Massey childcare centre is a not-for-profit early learning service. It has licensing for up to 130 children including up to 40 under twos and offers 20 hours free education.
Teachers and leaders have a strong commitment to ongoing improvement. They are establishing systems for internal evaluation that will identify what is making a difference to children’s learning.
Facilities
Massey childcare centre is a not-for-profit early learning centre that offers innovative education and care programmes for children of the Massey University Manawatu campus and wider community. It has a high teacher-to-child ratio and excellent Education Review Office (ERO) reports.
There have been several organisational changes since the ERO report was published in December 2017, including the merging of four licences into one and the formation of a governance board. Leaders and kaiako have a strong commitment to improvement. They are establishing internal evaluation processes.
The centre is split into two main sections: the Pukeko Section for infants and toddlers, and the Kiwi Section for children aged two-and-a-half to six years. Both sections have their own inside and outside play areas. The centre participates in the 20 Hours Free ECE programme and is licensed for 130 children. It is open all year round and accepts full-time and part-time enrolments. Massey University students in Palmerston North (current student ID must be produced) are eligible for a discount on fees.
Staff
The teachers at this centre are well qualified and dedicated to nurturing children. They have high teacher-to-child ratios and are very familiar with the ERO learning outcomes and assessment. They are able to build a strong relationship with your child and provide them with the best learning experiences that they deserve.
During the Centre of Innovation project, teachers developed deeper understandings of their teaching practices and beliefs. They also developed a clear model of the mutually constitutive processes that iv support infants and toddlers’ disposition to enquire.
Each section of the centre has its own indoor play environment – with multiple double doors opening onto a deck. The children have the freedom to move between each play area with their educators’ permission. The educators have a deep understanding of the importance of this freedom and the role they play in supporting the children’s innate curiosity. They make every effort to ensure that the children’s needs are met in the most secure and respectful environment.
Fees
Daycare is a great way for kids to learn coping skills, explore the world, and form relationships with other children. It also gives parents and guardians peace of mind that their kids are safe and being well cared for. However, it’s important to understand that not all daycare centers are created equal. Some charge a lot more money than others.
One mother, a musicology doctoral student at the university, was dismayed to find out that tuition at the soon-to-open Massey childcare centre would cost nearly $2,400 a month. That amount ate up almost all of the income she earned as a graduate teaching assistant. So, she started a petition to encourage the school to lower its rates. She also outlined 12 measures that the school could take to make childcare more affordable for campus community members. These include offering an income-dependent child care subsidy and allocating a number of spaces with enrollment priority to low-income faculty, staff, and students.
Getting Started
As you start to get your business off the ground, it’s important that you have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish. This “big why” will fuel you through the highs and lows that come with running a child care center. It will also help you attract the right team members to support you.
Elizabeth Massey, a musicology doctoral student at the University of Maryland, knows first-hand how difficult it can be to find affordable childcare. Her daughter’s tuition at Loving 2 Learn cost her $1,440 per month, which was nearly all of what she made as a graduate assistant.
Earlier this month, the Albany centre opened its newly rehomed and refurbished centre to welcome 50 per cent more children. It features two buildings from the old Oteha Rohe campus that have been re-purposed. Alison Angel, the general manager of the centre, says the new spaces are outstanding for teachers and children. They provide an inclusive environment where children’s cultural heritage is recognised and celebrated.