Country Educare Children’s Centre

Country Educare Children’s Centre - Levin

Country_Educare_1 Country Educare lives up to its name of being a place for children to learn in a natural environment. The centre has a family atmosphere with no more than 20 children, aged from birth through to 5 year olds.

The owner/manager Gemma McKay resides with her family in their house beside the centre so she is local and always on hand for children and families. Gemma owns 2 services in the Levin region and is available to talk with families and help staff in the centre and when taking the children on farm excursions.

Open: Monday to Friday Monday – Friday 8.30am – 3.30pm. Open during the school holidays. Closed for 4 weeks over Christmas holiday period.

Minimum and Maximum Hours of Enrolment: Minimum of 9 hours (3 x 3 hour sessions or 1 x 3 hour and 1 x 6 hour sessions). Maximum of 35 hours per week.

Address: 74 Whelan’s Road, R.D 1, Levin 5571

Online: -

Children with Disabilities: Country Educare can easily accommodate children with disabilities. The centre has wheelchair access and bathroom facilities suitable for children with physically disabilities.

Children with Medical Conditions: Staff talk with families at the time of enrolment and any medical conditions are noted and action plans are formulated if needed.

Gifted and Talented Children and Children with Special Learning Needs: Country Educare believes in an inclusive education system and plans programmes for all children, including gifted children and children with special learning needs, that encourage the development of the child’s full learning capacity. The staff work closely with Group Special Education at the Ministry of Education to develop programmes for children with special needs.

Staff Gender: All staff are women.

Languages Spoken by Staff Fluently: English (some Maori is also regularly spoken in the programme)

Range of Different Qualifications held by Staff:

Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)

Parent Say: The mangers/owners provide a service for families where they don’t have to be involved, but families may be involved in the everyday running of the centre and planning of the programme as they choose.

Grouping Practices: All children, and brothers and sisters of different ages, are able to mix freely during the day. There are two areas inside that allow for the over 3-year-olds and the under 3-year-olds to have their own special spaces with age-appropriate learning activities.

Features Country Educare Say They Are Proud Of:

Country_Educare_2 1. Our Children

A stranger walking into Country Educare would notice the laughter, fun and excitement for learning within the environment. They would see enquiring minds at work and feel the peacefulness of our centre whanau.

2. The Indoor Environment

Someone walking into Country Educare for the first time would notice the clean, attractive child based learning areas.

3. The Outdoor Environment

Positive comments are made on our country environment where animals and children live together enhancing children’s knowledge of the world and all natural and living things within it.

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