. The teachers role in the center is to provoke children to explore, discover, wonder and extend them to create a love of lifelong learning. Through being committed to ongoing professional development the teachers can ensure that they incorporate best practice from New Zealand and around the world into their daily practice.