Amazing Early Years teams work with our youngest learners and share their practices.

Our Early Years teams are spread across the country, from our Preschool in Auckland, Playgroups in Wellington and Dunedin, and our Early Years Whānau Centre in Christchurch in two locations – Sumner and Prebbleton.

We continue to run very successful Preschool Residential Courses in both Christchurch and Auckland, with the Auckland team working hard to increase the numbers of families supported – we are pleased that we are on track to achieving a total of 30 families we have supported this year!

We also started trialling a virtual preschool group – early responses from the whānau members attending indicated they are enjoying the new format, particularly the informative presentations such as Theory of Mind, as well as seeing new books and songs in NZSL.

As the Acting Head of Early Years for the past year, I have had the privilege of witnessing the fantastic team’s mahi firsthand within the few opportunities I had to visit Early Years Whānau Centre in Christchurch, as well as continuing to support Auckland Preschool, albeit in a different role. I look forward to visiting the Dunedin playgroup later in term 4. I am very proud of our Leads, Tina and Susan, as they always continue to seek to improve our services and support our wider Ko Taku Reo colleagues, particularly the Resource Teachers of the Deaf (RTDs) and the Integrated Services team, as well as with external partners such as Advisors on Deaf Children (AODCs), First Signs leaders, facilitators and early intervention agencies.

Early Years is such a small area of Ko Taku Reo but critically vital to the success of our learners now and into the future, as we build the foundations for their future successes. Thank you to all the whānau who have connected with the Early Years teams this year, whether that be through our Auckland Preschool, Early Years Whānau Centre, our playgroups in Wellington or Dunedin, through our new virtual Preschool group, or our Preschool Residential Courses. You and your child are the reasons for our mahi. Thank you for partnering with us to support you and your child in growing, choosing, belonging, and excelling.