Our Philosophy

The Secret Garden Howick provides a warm and nurturing environment where all children develop a healthy, happy and secure approach to living and learning. The direction taken at The Secret Garden Howick is to support, affirm, encourage and challenge children to build their dispositions and a love for lifelong learning.

In our semi-structured, preschool programme we recognise that for young children to reach their full potential each child much be viewed as unique and celebrated for who they are.

It is the uniqueness, curiosity, playfulness, and inquisitive nature of the children that guides and supports the learning curriculum. Our staff believe in providing children with the foundation skills for developing Manaakitanga (respect). It is through these respectful tuakana-teina relationships that children develop an awareness of their individuality, compassion for others, and see their time at the Secret Garden Howick as a journey of creativity, discovery and enjoyment.

Te Whariki is used as the foundation for our learning environment as well as recognising the uniqueness of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We value real partnerships with parents and whānau, which are based on respect, honesty, communication and collaboration. We recognise the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa and celebrate the uniqueness of each child’s gender, race, culture, and abilities and their place in the community and wider world.

At The Secret Garden Howick we pride ourselves on providing children with a real Kiwi upbringing. Our rich environment works as a 3rd teacher providing a relaxed home away from home experience that sparks imagination, wonder, awe and fuels their curiosity.

Our Mission Statement​

Our goal is to give each child a warm environment to encourage the development of socialisation skills, independence and a positive self-image. Our experienced teaching staff embrace the view that each child is an unique person with an individual pattern and timing of social, physical and intellectual development. Teachers encourage children to think for themselves, make decisions and work towards their own solutions by expressing their own ideas and feelings.

Our Program

The Secret Garden provides a very personal approach to your child's early childhood education, with internationally acclaimed programs and philosophies at its core. Our experience tells us that there's no 'one size fits all' approach, so we've created a program all of our own that is flexible and adaptable to the needs of your child as they grow and develop.

Ours is an inviting and engaging environment where children are able to explore, play and learn simultaneously. We provide structured learning alongside opportunities for self expression and free play.

Te Whāriki is used as the foundation for our learning environment. The program's framework emphasises the learning partnership between teachers, parents and whanau. Teachers create a holistic curriculum in response to children's learning and development in the early childhood setting and the wider context of the child's world. Through this program it is our goal to help children prepare for future learning environments. To find out more about Te Whāriki and the NZ Ministry of Education's early childhood curriculum policy framework click here.

Secret Garden HOWICK

Our beautiful purpose designed space is designed for a maximum of 44 children aged from 2 years to school starting age.

Our indoor area has been created by architects who know how kids play and learn. Beautifully equipped with hand selected resources our light and bright interior is designed to stay warm in winter and cool in summer. A uniquely designed ceiling tilt creates interesting shapes and shadows for growing minds and reduces noise reverberation, allowing our children to learn in a quieter, calmer environment.

Outside is even more exciting, with sheltered nooks for mud pie parties, a dual slide and a nature inspired water play feature. With landscaped tracks and play equipment derived from nature there’s plenty of places for kids to get their daily dose of Vitamin D. Our carefully tended garden beds, fruit trees, flowers and natives will keep growing gardeners and explorers busy no matter what the season.

Children adore discovering and learning both inside and out, hence we’ve created plenty of opportunities for both. It is our aim that all children at The Secret Garden receive a wide range of rich learning experiences whilst they feel 'at home' in a genuinely warm and nurturing environment.

Children are encouraged to develop their personal capabilities, strengths, interests and learning styles. Our experienced team of professional Early Childhood Educators strive to ensure each and every child at The Secret Garden LOVES their time at preschool and has their individual needs met with love, patience and understanding. Our teachers encourage children to think for themselves, make decisions and work towards their own solutions, by expressing their own ideas and feelings.

We work together closely with parents and families to ensure all of our children are happy, healthy and fulfilling their absolute potential for learning. We feel it is a privilege to play such an important part in nurturing and guiding your children through their preschool years and we genuinely love what we do.

We hope you will visit us at The Secret Garden soon, but in the meantime please don't hesitate to get in touch by phone or email for a chat.