Children learn through play and exploration and this philosophy is reflected in the look and feel of our centre. We encourage our children to be in the outdoors as much as possible regardless of the weather and we have designed the centre to allow the children to access the outdoor areas easily. As noted in our recent ERO Report The Rumpus Room’s learning environment is attractive and welcoming.
This includes a tank-water fed river, an exciting and well loved bike path and our own invention PlayboardsTM which enable all of the outside space to be used for exciting and creative learning. We also have a key card entry system to the centre so that only caregivers have access to the centre in order to ensure the safety and security of the children. View our Parent Handbook.
At the heart of your community
The Rumpus Room is an exceptional early childhood education centre for children aged 3 months to 6 years. All age groups reap the benefits of a home like environment, experienced staff and great resources. We encourage our children to be curious, questioning and confident learners.
An extension of your family
We welcome the active involvement of parents and whanau. An integrated on-line platform allows stories and photos to be shared between teachers, parents and children. Families can access their child’s online profile and receive regular updates via email, and can submit stories as well. Events and milestones should be celebrated and we love sharing them with you. To create a stable and calm environment, strong relationships are imperative. Our three day minimum attendance ensure that our children are settled and their relationships with their teachers and peers are strong.
Time to explore
Safe but exciting play is the order of the day, and our outdoor spaces have been designed to maximize learning opportunities. We also have a vegetable garden, enabling children to get their hands dirty, learn about nature and grow produce for their meals. Western Springs, the Auckland Zoo, local shops and the public library are all a stone’s throw away, so our timetable will include lots of field trips and adventures.
Nutrition and Food
Because we know food fuels the mind and full tummies equal content children we provide plenty of healthy and delicious morning tea, hot lunch, afternoon tea and late snacks. We cater for a wide variety of dietary requirements and we are very aware of the impacts of food allergies and intolerances. Please talk to us about your needs.
We foster a calm, relaxing and peaceful environment in order to create opportunities for children to explore freely. Our resources are open ended and natural and can be used in a variety of ways as the children spend long periods of time discovering more about the world around them. The environment also allows the child the time, the space and the support to be themselves as they develop an awareness of who they are as a person. Infants and toddlers are encouraged to move freely and to discover new positions and experiment by themselves. Toddlers are encouraged to work things out for themselves with support from adults such as climbing on and off the bikes. As children all have their own individual routines, we work closely with families to establish similar and familiar routines that the child has at home. This helps to provide consistency for the child.
We also have communication books which provide a record of your child’s day. All children have one main primary caregiver to ensure quality, sensitive and responsive child and adult relationships and care routines that include nappy changing, feeding and bottles as well as sleeping. We place a lot of importance on settling visits prior to children starting here at The Rumpus Room. This is where the first relationships begins – relationships with the environment, the teaching team and the other children. These visits are done over a two to three week period. The first week involves short visits where the families stay to help their child feel comfortable and secure and the primary caregivers spend time getting to know the family better. Through these visits, the children have the time and space to build familiarity with their new space and have the chance to observe and get to know the other children better.
At around two years old, children are ready for a more challenging environment. When transitioning from the Nest we have a proven transition procedure. This includes holding small group parent evenings before our children start the transition process so parents are introduced to the area, find out about the process and can ask any questions. Fledglings continue to have a key carer or carers ensuring there is a key relationship for each child and a support person if and when required. Our Fledglings enjoy experiencing an environment where they learn with and alongside our preschoolers. We have a rolling morning tea and afternoon tea where our Fledglings practice their self help skills.
Fledglings enjoy a dedicated group time to themselves just before lunch where they have the opportunity to come together with their carers if they choose to. Lunchtime is a smaller more social engagement where they learn about serving themselves and enjoying the kai time as a wonderful social and learning opportunity, we find this is a great way to grow friendships and relationships. Lunch is 30-45 mins earlier than the Explorers so they are not rushed. Once they have finished they transition into the lounge for a sleep. On waking our Fledglings enjoy getting back into the project based play with their friends and teachers. We head out and about in the community at least once a fortnight to either the library, park or the Zoo.
Our older children are the leaders in the centre. At this stage we are recognising and responding to the learning cues from the children. The Explorers head out of the centre for adventures at the Zoo, the library, MOTAT, the local playgrounds, Western Springs, or anywhere else they or the teachers can think of, at least once a week.
One of the most popular nights of the year is our annual four year old sleep-over which is a hotly anticipated rite of passage for the older children. The Explorers are involved in their own learning – setting their own goals, making plans and researching. Our teachers support The Explorers with their interests and goals. Our Explorers are often found involved in child initiated projects around the centre.
Centre Manager
Hi, My name is Carolyn and I am the centre manager of The Rumpus Room.
I have been in ECE for the past 17 years and have been managing centres for the past 11. I have been with The Rumpus Room right from the beginning before we opened in 2012 and have loved being involved in the set up from the beginning. The journey over the past 6 years has been filled with loads of fun along the way and I am incredibly proud of the space we have created at our centres and of the fabulous dedicated teaching team we have who work so hard every day making the centres a home away from home for all of our children and families. I am passionate about working alongside such wonderful teachers and together we work hard to make our vision for our centres come to life. I live locally in Westmere with my fiancé Matt, our almost 2 year old son Freddie, who attends our Point Chev Centre, our newborn baby daughter Charlotte, and our cat Bomber! We love spending our spare time together as a family at the beach, the local playgrounds, listening to music (there is never a day without music in our house!) and on a nice summers day in our backyard with the paddling pool and friends!
Centre Mentor
Hi, I’m Heidi and I have been lucky to be a part of The Rumpus Room whanau since our Pt Chev centre opened in 2012. I have been working in ECE now for 16 years so I can truly say that it is a passion for me and not just a ‘job!’. My husband and I met at high school (quite a while ago now) so it feels like in some ways we have been together forever. We also have a wee little guy called Quinn who was born in 2017 and it has been incredible watching him see, learn and explore his new world. I definitely have a whole different level of empathy and understanding for what it is like to be a parent know I have my own child. Creating a place where children feel comfortable to be themselves, are treated with kindness and respect and feel safe to freely explore alongside people that really know them is what is really important to me and underpins my teaching and learning philosophy. I feel honoured to be here at The Rumpus Room working alongside a passionate team of children, families and teachers.
Team Leader Fledglings and Explorers
Hi, I’m Kiri – the team leader in the Fledglings and Explorers here at The Rumpus Room, Pt Chevalier.
I come from a large family and I have 2 brothers and 6 sisters! I live in West Auckland with my fiance and look forward to getting married later this year. I have a Bachelor of Education and have recently graduated with my Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood as well.
I am passionate about working alongside children, watching their creativity and confidence grow as they explore and communicate their ideas, working theories and make their own discoveries about the world around them.
Team Leader – Nest
Kia Ora
My name is Kalpana and I have been a teacher in The Nest since January 2013. I have enjoyed watching The Rumpus Room whanau grow in the last few years and feel very proud to be a part of such a passionate, inspiring and an awesome team of teachers. I studied Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) and am a fully Registered teacher.
I am passionate about creating a home away from home for the children where they feel loved, cared for, respected for who they are and gain the confidence to create their own success stories. Watching and observing a child’s play to see all the learning that happens during play has always kept me mesmerized about early childhood education and something that I want to keep on exploring.
I come from India and have been living in New Zealand for the last 15 years. I love everything that this gorgeous country has on offer. I live in Sandringham with my husband and a beautiful daughter. I have enjoyed my time getting to know the children and the families in our wonderful community and cherish all the beautiful moments that I have spent while working here. I look forward to building many more beautiful relationships as I continue on my journey.
Teacher
Tena Koutou Katoa
Ko Caroline Scalabrini (nee Wihongi) ahau
I have been working in Early Childhood Education for 28 years. I am passionate about working with the older age group tamariki.
I am currently working with the Explorers age group. I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to be part of our multicultural team here at The Rumpus Room in Point Chevalier. I have been employed here since it opened in 2012. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge in Tikanga Maori. I am fluent in Te Reo and love using it in my daily practice with our tamariki, kaiako and whanau. I believe this to be a taonga which was taught to me by my mama and I firmly believe that this taonga should be shared.
My interests include travel, learning about different cultures and I love listening to a range of music. I am passionate about the Native American culture and love learning about the similarities they have with my Maori culture. I also love playing the guitar and piano which I used to play since I was 9. I love spending time with my whanau and going on adventures.
I am married to Lance Scalabrini and we have two tamariki who live at home with us here in Point Chevalier.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa
Teacher
My name is Holly, I’m 27 years old, I’m originally from the UK and I moved to NZ about 5 and a half years ago. I really enjoy reading, cooking, travelling and I love going to the beach. I am currently doing my Bachelors at Unitec for Early Childhood Education, and I am almost at the end of my second year. Working with children is a real passion for me, I strive to provide them with a warm, calming and respectable teaching approach.
Teacher
My name is Jess and I am one of the Kaiako in the over two’s room. I work closely alongside Kiribati with our young learners helping them transition into the fledglings area and building those important relationships between children and teachers in the centre. I have been working here at The Rumpus Room since January 2014. I completed my Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood at Unitec – Institute of Technology in 2016 and I am now working towards becoming a fully qualified and registered teacher. I have learnt so many new things through my studies and I cannot wait to implement these strategies into my everyday practice.
I come from a family of five with two wonderful parents and two brothers, I am the middle child and the only girl. I grew up living in West Auckland and have lived there since. My fiancee Richard and I have been together for six years since we met back at high school in 2012.
Teacher
Kia ora my name is Kimberly Kingi, I live in Te Atatu South and I am a student at The University of Auckland where I am about to enter my third and final year of study in 2019. Over the past 2 years I have thoroughly enjoyed working in early childhood education and have mostly worked with infants and toddlers. I love seeing young children reach their goals in their development as they try to make sense of their worlds. At The Rumpus Room I have been working in the Nest as a student teacher and I love the way the children are able to express themselves and explore their environment freely with support from their peers and Kaiako (teachers). I look forward to getting to know everyone here and learning as much as possible.
Teacher
My name is Lanka Neluwattha. I am from Sri Lanka. I live in New Windsor with my husband, a beautiful daughter and a handsome boy. I hold a Diploma in early childhood education and have a year and a half experience in teaching in Auckland. I also have five years teaching experience back in my country as well. I love to work with the children and enjoy working here at The Rumpus Room.
Teacher
My name is TeRina and I come from a large whanau where my passion for nurturing others stems from. Coming from a large whanau has given me the opportunity to understand the importance of our young tamariki and our vital role in allowing children the opportunities to grow into our future leaders within a safe, secure and responsive environment. I have spent most of my life growing up in West Auckland with my whanau and I completed my studies at the University of Auckland. This is where I learnt very quickly that my love and passion for young children is what fulfills my heart. I find great joy learning about each child, their whanau, their needs, and where they are from; whilst also watching them grow every day. During my studies, I spent a lot of time in Christchurch, where I moved to after completing my studies. This journey taught me a lot about the city, our history and the many ways in which young children and whanau need support when it comes to PTSD and coping with sudden changes. I am a passionate, open, and approachable kaiako. My heart and upbringing encourages me to put tamariki and their needs and safety first at all times, as I believe that safe and secure environments offer the most meaningful spaces and opportunities for each individual child.