Whetū Nui

Whetū Nui (Big Star) is for children 2 years to 6 years.

Nau mai, haere mai ki Whetū Nui!

Here at Star, we practice respect-based philosophy which is evident in all that we do, say and are. It is crucial for our tamariki to have their own voice, and to feel a sense of autonomy as they navigate their educational journey through these important years.

Throughout the day, we offer a wide range of both indoor and outdoor activities, as well as extra-curricular activities a couple of times a week.

Our day is loosely structured around our rituals and routines. These rituals provide a sense of safety and predictability as the tamariki know what to expect and are welcomed to be active participants. The bell is rung by a child, alerting the tamariki that it is time to come to the whāriki (mat). This precedes a short Wā Hui (Meeting Time), followed by working together collaboratively to tidy up our space together. After this, our kaiāwhina (helper) will be assisted by a teacher to lead the kai time songs and to hand out food. This repeats at each kai time (10am, 12pm, 2pm) and is a part of our day that the tamariki really love and look forward to.

At Whetū Nui, we continue our Primary Care approach – we feel that is is so important for a child’s sense of belonging to have ‘their person’ that they know they can come to if they need support.

We look forward to getting to know you and your child.

Ka whangaia, ka tupu, ka puawai.

That which is nurtured will grow and blossom.

Ngā mihi mahana, the Whetū Nui kaiako

Our Journey to School

Supporting children and families through the transition process

The period of time between now and when your child begins school is so crucial. It is for this reason that, once your child turns four, they enter our tailor-made transition to school programme. This programme will focus on a variety of skills that will be necessary once your child starts primary school. We aim to equip them and prepare them; to do everything we can to ensure that their transition to school is as smooth and seamless as possible.

How does it work?

When your child turns four years of age, they automatically enter into our transition to school programme – ‘Our Journey to School’. There are a number of skills that will be interwoven seamlessly into our day-to-day practice (responsibility, social skills, Hui times, tidying up etc.). As part of the programme, there will also be times for explicit instruction.

All of our four year olds will be divided into small groups (3-4 children per group). Each child will attend one session per week alongside the other children in their group. These sessions will take place at 11.30am and will be approximately 20 minutes in length. Please ask Hannah (transition to school teacher) or your child’s primary carer if you wish to know which day your child has been allocated for their small-group learning.

During these sessions, your child will be learning to write their name, hold their pencil correctly, use scissors, use a glue stick, recognise letters and numbers, and so much more! Our goal is to ensure that your child feels ready to start school, and hits the ground running when they enter into their new classroom.

Our ultimate priority is to set our children up for success and to grow into capable and competent learners. For us to do that, we need your support!

For more information, please contact us.

If you are interested, send us an enquiry and we will get back to you as soon as we can!