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Welcome from our Putāruru Centre Manager
Leander Rangi
Tena tatou katoa, my name is Leander Rangi and I have been the Manager at Busy Bees Putāruru for over 4 years. What I love about our centre is that the community is very close, “everyone knows everyone and the kids and parents play sports on the weekends!” We are proud to have a large centre with resources and a large indoor/outdoor space for children to learn and play. The area caters for the quiet child, the busy child and the child who loves to be outside all day. It’s a great place to settle a new child because of the space and the time we spend to connect with whānau.
I am married with eight children and four mokos. I graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership in 2025 at Waikato University and dedicated to ongoing education and professional development to lead, stay up to date with the latest practice and support the community the best way I can. I am also the chairperson at our community Marae in Tokoroa. I have been on various School Boards including the Presiding Member for one of our local secondary schools, Tokoroa High School.
I look forward to continuing to build strong teams, team leaders, having everyone in the same boat for accountability and consistency, waiting for the lightbulb moment as each day is a new learning opportunity to thrive at the centre and see our tamariki flourish. I want us to be that amazing centre that everyone wants to be a part of.
At Busy Bees Putāruru, we celebrate every child as a unique and capable individual. Our passionate kaiako work closely alongside tamariki at every age and stage, providing dedicated learning environments thoughtfully designed to support their development, interests, and wellbeing.
In our nurturing Kākano Room for under twos, our caring and experienced teachers provide plenty of aroha and awhi, creating a warm, loving environment where our youngest learners feel safe, secure, and supported to grow and explore at their own pace.
In Pihi Ruma for our curious over twos enjoy spacious and inviting indoor environments filled with opportunities for creativity, discovery, and learning through play. Outdoors, children have plenty of room to move their bodies, ride bikes, explore Papatūānuku, and develop confidence through active play and hands on experiences in nature.
We weave these meaningful experiences throughout our curriculum every day and warmly welcome whānau and members of our community to visit and explore our beautiful centre and grounds.
Transitioning Through Our Learning Spaces
At Busy Bees Putāruru, our Pihi Ruma (over twos room) offers a rich and engaging core programme designed to support the learning and development of our tamariki aged 2 to 5 years, including children transitioning from our Kākano Ruma (under twos room).
Throughout the day, children come together to enjoy meaningful group experiences such as whāriki taima (mat times), waiata (song & dance), kanikani, and karakia mō te kai (Blessings for the meal time). These moments help foster a strong sense of belonging, connection, confidence, and culture within our learning environment.
Our core programme runs in 10 week blocks throughout the school term and introduces early learning concepts such as colours, shapes, numbers, and letters in fun and engaging ways that help prepare children for their school journey. We believe children learn best through play and exploration, so this is a child led environment where tamariki are encouraged to create, discover, and participate in activities at their own pace throughout the day.
Dietitian designed menus
Our in-house cook supply a wide variety of nourishing meals for the children at our centre, providing foods that are minimally processed, avoiding recipes that are high in added sugar, instead using fresh, real and wholesome ingredients.
We do baking with the children from time to time, which provides them opportunities to engage and learn a range of food preparations skills and fine motor movements such as pouring, sifting, spooning. It is a great hands on sensory experience for children to develop independence through self-help skills, practice simple maths as they measure and count quantities.
We are committed to follow the aspirations of the New Zealand National ECE Curiculum, Te Whāriki. Te Whāriki envisages kaiako in early learning settings working in partnership with parents, whānau and community to realise this vision. The expectation is that, in their early years, children will experience a curriculum that empowers them as lifelong learners.
Community Connections for School Readiness
We value creating strong community connections and meaningful experiences that help our tamariki feel confident, prepared, and excited for their transition to school.
We plan excursions to the local school each month with our 4 year olds which is a great way of keeping connected in our community for our children transitioning to school and preparing them into a new “soon to be environment”.
From time to time we also have theme days such as dress up, Matariki, Pink shirt day, Anzac, Mothers day & Sports day, children’s birthday celebrations etc. The children enjoy these days as it also gives variety to our Curriculum and supports what is happening Nationwide.
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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