Ta'i Tamaiti Turanga Rangatira
Early Learning Centre

Kia tiratiratu toku turanga Kuki Airani, na roto i tōku reo, tāku peu e tāku akano’anga.

Kia Orāna, turou, aere mai ki te āpi’i pōtiki, Ta’i Tamaiti Tūranga Rangatira

At the core of all that we do is our Cook Islands traditions and values, teaching through ‘Arataki Tua’ | Storytelling and guided by Te Whāriki principles. 

 

“Children are 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.” 

 

At Ta’i Tamaiti we are a space and a tool to assist the development of your child’s early years, providing them with an environment that is culturally responsive, supportive, and rewarding. We are also guided by the Cook Islands Christian values of love, respect, care for one another, and above all a respect for this whenua, its peoples, and acknowledgement of our Cook Islands connections.

 

While we are a Cook Islands-centered school, we are open to all ethnicities residing within Aotearoa and welcome you and your child to what we trust will be an extension of your home. By working together, we will provide an environment that promotes quality care and education using Cook Islands methodologies, philosophies, and knowledge.

Our Story

Parent Checklist

What to consider if Ta'i Tamaiti is the right fit for your family, and most importantly, your child:

Location & Hours

299R Kirkbride Rd, Mangere, entry via Naylors Drive.

We are open from 7.30am – 5.00pm, MON-FRI, except on Public Holidays and Teacher Only Days. (Parents will be notified if there are any changes to school hours.)

Ta’i Tamaiti sits on Kirkbride Reserve, Mangere. To enter the school, park at Fetu Aolele Multicultural ECE on Naylors Drive, and follow the walkway leading to Ta’i Tamaiti.

Finding our centre

Class Size & Facilities

Teacher to Child Ratio:
- Over 2yrs – 4yrs: One teacher to ten students
- Under 2yrs: One teacher to five students

Our School offers an array of play areas for children to explore and develop in.

These areas have been designed based on the 'Legend of Kupe and the land of the long white cloud', and the map of the Cook Islands.

Follow the link for a photo tour of Ta'i Tamaiti.

Photo tour

Style of Care

New Zealand standard teaching guidelines Te Whāriki, NELP, Tapasa are incorporated into our school, with adopted principles from the Cook Islands framework Te Kura Api’i Tamariki Pōtiki.

Interwoven into our curriculum is the standard principles of:
- Te Reo Māori: Cook Islands Language
- Akono'anga: Cook Islands values, customs and spiritual beliefs,
- Te Oire e te Iti tangata: Family, Whānau and community,
- Piri'anga: Relationships
- Empowerment & holistic development.

Learn More

Services Offered

For your child:
- Interactive Cook Islands Māori learning,
- Dedicated, passionate, bilingual experienced staff,
- Modern brand-new facilities,
- Transition to school programme for pre-school aged children.

For parents:
- Support applying to WINZ for subsidy assistance.
- Access to CIDANZ's Wellbeing Navigators and service, (see CIDANZ website for more details).

Follow the link below for School Fee's and enrollment process.

Fee's & Enrollment Info

Ministry of Health Guidelines

At Ta’i Tamaiti families provide a lunch box for their child. We encourage parents to provide food that meets the Health Food and Drink Guidance Early Learning Services Guidelines that:

  • Offer a variety of healthy foods from the four food groups
  • Should be prepared with or contain minimal saturated fat, salt, and added sugar; and should be mostly whole or less processed and appropriate for the child’s age and stage.
  • Offer water, unflavored milk as drink options
  • 0-6 months, offer breast milk or a commercial infant formula (if required)
  • 6-12 months, offer breast milk or a commercial infant formula (if required)

Please discuss with us if you would like further information.

For the safety of your child and other Ta’i Tamaiti students, we ask that parents familiarise themselves with the Ministry of Health’s recommendations on reducing food-related choking for babies and young children at early learning centres. This guideline is important because:

  • Food related choking incidents can be fatal for children
  • Young children are more susceptible to choking because of the small size of their air and food passages, their inexperience with moving food in their mouth, not fully developing biting and chewing skills, or able to cough to dislodge foreign objects.
  • They have yet to develop their second molars needed to rind food prior to swallowing.

For more information read the Ministry of Health’s Reducing Food-Related Choking for Babies and Children at Early Learning Services information and Q&A’s.

Ministry of Health

Ready to Enroll?

Download the Enrolment Form or Fill in the online Pre-Enrolment Form

PDF
Microsoft Word

Want to know more?

We're happy to answer your questions.

Contact