How to enrol

You are welcome to visit, meet our amazing team and get a feel for our learning environment.

We welcome all prospective parents/whānau to visit us to ensure our Centre is the right early childhood centre for your whānau.  Please contact us to arrange a time so we can make sure someone is available and we can show you around and introduce you to our team. We can also give you a run-down of our daily activities, which include lots of singing, talking, reading and dancing as well as on-the-floor playtime activities, and answer any question you might have.

What to look for on your visit:

• Happy and confident tamariki and kaiako who are interacting and engaging with each other
• Warm and friendly teaching team
• A stimulating environment that offers a variety of learning experiences 
• Age-appropriate toys that provide learning outcomes for all areas of learning e.g. physical development, cognitive development, communication, social and emotional competence. 
• A clean and healthy setting where you feel a sense of belonging
• Learning journeys being highlighted and shared via wall displays, learning stories etc
  

If you feel our Centre would meet your needs and those of your child, then please get in touch with our team. We will enter your child's name on our waiting list and advise you of a possible date for entry to the Centre when a vacancy becomes available: contact us. 

When a postion becomes availabe we will make contact with you to  arrange for you to complete an enrolment form for your child and discuss a start date at our Centre.

It is essential for you to spend time with your tamaiti in order to familiarise yourself and your child with the kaiako and the new learning environment

For most tamariki this will take several visits together. We require parents to complete a minimum of six visits with their tamaiti. This applies especially to babies up to 18 months who may be experiencing "stranger anxiety" and need extra time to get to know the kaiako who will care for them.
Tamariki may bring a special toy or blanket that provides them comfort and helps them to settle into their new environment. To help us provide continuity in the care of your tamaiti you will be asked to complete a “Child Daily Routines Form” to tell us about your child’s usual routines and preferences. Please ensure you fill in the “Me” sheet on enrolment to help kaiako familiarise themselves with your tamaiti and your whānau.

We know leaving you tamaiti is unsettling and challenging for parents as well as your tamaiti. Feeling anxious and tears are normal!   We are here to support you in any way we can, and know that honest, open communication is the key to getting it right.  Below are a few hints/reminders on strategies that can support the transition process and separation anxiety:

• Try to schedule your transition visits for a time when your child is happy - after a sleep and kai. 
• Bringing a comfort or settling item can support the settling process.
• Let us know if you need to reschedule a transition visit so we can ensure we have enough time to build the relationship and trust with your tamaiti, and yourself before the starting date.
• Leaving for a short amount of time during the transition visits teaches your child that you will come back.
• Spend time chatting and engaging with your priority kaiako - your child will look to you for cues on whether to trust this new person into their world
• Have a routine you follow at drop-off times as this will help you tamaiti predict what is going to happen.  Kaiako can support you with this.
• Share any important information with the kaiako e.g. awake a lot during the night, teething, a parent being away can all impact of your tamaiti ability to settle.
• Make sure you say goodbye to your child.  We know it can be tempting to sneak out if they are happy or distracted, however this will only be temporary until they realise you have left and then they become upset.  it also means they will mistrust you making it harder at future drop-offs.
• We will do our best to contact you and let you know how your child has settled, but please phone us for an update.  We know it's hard on you too!
• You are welcome in our centre at any time during the hours we are open.
• We believe that each child is unique and will settle in their own way some may take a longer time than others.
• Visiting grandparents and relations may also like to see the children at play in their pre-school surrounding and are most welcome.

1. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea

2. Full change of clothing, eg. socks, underpants, singlets etc.

3. Warm hat and coat in winter or sun hat in the summer

4. Nappies and wipes 

Food - Kaka Area

Parents: Please provide all food for their child, we follow routines from home for babies and younger children, for others Kai times are approximately Morning tea 9:30am, lunch 11:00am afternoon tea 2:30pm. You should provide sufficient food to meet their needs for the time they are here. See the attached pages for further ideas on the types of food you can provide.

Babies: Please bring your baby’s bottle with formula already mixed and/or a supply of formula enough for the day as we do not have the facilities to make this up at the centre. 

All children: Food for the fridge should be put in a plastic container with your child’s name attached (these are on the kitchen bench), all other food should be placed in the cupboard in the area named for your child. Teachers will give children a selection of food at Kai times.

Food - Pukeko Area

Again parents provide all their child’s food requirements. Please provide one food box containing your child’s morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. These are placed in the cupboard in the kitchen and given to children at the appropriate time. We provide a rolling kai time for an hour in the morning (approx 9:30am – 10:30am) and the afternoon (2:30pm – 3:30pm) when children can come and have some food as required. Lunch is at 11:30am when all children sit down together. Creative Corner Early Learning Centre has established effective programmes where children grow and develop holistically, and are presented with the necessary tools to adopt their own individual approach to healthy eating and physical wellbeing. Positive attitudes towards health and physical wellbeing are fostered and nurtured to best meet the outcomes of the children in our care. We work with the Ministry of Health to provide healthy options for our children. The Centre has full kitchen facilities ‑ food can be heated if necessary in the microwave. Please name all food containers clearly with a permanent marker. Any food allergies are required to be listed on your Registration form.

Nappies

Please supply sufficient nappies and wipes for each visit. These may be disposable or cloth. Wet and soiled cloth nappies are put in a supermarket bag and will be sent home. Please ensure all children are clean and dry on arrival at the centre. Changing facilities are available for you to change your child before leaving the Centre. 

Clothing

Clothing should be washable and easy to remove. Play can be messy and children can get wet in the best of regulated circumstances so please ensure at least three full changes of clothing provided, eg. socks, underpants, singlets, etc. If your child is wet or very dirty we will change them. Please name all clothes and any personal items. The centre is not held responsible if items are misplaced and are not named. In winter we do go outside so you should send a hat and coat every day. From October to March children must wear a sunhat when they are outside so please send then along with one each day.

1. Sign in: When arrive, put your time of arrival and signature on the sign‑in sheet in the foyer.
2. Put lunch box and bag away: Bags and food are required to be put in their appropriate places eg. bags in lockers, food in kitchen cupboard - fridge.
3. Keep our team up to date of your child's requirements:
   Kaka Area: Please inform staff of your child's routine eg. next feed, sleep and if they had a settled/unsettled night. A clipboard in the alcove by the kitchen area is provided for messages for staff. 
   Pukeko Area: A clipboard hangs on the wall by the kitchen area for messages for staff.
   This ensures that all staff are notified of any changes in your child’s care requirements.
4. Sign out: When you collect your child, please sign out. This is a requirement from the Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education Regulations state children can only leave the Centre with Parents/Guardians or people who have been designated on the child’s enrolment form. Please ensure you keep your list of people able to collect your child up to date. If a designated person is not available, you can allow someone else to collect your child as long as a written consent is provided beforehand. This will avoid unnecessary inconvenience and ensure safety for you and your child. Staff cannot let a child leave the centre without this consent form being signed.

Kaka sleep room

For hygienic reasons, beds are changed after each child has slept. There is always a staff member in charge of the sleep room at all times and records are kept of when each child has slept. The same routine as home is kept. Due to childcare regulations, no child will b eput to bed with a bottle.

Pukeko sleep room

For those children who sleep more than one day within a week, their sheets are stored in a named bag and washed at the end of each week. A list of sleepers is always written up daily on the sheet in the Over 2s bathroom, and these records are filed and kept. Small stretchers are used for the children to sleep on. Sheets and pillowcases are provided by the Centre for both areas.

Illness can spread very easily among children and staff in an Early Childhood Centre. Due to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health requirements we cannot allow children to attend the Centre when they are unwell. It is essential therefore that sick children are kept at home until they have fully recovered. We try to keep the Centre as healthy and safe as possible. If your child becomes unwell while attending the Centre, you will be contacted to collect him/her. You need to have arrangements for alternative care for your child in the event of an illness. Learn more about our sickness policy...

view infectious diseases information chart