Kindergartens

We have 24 kindergartens throughout Southland placed at the heart of rural and urban communities.

We work hard to ensure all children at every kindergarten experience the best teaching and learning environments.

Our kindergarten locations are listed below.

Spaces available now at Bluff, Clarendon, Elston Lea, Grasmere, Kew, Northern Southland, Ranui, Rockdale

Bluff Kindergarten

Open: 8.15am - 3.45pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 9.00am – 2.00pm

Address: 144 Foyle Street, Bluff 9814

Phone: (03) 212 8674

Email: bluffk@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Sez Bragg, Diane Slaughter (Teacher Aide)

Number of children: 20

Bluff Kindergarten is located at the heart of our port town, in close proximity to both local schools. Our catchment area also includes children from the rural surrounds of Bluff.

We pride ourselves in the maori concept of Whanaungatangata (relationships), creating a warm, comfortable environment and mauri for everyone who comes to our kindergarten.

We strive to instil a sense of mana and pride in our tamariki, supporting them to create a sense of wellbeing and identify within the community and whanau, as well as a sense of belonging to their kindergarten.

Whanau and community are central to our philosophy and the programme that we offer.

We believe learning should be an adventure and we strive to provide our tamariki with quality resources and an ever-changing stimulating environment to learn in. We also incorporate current technology to guide and support our practice.

Drummond Rural Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.15am – 4.45pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.45am – 2.45pm

Address: Domain Road, Drummond RD3, Otautau 9683

Phone: (03) 236 2828

Email: drummondk@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Lauryn Polmear, Carrie Thomson, Riley McDermott, Rebecca Asher

Number of children: 30

At Drummond Rural Kindergarten we embrace our rural location and embrace our natural environment in all areas of our programme.

Our teaching team are committed to providing a welcoming, fun, relaxed and nurturing environment rich in positive interactions.

We encourage children to have fun and to be socially competent, independent and capable decision makers confident in their abilities to communicate and interact with others. Children are empowered to have a positive attitude towards learning; they are challenged to think creatively, ask questions and make decisions that will promote learning and provoke enquiry.

Our art room is a dedicated creative space where children can be creative, hands-on learners. In the art room children have the opportunity to express themselves, take risks, problem solve and to create and revisit their creations with the support and encouragement of teachers, following the Reggio Emilia approach.

We value the input of our community and offer many opportunities for families and whanau to contribute to their child’s learning.

Our kindergarten operates a full year model and only closes for an extended break over the Christmas/New Year period.

To find out more and arrange a time to meet our friendly team, please contact us.

Fiordland Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.45am – 2.45pm

Address: 9 Gunn Street, Te Anau 9600

Phone: (03) 249 7585

Email: fiordland@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Tracey Braven, Laura Dalley, Chuchu Wu

Number of children: 30 in the morning, 20 in the afternoon

Fiordland Kindergarten is an integral part of the Te Anau community. We provide a friendly, relaxed and welcoming meeting place for families to establish relationships, have a voice and be involved.

Our aim is to develop happy, social, enquiring, empathetic children who are motivated to learn.

Our indoor and outdoor environments are places for exploration and learning, incorporating natural materials reflective of where we live.

We teach children to value and respect To Matou Wahi Ahi Kaa/Our Special Place including its people, its history and the natural environment. Through this they develop a sense of pride and belonging.

We use the wider community to help implement this learning, inviting members of the community to visit us and getting out into the community to interact and explore outside the classroom.

We encourage children to express the knowledge they have gained through dramatic play and artwork.

Technology is integrated within our programmes, and used to link children with their families and the wider world through blogging, skyping and emails.

Our kindergarten operates a full year model and only closes for an extended break over the Christmas/New Year period.

To find out more and arrange a time to meet our friendly team, please contact us.

Longbush Rural Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.15am - 4.15pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 2.30pm

Address: 1069 Invercargill Woodlands Highway, RD1, Invercargill 9871

Phone: (03) 231 3148

Email: longbush@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Julie Blake, Sonia Leonard, Tessa McCosh, Catherine Carroll

Number of children: 30 in the morning, 20 in the afternoon

Here at Longbush kindergarten we are a place full of fun, love and laughter situated 10 minutes out of Invercargill, we have a beautiful rural outlook including three paddocks 4 sheep 9 chickens and an eatable garden. Our environment is unhurried offering natural spaces for children to explore and investigate.

We have great whanau and community spirit, where Relationships with whanau/family are important to our kindergarten. We love to involve families within our teaching and learning programme and we always have an open-door policy.

Our kindergarten operates a full year model and only closes for an extended break over the Christmas/New Year period.

If you would like to know more please feel free to pop in anytime, the kettle is always hot.

Northern Southland Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.15am – 4.45pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.45am – 2.45pm

Address: 4 Helena Street, Lumsden

Phone: 03 248 7870 or mobile 027 297 5929

Email: northern.southland@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Kathy Hollings, Aroha Rogerson, Loren Miller

Number of children: 30/20

Northern Southland Kindergarten is our newest kindergarten opened January 2022, situated in Lumsden, the heart of Northern Southland.

Our fully trained ECE teachers/kaiako deliver Early Child Education to rural and urban children/tamariki and their families/whanau in an attractive, well resourced environment.

Our kindergarten operates a full year model and we only close for an extended break over the Christmas/New Year period.

To find out more and arrange a time to meet our friendly team, please contact us.