Our Philosophy

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At Craighead Kindergarten we nurture and encourage one another as we grow a lifelong love of learning.

We nurture:

  • mana atua – feeling and being safe
  • a love of play and exploration
  • manaakitanga – kindness and respect

We encourage:

  • curiosity and confidence as learners
  • self-awareness and self-worth
  • whakaaro pākiki – critical and courageous thinking

We grow:

  • whanaungatanga – relationships and teamwork
  • an appreciation of diversity
  • kaitiakitanga – care and protection


Kotahi te kākano, he nui ngā hua o te rākau

A tree comes from one seed but bears many fruit

This whakataukī emphasises that in our commonality we are all different. At Craighead Kindergarten we celebrate those differences while maintaining our relationship with each other.