Ruahine Kindergartens and Early Learning are for-purpose, affordable and inclusive of all children. Tamariki are at the heart of all we do and our income is constantly reinvested back into learning and teaching - which is why we offer up to 20 hours ECE at no charge.

All Ruahine services implement Te Whāriki, the Ministry of Education's bi-cultural early childhood education curriculum, with a focus on learning through play; and because we are community based, we work in partnership with whānau and local schools to make for positive transition to school and the strongest start as confident, competent and independent learners.

Ruahine services are extremely well resourced with large, purpose-built and natural outdoor environments providing lots of room to play and explore.

Our teaching teams engage in continuous professional development, internal evaluation and research, and are supported by pedagogical leaders to ensure they remain current and innovative.

What are the opening hours?

Ruahine kindergartens are closely aligned to school hours (8.30 - 2.30 or 8.45 - 2.45). Closed weekends, statutory days, between Christmas and New Year, plus 8 days per year while teachers participate in professional development.

Can my child come to kindergarten/early learning before they turn 3?

Ruahine Early Learning has places for children aged birth to school age and we have teachers experienced at working with all early age groups. At kindergarten, children traditionally start at 3 years old, but we can often offer places for children slightly younger - contact your local kindergarten to see if they have spaces as our kindergarten teachers are well qualified to work with children under 3 and some already do on a regular basis. The best thing is to visit a couple of your preferred Ruahine services and talk to the teachers.

Does my child have to start school at 5?

No, your child does not have to start school at 5, unless they are ready to do so; the legal requirement for starting school is 6 years. Ruahine teachers work in partnership with whānau to decide the best time for tamariki to start school. We have strong relationships with primary schools in our communities and good transition programmes so that tamariki feel prepared and confident when they take the next step in their learning journey.

Do you have trained teachers?

100% of our permanent teachers are fully qualified and registered. We supplement some of our teaching teams with 'In-training teachers' who are part-way through studying for a qualification in early childhood education.

What will my child learn and do all day?

The structure of the day differs at each Ruahine service and the unique personality of each reflects the communities in which they are located. So when you are looking for a service, we encourage you to visit a few before deciding which is best for your child and your personal circumstances.

There are so many opportunities available for your child's learning. A normal day can vary with lots of equipment and resources set out to encourage experience in all curriculum areas, as well as our teachers working with individual groups of children to extend their learning and understanding. Your child will develop language, thinking and social skills along with dispositions for lifelong learning such as trust, confidence, risk taking, curiosity, courage, responsibility and persistence.

They will learn how to be a good, considerate friend, be part of a group and how to share and take turns. All of this will occur through a range of fun activities such as sand and water play, puzzles, playdough, clay – not to mention painting and climbing, running and jumping! Children learn to care for the environment, for themselves and for each other. It is such an exciting and fun time!!

Read more about Te Whāriki, the early childhood education curriculum and child initiated play.

Does my child need to be toilet trained?

Absolutely not. Our well qualified teachers will work alongside you to support your child to become independent in this area when they are ready. Wearing a nappy does not exclude your child from any of our services.

When do I need to drop off and pick up my child, and what happens if I am late?

When you enrol your child, the teacher will explain drop off and pick-up times. Usually, you can drop your child off 5-10 minutes early, but you will need to stay until your child's official start time as we are not licensed to have children until the session starts - but this does give you time to help settle them in. You are expected to pick up your child on time. If you are running late, please contact the teaching team and we will keep your child safe until an authorised person collects them.

What are the fees and how do I pay them?

You can read more about this on our Fees Page - every child is entitled to 20 ECE hours free from the Government and you choose where you use these hours e.g. a Ruahine Kindergarten/Early Learning or another centre.

Fees are paid directly to RKA and can be made by Automatic Payment, Direct Debit or Internet Banking.

You may qualify for a WINZ subsidy?

The Childcare Subsidy is for parents whose income is below a certain level and it helps to pay for childcare costs.

The WINZ subsidy is only available to families for children under 5 years of age, and the subsidy is only available for children who attend a licensed early childhood service for 3 or more hours a week.

Parents/ caregivers may be eligible for a WINZ Childcare Subsidy for up to 9 hours a week if they are not in paid employment, studying or training.

Parents/ caregivers may be eligible for the subsidy for up to 50 hours a week if they are in paid employment, in training, are seriously ill or disabled, caring for a child in hospital, or caring for a child for whom they get a disability allowance for.

Three- and four-year-olds can get up to 6 hours per day, up to 20 hours per week of free early childhood education. 20 Hours ECE starts when a child’s turns three and finishes when they turn five. In some cases you may be eligible to receive a mix of both Childcare Subsidy and 20 Hours ECE if your child is enrolled for more than 20 hours per week.

The Childcare Subsidy is looked after by Work and Income. To find out more about the Childcare Subsidy, go to the Working for Families website or call 0800 559 009

Learn more on the Work and Income website: workandincome.govt.nz/childcare-subsidy

What is a waiting list and how are they managed?

We often have more children wanting to attend our amazing services than we have spaces for, so we do have lists of children waiting for places. The general rule at kindergarten, is that the oldest child waiting gets the next available space. At Ruahine Early Learning, we have under 2 years and over 2 year spaces, check with your local Ruahine Early Learning for information on availability and waiting lists. There are sometimes opportunities to start with your child attending one or two days until the full space you require becomes available - each service is different, so talk to the Head Teacher/Centre Manager about what is best for your child. We have 20 Ruahine Kindergartens in the area and five Ruahine Early Learning so it's worth spending time to find the one which is most suitable for your child.

Can I stay with my child during sessions?

Of course! We welcome all parents and whānau to stay with their children as long as they need. There are often areas for you to sit and read a magazine, or have a coffee with other parents too. Our teachers support parents, as well as your child’s learning and you are more than welcome to stay and participate.

What happens if something goes wrong, there is an accident or my child becomes ill?

If an accident is non-serious, such as a little scrape, then your teacher will talk to you when you pick up your child. Sometimes, teachers may place a note in your child's pocket and follow this up with a quick chat. Should we be concerned for any reason, we will contact you immediately. If we are unable to contact a parent we will phone the emergency contacts you have indicated on your enrolment form. All of our teachers are trained in First Aid and are very experienced to deal with emergencies in the unlikely event that they should arise.

Will I be kept informed on my child’s learning?

Most definitely. Your teachers are available to talk with you every day and share about your child’s learning. We also have individual portfolio books and an online portfolio system called Educa that you can access whenever you want to see your child’s progress. Educa is a really exciting way of recording learning that can be made available to as many family members as you like. We really value you and your family sharing what is happening at home so we can work in partnership to extend your child's learning - you are your children’s first teachers and know them the best!

What does my child need to bring with them each day and do you provide lunch?

It's always advisable to send a change of clothes (named) as children often get a bit mucky during the day. Some will also require you to bring a hat. It's great to have a 'named' bag to hold any extra clothing and the art creations your child will bring home, your child will also have their own area at kindergarten/early learning to keep their belongings and named water bottle.

One of our kindergartens provides lunch, but for the remaining Ruahine services, you will need to provide lunch and a snack for morning tea. Some tamariki have allergies, so to keep everybody safe, it's best to ask your friendly teachers about lunch and snacks when you enrol your child.