A community kindergarten in Waitoa, in the Matamata-Piako district, run by the Te Aroha Kindergarten Association. It takes children aged 3 to 6, and the association also runs Tendershoots Kindergarten in Waitoa for children aged 0 to 3. Its sister centre, Te Aroha Kindergarten, is in Te Aroha.
The association has been providing early childhood education for more than 67 years. Its programmes are inquiry-based, shaped around each child as an individual, and children learn through play alongside their peers. The kindergarten works with te reo Māori and tikanga, and it recognises the partnership between the two cultures of Aotearoa.
Qualified teachers are employed under the Kindergarten Teacher, Head Teacher and Senior Teachers Collective Agreement. The association's board governs the work, and it has recently introduced a scholarship for teachers who want to extend their professional interests.
Enrolments are made by phone to the centre, and families can book a visit to see the kindergarten. The website asks for a minimum of two days a week when families choose a session.
The Waitoa office is on 07 280 5517, and the Te Aroha office uses the same number. The kindergarten is on Ngarua Road, Waitoa. Our pick in Waitoa for a three-year-old who wants a kindergarten with a strong te reo Māori thread.