Cashmere Early Learning Centre is a family-owned preschool at 192 Cashmere Road in Hoon Hay, Christchurch, licensed for 28 children aged 2 to 5. It is owned and run by Iris and Jack, who took over the centre in 2018 — a decision partly inspired by wanting to create a nurturing space their own younger daughter, Chloe, could grow up in alongside other children in the neighbourhood.
The centre's spaces are Montessori and Reggio Emilia inspired, and its curriculum is guided by Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, with a strong emphasis on play-based learning. Cashmere Early Learning Centre honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi by weaving te reo Māori and te ao Māori into daily practice, and its work is shaped by seven centre values: Manaakitanga (kindness), Whanaungatanga (strong relationships), Ako (reciprocal learning), Tuakana-Teina (peer support), Wairuatanga (spiritual well-being), Rangatiratanga (independence) and Kaitiakitanga (environmental guardianship).
The centre serves families across Hoon Hay, Spreydon, Halswell, Beckenham, Hillsborough, Somerfield, Barrington, Westmorland and Cracroft, with its community reaching as far as Rolleston. As an early childhood service, it is externally evaluated by the Education Review Office (ERO), the New Zealand government's evaluation agency for education and care settings.
Cashmere Early Learning Centre began, in its current form, with a very personal motivation. When Iris and Jack took ownership of the centre in 2018, they did so partly with their own younger daughter, Chloe, in mind — wanting to build a space where she, and the other little ones in the neighbourhood, could flourish, explore and grow. Iris has spoken about taking on the centre despite not having formal training in early childhood education herself, drawing instead on having grown up in a household where education was, in her words, "a way of life."
Nearly six years on, the centre has grown into a small, close-knit community. It's licensed for 28 children aged 2 to 5, and draws families from a wide catchment — Hoon Hay, Spreydon, Halswell, Beckenham, Hillsborough, Somerfield, Barrington, Westmorland and Cracroft, with connections reaching as far as Rolleston.
The centre's guiding phrase — Mā te ngākau aroha koe e ārahi, "let a loving heart guide your decisions" — sets the tone for how Cashmere Early Learning Centre describes its approach. The curriculum follows Te Whāriki, New Zealand's national early childhood curriculum, with an emphasis on play-based learning that lets tamariki explore, inquire and grow at their own pace.
The centre honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi by incorporating te reo Māori and te ao Māori into daily practice, aiming to ensure all cultures and identities are respected. That commitment is anchored by seven centre values that shape day-to-day interactions: Manaakitanga (kindness), Whanaungatanga (strong relationships), Ako (reciprocal learning), Tuakana-Teina (peer support), Wairuatanga (spiritual well-being), Rangatiratanga (independence), and Kaitiakitanga (environmental guardianship). Family and community are treated as central to a child's development, with the centre building relationships with whānau so that each child's learning reflects their own background and experience.
Physically, the centre is made up of three main spaces: a main classroom, a quieter room, and a backyard playground. The design draws on both Montessori and Reggio Emilia principles — approaches that share an emphasis on child-led exploration within a thoughtfully prepared environment, rather than a fixed, teacher-directed structure.
Cashmere Early Learning Centre's teaching team brings a wide range of backgrounds together. Winnie Yang, the Curriculum Leader and Second in Charge, has 17 years of ECE experience and speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and English, helping the centre connect with its diverse families. Michelle Cross, a kaiako, has three decades of early childhood experience across both New Zealand and the United Kingdom, having worked in management, curriculum leadership, and as a play specialist before returning to what she describes as her most enjoyed role: being a kaiako. Alexandra Davidson combines a university teaching qualification with a Montessori Diploma, having deepened her practice while working in a Montessori preschool after graduating. Serene, a proud Māori-Samoan wāhine, recently completed her Bachelor of Teaching and Learning at the University of Canterbury and brings a strong focus on creating a warm, valued environment for every child.
As a licensed early childhood service, Cashmere Early Learning Centre is externally evaluated by the Education Review Office (ERO), Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga — the New Zealand government agency responsible for reviewing the education and care provided in early childhood settings. Families can view the centre's latest ERO report directly through the centre's website.
The centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:30pm, and enquiries or enrolments can be made by phone, email, or through the centre's online enrolment form.