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Welcome from our Centre Manager
Jade Taylor
Kia ora, I’m Jade Taylor. I have been teaching since 2008 and managing various centres since 2016. I have been with Busy Bees over 5 years across 4 different centres. As a Centre Manager, I am passionate about providing quality care and education to the tamariki. I bring skills and knowledge of living and learning within the natural world into the learning journeys of tamariki ma. I live with my husband and daughter on a lifestyle block in Kerikeri, and in my spare time I spend time with my horses or in my garden.
Inclusive, Empowering Environments for Young Tamariki
Located just 200 metres apart, our Nursery and Preschool work closely together to provide a seamless learning journey from infancy through to school age. We create safe, nurturing and empowering environments where tamariki feel a strong sense of belonging and are encouraged to learn, explore and grow at their own pace.
We take pride in helping tamariki become confident, curious learners and encourage them to direct their learning while ensuring they feel seen, celebrated, and safe. Tamariki are provided with open-ended resources, helping them explore, experiment, and develop their own ideas and create theories about the world around them. We also encourage tamariki to take risks and challenge themselves, with the support of our kaiako.
Our kaiako are passionate about fostering loving and trusting bonds. We work closely with whānau to establish excellent routines that support each tamariki and ensure their individual needs are met.
Childcare Classrooms at Our Kerikeri Centres
Busy Bees Kerikeri Nursery & Preschool features spaces that cater to differing ages and developmental stages. Each fosters tuakana-teina relationships and engaged tamariki.
Nursery: Koru (0-2 years) and Ponga (2-3.5 years)
Our nursery provides warm, caring environments tailored to the unique needs of infants and toddlers. Through strong relationships with whānau, our experienced kaiako support each child's individual routines, development, and wellbeing.
In our Koru and Ponga rooms (for infants and toddlers respectively), tamariki enjoy age-appropriate spaces designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and confidence. Open-ended resources, natural materials, and sensory experiences such as painting, playdough, water, sand, and clay play encourage exploration and discovery. Our specially designed outdoor environments support physical development, allowing tamariki to safely test their growing abilities through climbing, balancing, and active play.
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do, with a strong focus on creating trusting connections that help children feel secure, valued, and ready to thrive.
Kerikeri Preschool (3.5-6 years)
Our preschool offers a welcoming, stimulating environment where tamariki develop independence, confidence, and a love of learning. Children are encouraged to contribute to the curriculum, share ideas, make decisions, and actively participate in shaping their learning experiences.
Our indoor and outdoor spaces provide rich opportunities for exploration across all areas of the curriculum, while fostering strong friendships and social skills. Kaiako work alongside tamariki to encourage curiosity, problem-solving, responsibility, and self-help skills, including serving meals, caring for belongings, and contributing to their learning environment.
As children prepare for school, our transition-to-school programme focuses on developing the foundational skills needed for a successful start to kura. Through strong partnerships with local schools and regular visits, tamariki build confidence and familiarity, ensuring a positive and smooth transition to their next learning journey.
Growing Together
With our nursery and preschool located just a short walk apart, we work collaboratively to ensure children experience smooth, thoughtful transitions as they move through each stage of development. Our shared philosophy, strong relationships, and commitment to child-led learning provide continuity, confidence, and a sense of belonging throughout their early learning years.
Food & Nutrition
At Busy Bees childcare centre in Kerikeri, we prioritise the health and well-being of your little ones by offering nutritious meals crafted with care. With us, you can trust that your child is receiving the nourishment they need to thrive each day. Our dedicated cook and centre team is currently striving towards the Tohu Manawa Ora | Healthy Heart Award from the Heart Foundation.
Dietitian-Designed Menus
Our menus are designed by an experienced dietitian, ensuring they meet the specific nutritional needs of growing children whilst also bursting with flavour. From wholesome ingredients to balanced portions, every meal is thoughtfully crafted to support healthy development and foster good eating habits from an early age.
Centre Transport
We also proudly operate our own Busy Bees centre van, allowing us to help support our centre whānau who require assistance with transport to and from the centre. We also utilise this awesome resource for excursions out and about in our local community, which are always fantastic learning opportunities!
Our Curriculum
Our programme reflects the principles, goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the New Zealand bi-cultural Early Childhood Curriculum. This curriculum covers the education and care of children from birth to school age and clearly reflects the concept of learning as a lifelong process that begins at the very start of life. Our teachers follow this to work alongside your child to plan and extend their learning. This celebrates the uniqueness of each child and the value we place on the contribution of family/whānau to their child’s learning.
Our Programmes
Bee Curious, our Busy Bees Curriculum Framework, has been created to guide and inspire kaiako in supporting tamariki through rich, interconnected learning experiences. Built on the strong foundation of Te Whāriki, it reflects the principles of Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum and the aspirations we hold for our children as they grow.
Nutritious food is the foundation for healthy growth and development in our children. Our Nourish menus fuel our children and support full, healthy tummies enabling clear minds to focus on the learning and set children up to thrive at our centre.
Our MOVE programme deliberately sets out physical activities that give children the opportunity to learn, practice and master physical skills whilst developing their resilience, perseverance, patience, co-ordination, gross-motor skills, teamwork and much more, all while having loads of fun!
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