Early Impressions Childcare is a non-profit childcare centre that has been part of the Johnsonville community since 1974, located within the Johnsonville Community Centre at 3 Frankmoore Avenue, Wellington. The centre is licensed by the Ministry of Education and maintains a high level of qualified teachers to child ratio.
Early Impressions follows Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood curriculum, aiming to develop all aspects of a child's learning and development. The centre describes itself as one of the first experiences a child may have away from home, and aims to offer a nurturing and safe environment for children to socialise and have fun.
The centre's philosophy is built around five values: Manaakitanga (making others feel at home, loved and welcome), Ako (reciprocal teaching and learning between teachers and children), Kaitiakitanga (guardianship and care for the environment and community), Tuakana/Teina (a mentoring system where more experienced children guide younger ones), and Whanaungatanga (a sense of belonging and family connection). These sit alongside four valued outcomes the centre aims for: Curiosity, Resilience, Belonging and Respect.
Early Impressions makes its operational documents available for viewing, including annual and strategic plans, policies and procedures, annual audited accounts, teacher qualifications, licence certificate and ERO report.
Early Impressions Childcare has been part of the Johnsonville community since 1974, operating as a non-profit organisation offering childcare and support to local families. The centre sits within the Johnsonville Community Centre at 3 Frankmoore Avenue in Wellington, close to the heart of the suburb.
As a Ministry of Education licensed centre, Early Impressions maintains a high level of qualified teachers to child ratio, aiming to ensure each child gets quality care and education. The centre is also notably transparent about its operations, making its annual and strategic plans, policies and procedures, annual audited accounts, teacher qualifications, licence certificate and ERO report all available for viewing by families.
Early Impressions bases its programme on Te Whāriki, New Zealand's Early Childhood curriculum, with the aim of developing all aspects of a child's learning and development. The centre sees itself as often being one of the first experiences a child has away from home, and positions its role as offering a nurturing and safe environment where children can socialise, explore and have fun.
Early Impressions' philosophy is built around five te reo Māori values. Manaakitanga is about encouraging others to feel at home, loved, supported and welcome, offering a nurturing, inclusive, fun and empowering place filled with aroha. Ako fosters reciprocal teaching and learning between kaiako (teachers) and tamariki (children), recognising that everyone brings their own knowledge, ideas and experiences to share. Kaitiakitanga promotes guardianship, protection, preservation and conservation, encouraging respect and care for the environment, and for the social, physical and spiritual world around the centre.
Tuakana/Teina describes a mentoring system where an older or more experienced child (tuakana) helps guide a younger or less experienced one (teina), with these roles able to reverse depending on who has expertise in a given area. Whanaungatanga rounds out the philosophy, guiding a sense of belonging and family connection through shared experiences, respectful relationships, teamwork and responsibility within the community.
Alongside its five values, Early Impressions works toward four valued outcomes. Curiosity is nurtured through positive experiences that encourage participation and perseverance, helping children grow their social and emotional competency as they take on new challenges. Resilience comes from a learning space where children can explore, ask questions, solve problems, play, imagine and make discoveries, with creativity and fun built into every day. Belonging means each child is nurtured, valued and included, with relationships between children, whānau, community and kaiako affirmed and celebrated, and primary caregiving respected. Respect means that mana is treasured, every child and whānau is seen, heard and accepted, and culture, identity and heritage are acknowledged, modelled through kindness and compassion.
Early Impressions welcomes children from 13 months old, who can attend from 1 to 5 days per week depending on availability, with the centre encouraging at least 2 days per week where possible. The centre operates Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 2:30pm, during term time only.
The centre is conveniently located within the Johnsonville Community Centre, less than a 5-minute walk from Johnsonville Mall and the Johnsonville train station, with convenient parking available on Frankmoore Avenue. Families are welcome to visit at any time without needing to make an appointment first, and can reach the centre by phone on 04 478 7553 or by email at [email protected].