About The Point
The Point
Our independent and family-run centre is housed in a beautiful converted villa in the heart of Auckland’s Point Chevalier. We provide warm, welcoming, stimulating and safe spaces where young people can grow at their own pace.
The Point first opened its doors in January 2015. Since then the centre has become an integral part of the Point Chevalier community. Our Kaiako (teachers) believe that wisdom and real learning begin with wonder. Their focus is helping your child to become a creative, resilient learner who is self-motivated and curious – all tools they will need for a happy and purposeful life.
The centre accepts children from 3 months old to school entry. Different age groups are accommodated across the original villa and its modern extension, which was completed in 2017. Spaces are airy and calm but full of activity, designed to feel like an extension of your child’s home environment. Children love to run and explore in our large outdoor spaces, which boast mature trees that provide plenty of shade from the sun.
Interested in learning more? Read about our centre philosophy here. We’d also love to meet you in person, so feel free to schedule a visit during our opening hours.
The Villa
Stepping into the centre feels warm and familiar, just like the family home. Children aged between 2-5 years spend their days in our beautifully repurposed villa. The spaces are split to accommodate our toddler group (Rimu room) and our 3 1/2 to 5 year olds (Pohutukawa room).
Below, our Centre Director explains the unique teaching approach in each of these special spaces.
Kowhai Room Development
Our under 2s are provided for within the nurturing surrounds of the Kowhai Room, The Point’s purpose built extension, which is directly connected to the original villa. The indoor space feels light and airy, with a combination of wooden floors and snug carpeted areas. The outdoor spaces are accessed through floor to ceiling windows and doors that open onto a covered deck area. From here, children delight in running, crawling or rolling down the wooden ramp to the outdoor space and sand pit.
Each of our young ones are assigned a key kaiako (teacher), who is responsible for their daily care and education. Individual routines are provided to enable each child to discover the world in their own way.
Centre Director
Our Centre Director Toni manages the day-to-day function of The Point. She is the person who organises visits for new parents and can explain fully the way our centre operates.
Toni is a registered early childhood teacher who has had more than 16 years' experience in early childhood. Toni has worked at The Point for the past 8 years, firstly as a teacher then Team Leader of the Preschool and now Centre Director. Toni believes that the influence Te Whariki (NZ early childhood curriculum) and the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching and learning provides a quality learning environment for young children.
As Centre Director, “I believe that respectful relationships between children, families, and educators form the foundation of a positive and caring learning environment. I am committed to leading our team in creating high-quality early learning opportunities that support each child’s growth and development. I support an environment where children are empowered, families are welcomed as partners, and teachers are inspired to bring their best every day”.
Our centre is divided into 3 rooms with approximately 25 children in each group. We pride ourselves on employing trained and experienced teachers with a lower than regulated adult to child ratio.
Rimu Room
2 – 3.5 years
For our active and busy toddlers, we place a strong focus on developing a true love of learning by allowing them to create, wonder and discover the world around them. Communication skills are also a large focus and viewed as an ever-evolving process, a way of discovering new things, asking questions, playing with sounds, rhythm and rhyme. We believe there are many languages that a child can and should communicate with, outside of the classical methods of writing and speaking.
Pohutukawa Room
3.5 – school entry
For our oldest children, we emphasise questioning, problem solving and experimentation. Each child is an equal participant in the group, with their thoughts and questions valued. Literacy and numeracy is woven throughout our programme. We observe the group’s interests, and listen to their questions or stories. We then provide them with opportunities to explore these interests through provocations which will include mathematical or a literal lens. Children who are ready for more focused learning from the age of 3 ½ years can move into this area after discussion between teacher and parent.
Kowhai Room
Under 2
Infants and toddlers are provided with a nurturing programme. The programme is based on the routines of the children at this precious time in their life. We are influenced by the RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) approach of caring for young children. This approach allows our youngest ones the time, space, love and support to be themselves.