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

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.

Glengarry Kindergarten

Open: 8.15am - 4.15pm

Session times: 8.30am – 2.30pm Monday to Friday

Address: 116 Derwent Crescent, Invercargill 9810

Phone: (03) 217 4461

Email: glengarryk@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Carly Ashford, Jim O'Hara, Connie Crosbie, Dale Potter

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

Whanaungatanga and Manaakitanga are an integral part of Glengarry Kindergarten. Our vision is of Mahi Tahi where together we learn, we move forward collaboratively and can become more powerful together.

Glengarry Kindergarten is a silver award Enviroschool. We place a sustainable lens over our learning and teaching and have an orchard, vegetable gardens, tunnel house, hens and leaf-cutter bees.

We are involved in the Nature Discovery programme at Myross Bush where tamariki enjoy an unhurried time learning in nature.

We also plan regular visits for small groups of tamariki within the community and aim to be an active part of our neighbourhood.

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

Grasmere Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.15am – 4.15pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 2.45pm

Address: 90 Heywood Street, Invercargill 9810

Phone: (03) 215 9292

Email: grasmerek@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Kerrie Peterson, Tania Rea, Tracey Harris

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

The kaiako/teachers see the learning of the tamariki/children as a collective effort between the kindergarten, the whānau and the community. We understand it takes a village to “raise” a child and truly value all the input our ngā whanau/families put into the kindergarten and their tamaiti/child’s learning.

Our outdoor environment is large, spacious, and natural enabling opportunities of endless learning. A relaxed but fun and engaging place where tamariki are encouraged to take risks and challenge themselves building their resilience, co-construction and problem-solving learning. Our indoor environment is warm and inviting with plenty of space for tamariki to learn, imagine, wonder, and create.

We have up to 30 tamariki in a large space with 3 fully qualified kaiako providing quality education.

Our learning environment is fun, engaging and fosters respectful relationships through a sense of aroha. A place where culture and language are valued, and self-identity is enhanced for all. A diverse range of cultures within our kindergarten enriches the learning for everyone. We embrace diversity and the uniqueness that comes with it. We want our tamariki to leave kindergarten with a very strong positive view of themselves as learners and a person. Someone who shows kindness and compassion to others and has a good understanding of their own and others social and emotional well-being.

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

We invite you to pop in at any time so you get a true sense of who we are and what we can offer or if you prefer you can also ring or email to ask any questions you may have.

Kew Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.15am – 4.15pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 2.45pm

Address: 51 Selwyn Street, Invercargill 9812

Phone: (03) 218 4243

Email: kewk@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Alana Beckett, Mel McKerchar

Number of children: 20

Kawa is the routine, rituals & protocols that makes Kew Kindergarten Kew. It is our Bucket Filling - kind things we say, kind things we do. It is Mana reo/communication – expressing ourselves using all our senses as well as the arts & active movement. It is enviro-school kaupapa - looking after ourselves, each other & our kindergarten.

Kew Kawa is about learning & having fun together. It is laughing, being helpful if someone is hurt & keeping our kindy ataahua. It is about being kind & welcoming, ensuring that everyone has a great time at Kew & can be the best they can be. Kew Kawa is about social & emotional competencies, we want everyone to see, hear & feel kindness with the highest learning potential. That’s the Kew Kawa.

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.

Lees Street Kindergarten

Open: Monday to Friday 8.15am – 4.15pm

Session times: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 2.30pm

Address: 75 Lees Street, Invercargill 9810

Phone: (03) 218 6680

Email: leesstreet@ska.co.nz

Teachers: Helen Jackson, Sally Bailey, Gemma Lynch

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

Lees Street Kindergarten is situated in the residential suburb of Gladstone. We are lucky to have an outside environment that is full of mature trees and exciting resources that challenge children’s imaginations and physical skills.

We recognise the vital role that active movement plays in children’s development and implement a weekly perceptual motor programme (PMP) giving children the opportunity to partake in a variety of physical activities that are vital for developing the brain. We also place importance on verbal communications and interactions.

We have a strong focus on the natural environment and sustainability, and take part in the Enviroschools programme. Children plan, plant, nuture, harvest and cook fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as learning about composting and recycling.

Our Taiao Tuhura/Discovering Nature programme sees children exploring and learning at Kindergartens South’s native bush property in Myross Bush one morning a week.

We are also beginning to implement a music component to our programme, which sees local musicians visiting and teaching us about a variety of different instruments.

Parents and whanau are invited to take part in our learning activities. Our kindergarten is also a great place for parents to meet and network, and we offer family nights and social evenings for parents to meet up.

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