Early Childhood
Who are we?
St Mary’s Early Childhood Education Centre was established in 1995 by St Mary’s Anglican Church, Karori, as an outreach to families in the community.
The Centre is run as a Community Early Childhood Centre with a Management Committee comprising a representative of the church, the licensee, staff and parents.
Our Vision
The Centre’s children, staff and families develop a love of learning, caring and sharing through modelling Christ’s love.
Centre Profile
The Centre is open from 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday for 48 weeks of the year.
It is closed for three weeks over Christmas and New Year and for the first week of the July school holidays.
It is licensed for 29 children, 5 under 2 years and 24 two years and over. We are licensed for children over the age of 9 months and we do encourage them to be walking. The Centre provides care and education through full time and full day spaces to approximately 35 families
All food for the children is provided and prepared by the Centre.
2010 Fee Schedule
| Day / Week | Hours / Lunch | Under Two | Over Two | 3 & 4 year olds with "20 hours ECE' (up to 20 hours) |
| 9am to 3pm | 6 hours including lunch | $50.09 | $43.06 | $0.00 |
| 9am to 4pm or 8am to 3pm | 7 hours including lunch | $57.13 | $48.44 | $6.92 |
| 9am to 5pm or 8am to 4pm | 8 hours including lunch | $63.14 | $53.30 | $13.33 |
| 8am to 5pm | 9 hours including lunch | $69.14 | $58.27 | $19.42 |
| Fulltime 8am to 5pm Mon to Fri | 45 hours including lunch | $286.80 | $252.00 | $140.00 |
We have an Optional Charge for 3 and 4 year olds of $1.00 per hour for each of the "20 Hours ECE" utilised.
Staff
The Centre team is led by Nikki Hall, the Head Teacher and supported by Linda Travers the Centre Administrator. The teaching team consists of 7 teachers 6 of whom are qualified and registered. Five of our teachers are full time and two work four days per week. One of our teachers supports us by spending half her time teaching and the other half as our Family and Community Liaison Officer building links with our families and helping us to support them as much as we can as a Centre. We also have a Centre cook who prepares all of the meals.
Programme Planning
We have modified our programme to ensure it is based around the children’s interests and that it is available to all parents/caregivers and families. We acknowledge children’s interests and set about finding ways to ensure that we can extend and further develop their learning.
We have identified the range of children’s ages and learning and we have established programmes to specifically work within those age groups.
We have “Investigators” which is an extension time for the 3 ½ year olds through to 5 year olds which meet twice a day. This has been fabulous in extending the older children at the Centre. The “Adventurers”, who are our 2 ½ year olds to 3 ½ year olds, and our “Explorers”, who are 9 months to 2 ½ years old, get a half hour morning session to extend their interests and learning.
A Day at St Mary’s ECEC
| 8.00am – 9.30am | Free choice of activities and experiences |
| 9.30am – 10.00am | We split into three different groups // 9 months -2 ½ year olds - Explorers // 2 ½ – 3 ½ year olds - Adventurers // 3 ½- 5 year olds - Investigators |
| 10.00am – 10.20am | Morning Tea |
| 10.20am – 11.45am | Free choice of activities/experiences |
| 11.45am – 12 noon | Movement Time for all children |
| 12.00pm – 12.30pm | Lunch Time |
| 12.30pm – 1.00pm | Sleep/Rest time for younger children |
| 12.30pm – 1.30pm | Investigators |
| 1.00pm – 2.30pm | Free choice of activities/experiences |
| 2.30pm – 2.45pm | Story Time for all children |
| 2.45pm – 3.15pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 3.15pm – 5pm | Free choice of activities/experiences |
Links with Families and the Community
We have many successful social events throughout the year for a variety of different reasons. We like to ensure one social gathering a term. This is a great way to get to meet the teachers as well as your children’s friends and their parents.
In 2008 we created a new role Family and Community Liaison Officer for one of our teachers. Her role is to support our families and to visit children and families in times of need, to organise meals, to settle in new families, organise events such as Shrove Tuesday, Easter, Mothers day and Fathers day celebrations as well as workshops. To celebrate Christmas we involve all of the children in acting out a christmas themed play twice a day for a whole week. This enables parents and family members to come along to watch. Parents/caregivers and families were invited to watch. For those who could not attend we videoed the performances and show it to the parents on the night while we have a shared dinner.
For further information please contact:
Nikki Hall (Head Teacher) or Linda Travers (Centre Administrator).
Phone (04) 476 0319
Fax (04) 476 0319
Email:
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Or visit us at: 170 Karori Road, Karori, Wellington
How to Place Your Child at St Mary’s
We are a popular Centre with a reputation for high quality childcare, consequently the demand for places is high and new children need to get their name on the Centre waiting list as soon as possible. Please call the Centre to request a Waiting List Application Form.
