Dannemora Kindergarten 141 Kilkenny Drive, Dannemora, Auckland 2016

Welcome to Dannemora Kindergarten, located at 141 Kilkenny Drive in Auckland, New Zealand. We are an establishment that serves as both a point of interest and a school, providing a nurturing and stimulating environment for children to learn and grow.

At Dannemora Kindergarten, we have a dedicated and devoted team of teachers who have a positive approach to caring for and educating your child. We believe that children are active participants in their learning and development, and we pay close attention to their individual interests and needs.

Our environment is welcoming and designed to support children in their learning journey. We have spacious outdoor gardens that provide opportunities for children to take risks, develop problem-solving skills, and engage in challenging activities in a safe and supportive learning environment. Indoors, we offer calm and quiet areas for children to relax, as well as spaces for them to be creative and use their imaginations.

We place great importance on the value of play in building important foundation skills, such as emergent literacy and numeracy. By encouraging positive dispositions towards learning, like resilience, persistence, and curiosity, we help children develop self-help skills and independence in a play-based, child-initiated setting guided by our experienced teachers.

We believe in building strong relationships with families and whānau (extended family). Working collaboratively with parents allows us to gain a deeper understanding of your child and ensures continuity of learning between home and the kindergarten. We offer optional home visits soon after your child starts at kindergarten to support their transition into our learning environment. This gives our tamariki (children) the opportunity to show us who they are and what their interests might be, while also providing you and your whānau the chance to discuss your child's progress.

At Dannemora Kindergarten, we embrace the concept of tuakana-teina, which encourages reciprocal relationships where children and teachers play both teaching and learning roles within the learning community. Our younger children learn from our older children, and vice versa, emphasizing the importance of each child's contribution. We value reciprocal learning relationships and create a safe environment for all children to interact with and learn from each other.

We are fortunate to be situated behind Botany Downs Secondary College, allowing us to have a strong cohesive relationship with the college. This relationship enables us to make use of the school fields and gymnasium at different times of the year. Our children love when the 'big kids' visit Kindergarten, and likewise, the college students enjoy interacting with the younger children.

As part of The Waipaparoa Kahui Ako (Waipaparoa Community of Learning), we have strong professional relationships with teachers from our local primary schools. We regularly work together to develop a clear and successful process for children and their whānau as they transition from kindergarten to school. This journey starts long before they leave kindergarten and doesn't end until they are successfully transitioned into school.

We welcome you to visit us at Dannemora Kindergarten, where we would love to show you all that we have to offer. Our hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 2.30pm, and our office hours are Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4.45pm. Please note that we are closed during term breaks and public holidays.

For more information and to see what's happening in our extended network, head over to our AKA blog. We believe that children are capable and competent learners who have fun as they explore, share ideas, and problem solve. Our program planning is responsive to children's interests and dispositions, as well as parent aspirations. The high value we place on children's learning through play is evident in our teachers' practice and kindergarten documents.

Come and experience the warmth and care of Dannemora Kindergarten. We look forward to meeting you and your child!