Who we are
Aro Valley Preschool is a community, not-for-profit, early learning provider based in the wonderful Aro Valley, close to the Wellington CBD. We have excellent teacher-child ratios and are licenced for children aged 2-5 years. Quality early childhood education (ECE) is imperative for children to grow and learn. At Aro Valley Preschool we pride ourselves on providing quality ratios, care and education for tamariki through our free play programme, guided by a team of fully qualified and registered kaiako/teachers.We are proud of our multicultural community and love celebrating everything aboutour diversity and uniqueness.
Our Location
Located adjacent to the Aro Valley Community Hall, at 48 Aro Street, Aro Valley. Preschool can be accessed from the end of Palmer Street or off Aro Street itself. A short walk from Central Wellington, Massey University and Victoria University of Wellington, it is perfect for those looking for an early childhood education service, who live or work in the Wellington CBD and inner-city suburbs.We can be contacted on (04) 384 5156 or via email info@arovalleypreschool.nz
Our hours/sessions
Aro Valley Preschool is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. - excluding public holidays and approximately two weeks closure over Christmas/New Year. We also have up to two teacher only days when the preschool is closed each year. These arenotified well in advance.
Families can book for morning sessions from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or full days 8:30a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Fees
At Aro Valley Preschool we provide education and care for children aged between 2-5 years. Fees for children 2-3 years of age is $8 per hour. For children 3-5 years of age we offer up to 20 free hours and any hours above these are $8 per hour.
Teachers / Kaiako
Bridget
Our Senior Teacher, Bridget Mickelson-Warmouth, started her teaching career over 30 years ago and has experience teaching within a range of community, private and home-based early learning environments. Bridget joined the Aro Valley Preschool team in 2019 and has loved every minute of it.
Community early childhood centres is where her heart is at. Working in not-for-profit environments, such as Aro Valley Preschool, means having quality kaiako, providing the best learning environment for tamariki and building trusting relationships are priorities. Bridget values connecting with, and working alongside, whānau and their tamariki.
Outside of teaching, Bridget loves spending time with her whānau, travelling, she is a keen baker and loves to spend time creating in the kitchen.
Lynda
Tēnā koutou
Ko Ngāti Pikiao raua ko Te Whakatohea ōku iwi. Ko Lynda ahau.
I am a māmā to 4 adult children, 1 mokopuna and live in Newlands with my partner. Early Childhood Education has been my passion, from my first teaching position in 1987 at a small community based centre. I have taught in a range of settings from where kohungahunga, an independent school and university-based centres.
I am fortunate to belong to an ethnically and culturally diverse, progressive learning community here at Aro Valley Preschool.
What I love about my mahi is making connections and building meaningful realtionships with tamariki, whānau, and kaiako.
I have a strong interest in learning environments, and exploring how they can empower and support children’s learning. I enjoy setting up provocations that challenge and grow children’s thinking about people, places and things.
Libby
Libby's passion for teaching started when she began teaching preschool dance classes at her dance school in 2022. In 2023, she made the switch from a career in IT to studying towards her Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education with Te Rito Maioha. As part of her studies, Libby volunteered at Aro Valley Preschool and found a home in the community. She started in a permanent role as Aro Valley Preschool's newest qualified teacher at the beginning of 2024. Libby is well supported in her whānau, with both her partner, Charlie, and her mum being ECE kaiako too.
Libby continues to dance during her spare time, and teaches ballet and jazz during the weekends.
Governance
Aro Valley Preschool is governed by a committee of parents who meet every 6weeks. They set and oversee the budget, strategic plan, review policies, organise fundraising activities and help maintain the preschool environment.
Sub-committees for fundraising and maintenance are set within the governance committee and offer opportunities for whānau to be involved in their areas of interest or expertise.
All whānau at Aro Valley Preschool are part of the cooperative and are encouraged to participate in one of the committees, and for at least one whānau member toattend our Annual General Meeting, held in late Oct /early Nov each year.
What does it mean to be a community preschool?
A community preschool is a not-for-profit early childhood centre. We work together with whānau to ensure the best outcomes for all children. Our whānau are engaged in a range of ways – from being on the governance committee, helping to repair equipment, assisting with fundraising activities and helping at working bees – just to name a few!
We love the sense of community in Aro Valley and have great gatherings throughout the year, where whānau come together to share food and spend time together, building the community through connections. One of our favourite celebrations is Matariki, where each family provides vegetables for a large pot of vegetable soup, and we get some bread from our local bakery. One evening, close to the acknowledged date of Matariki (varies from year to year), we gather to share the soup and bread under the stars.
Our History
Our preschool was founded in 1974 by a group of like-minded local parents with preschoolers who met in the community hall. Today it is a licensed early childhood centre in a purpose-built building situated in the hub of the community,next to the Aro Valley Community Centre.
ARO VALLEY PRESCHOOL
48 ARO STREET, ARO VALLEY, WELLINGTON 6021
PHONE: 04 3845 156 EMAIL: INFO@AROVALLEYPRESCHOOL.NZ