- What is KiNZ?
- Who will teach and care for my child?
- What are the hours?
- What dates do KiNZ centres close each year?
- What ages does KiNZ cater for?
- What will my child learn at KiNZ?
- What records are kept of my child’s learning?
- What will it cost me?
- How does the 20 Hours ECE scheme work?
- How do I enrol my child at KiNZ?
- What age should I enrol my child at KiNZ?
- What will my child need to bring to KiNZ?
- What food and drinks are provided at KiNZ?
- What is the policy on food allergies?
- Should I bring my child to KiNZ if they are sick?
- What is the policy on medication?
- What is the process for toilet training?
- What happens if there is an accident?
- What is the procedure for signing in and signing out?
- How do you manage sleep time?
- How can parents get involved at KiNZ?
KiNZ offers full day care and learning for children from 3 months until they begin school. Our childcare centres have been specially designed to provide safe, nurturing, and dynamic environments for children to learn.
Who will teach and care for my child?
Each KiNZ centre is run by a Centre Manager who is supported by other teaching and administrative staff. Our teachers are qualified and registered in early childhood education teaching, and are passionate about young children’s learning. The learning programme we use is based on the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki.
KiNZ day care and learning centres are open from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. During those hours both all day care and sessional services are available, allowing you to choose the days and sessions that your child attends childcare.
What dates do KiNZ centres close each year?
Our centres close on statutory holidays - we do charge fees to cover these days. No fees are charged if we close for a period over Christmas and New Year.
We believe that ongoing professional development and support is essential for teachers to demonstrate growth so we provide up to two Teacher Only Days during the year to enhance teachers knowledge.
What ages does KiNZ cater for?
KiNZ centres generally provide care and education for children from 3 months of age through to 6 years old, but entry age does differ slightly between our KiNZ centres, so please contact your local KiNZ to find out their age ranges.
We do recommend that you place your child on the waiting list at your local KiNZ centre as early as possible.
What will my child learn at KiNZ?
Our kindergarten style learning programme is based on the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki (1996). It is designed to support children “to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.”
We encourage children to partake in a range of learning activities to extend and develop their ideas, skills and knowledge. Learning experiences include: exploration, creativity, literacy, numeracy, independence, confidence, working together, sharing and positive social interactions.
Our high quality preschool programme promotes and extends the learning and development of every child by focusing on their individual strengths and interests.
Every day the learning programme will include a variety of planned and spontaneous activities, small group and individual interactions, active and quiet time, indoor and outdoor play. Our professional teaching staff provide children with an extensive range of high quality resources and educational opportunities to prepare them for a journey of lifelong learning.
As your child approaches 5 years of age, our teachers will help ready them for their transition to school, to make the process as easy and seamless as possible.
What records are kept of my child’s learning?
At KiNZ, our dedicated staff regularly document children’s learning in individual portfolios. These learnings are recorded in both paper and electronic portfolios, and help highlight your child’s strengths, interests, and learning dispositions.
- The portfolio book belongs to your child and is stored in the centre where children can access them whenever they wish. You are welcome to take your child’s book home to share with the family. We value the input of families to the portfolio so the book becomes a reflection of the learning at home as well as what happens at KiNZ. Children enjoy sharing their home experiences by putting home photos, stories and comments in the book. This helps build a shared knowledge about your child. Portfolio books are given to your child when they leave the centre.
- We use StoryPark for our electronic portfolio which allows teachers to privately share updates, photos and videos with families to communicate what is happening during your child’s day at KiNZ. You will get a unique login to access StoryPark through any internet connected smartphone, tablet or computer. Parents are the administrators of their child’s account and own all photos, videos and content. Important friends and family anywhere in the world can be invited to see, comment and engage in your child’s learning.
We cater to children in two age groups - Under 2’s and Over 2’s – and pricing varies depending on the age of your child. Also, each centre offers different amenities, so fees do vary between centres.
For a fee schedule based on your child’s age, and the days and hours you wish them to attend, please contact your local KiNZ centre.
- There is an enrolment bond when enrolling your child. This is a one off payment which must be paid before your child starts. If you are planning to withdraw your child from the centre, two weeks written notice is required, and your bond will be deducted from your final payment.
- Fees need to be paid one week in advance.
- For children that attend half days (7.30am-12.00pm or 1.00pm – 5.30pm), no lunch is provided.
- If you wish to change the days or hours your child attends, please talk to the Centre Manager. Two weeks notice of change is required.
- Please ensure that you drop off and collect your child according to the times detailed on the Enrolment Form. A late fee of $20.00 is incurred for every 5 minutes, and will be added to your invoice.
- A charge is incurred for statutory holidays and Teacher Only days, as we still incur fixes costs to operate the centre on these days.
KiNZ is part of the 20 hours ECE scheme, which allows all children over 3 years of age, to receive a subsidy on the first 20 hours of early childhood education each week.
How does the 20 Hours ECE scheme work?
The New Zealand government pays for all children over 3 years of age, to receive 20 hours a week of subsidised early childhood education. This scheme is available for everyone, and you can choose to use as many of the 20 Hours ECE as you want, up to 6 hours a day and 20 hours a week.
With your 20 hours ECE subsidy, the first 20 hours of your child's early childhood education is subsidised.
You can contact your local KiNZ centre here for a complete fee structure, or find out more about the 20 hours Free ECE scheme on the Ministry of Education website.
How do I enrol my child at KiNZ?
You are welcome to place your child on the waiting list at your local KiNZ, from birth onwards. KiNZ centre staff will contact you shortly afterwards to discuss the enrolment process.
You can also visit your local KiNZ centre to complete a waiting list form – and also have a look around the centre and meet the teaching team.
The centre staff will be in touch when a space becomes available for your child. The next step is to complete an Enrolment Form and then your child will be all set to start at KiNZ.
What age should I enrol my child at KiNZ?
You are welcome to enrol your child from birth onwards – they can start daycare at 3 months of age if space is available. You can find the wait form for your local KiNZ centre here.
What will my child need to bring to KiNZ?
KiNZ is a place of fun and children’s learning can be messy! Please ensure your child wears suitable clothing to play, explore and experiment!
Each day your child will need to bring:
- A bag, clearly printed with their name
- A change of named clothes
- A sun hat in the summer months
- A raincoat and gumboots for winter months
- Nappies (if applicable): Please provide nappies and any applicable creams. You may like to send an adequate supply of nappies each day in their bag, or you can provide a bulk packet for ongoing use. Please put your child’s name clearly on the packet/creams and sign the appropriate medicine forms at the centre.
What food and drinks are provided at KiNZ?
At KiNZ we believe that it is important to help children understand what healthy bodies need. Meal times are important for social interaction and creating a healthy, positive attitude towards food. KiNZ promotes healthy eating both at the centres and at home.
Nutritious cooked lunches, morning and afternoon teas are created daily on-site by our KiNZ Cooks for your child to enjoy. If your child has special dietary requirements due to allergies, medical conditions or family beliefs, please discuss these with your Centre Manager.
When you are introducing solids at home, please let the staff know so that we can support your child’s taste buds.
We are a breastfeeding friendly environment and a Parents Room is available for any mothers who wish to use it.
For children under two years of age, formula and labelled bottles are required to be supplied by parents each day.
Fresh drinking water is available at all times for children.
What is the policy on food allergies?
Occasionally, we have children with severe food allergies, and we find that the safest way to deal with this is for all families to avoid bringing the following high-risk foods in to KiNZ centres:
- Peanuts (including nutella, peanut butter, peanut brownies, peanuts or nuts of any kind)
- Eggs (including hardboiled eggs, egg sandwiches).
As KiNZ provides healthy nutritious meals and snacks each day and offers choices based on individual health and cultural needs, we ask you not to send your child with any food in their bags.
If you have any questions, talk to the teaching team at your local KiNZ centre.
Should I bring my child to KiNZ if they are sick?
Is your child feeling unwell, or displaying any of these symptoms?
- Vomiting and / or diarrhoea
- A high temperature
- An unidentified rash
- Conjunctivitis (unless medical treatment has been applied for at least 24 hours)
- Any other symptoms of a contagious illness
- Head lice (after treatment)
If so, we do ask that they remain away from KiNZ and return 24 hours after the final symptom.
If you are unsure about whether your child is well enough to attend, please talk to the teaching team.
What is the policy on medication?
If your child is on medication and you want them to be given medicine during the day, please talk with the Centre Manager – they can provide the required forms. Medication can only be given to a child when prior written authority has been provided by parents/whānau.
Pamol is available at the centre in an emergency and can be administered if verbal approval is given to two staff, and a form is completed when you collect your child.
What is the process for toilet training?
When you start toilet training your child at home, we will work in partnership with you to support your child though the process. Please feel free to ask the staff any questions you have.
What happens if there is an accident?
Our child care centres provide a safe, nurturing environment, but despite this, sometimes accidents happen. All our teachers have current first aid certificates and will administer basic first aid. All accidents are recorded and you will be asked to record your signature when you collect your child to ensure you are aware of what happened and any treatment provided.
If the accident is serious, parents will be contacted immediately. If this is not possible, we will seek appropriate medical advice or support.
What is the procedure for signing in and signing out?
Our childcare licensing and safety/security precautions require you to sign your child's exact arrival and departure times each day on the form provided. Your child must be brought into the building and left safely with a teacher before you leave.
Please alert the teachers if someone else will be collecting your child, and make sure they are listed on your child’s Enrolment Form. If they are not, you can notify the Centre Manager on the day but it needs to be in writing. In an absolute emergency please phone to advise if someone different will be collecting your child, and add this person to your Enrolment Form the next day. Unless these procedures are followed, people other than the authorised people listed on the Enrolment Form will not be permitted to collect your child.
Each child is unique and we recognise that each child has their own sleeping routine. KiNZ teachers will endeavour to follow your child’s rhythms and routines while providing a relaxed and familiar environment.
Sleep routines for infants will vary depending on individual needs and will be drawn up in consultation with parents/whānau.
We provide fully supervised sleep and rest facilities, and provide the option for older children (4-5 years old) to participate in other activities while the younger children sleep.
How can parents get involved at KiNZ?
We believe that partnership between children, kindy teachers, parents, whānau and the community is essential for a positive early learning environment. KiNZ centres hold regular parent evenings and family events and encourage you to get involved and visit the centre as often as you like.
We provide both formal and informal opportunities for you to communicate with teachers about your child and share specific evidence of their learning, and to be involved in decision making that affects your child’s wellbeing.