Feedback
We often get some lovely feedback from our parents. We share some of that here…
To the lovely team at Pathways, we are very grateful for the kindness you have shown our boy during his time at Pathways. You are very special people, with hearts that seek out the ‘true child’ in each one you care for … no matter how challenging they may be at times! You create a calm and welcoming space – that is always a pleasure to step into – the beautiful rhythms and rituals of your day and your delight in nature have given our boy a ‘happy place’ to play and learn and make friends. Thank you for understanding him so well!
My son has attended Pathways since he was two. He has just turned 5 and is transitioning into Primary School soon. The teachers at Pathways are so supportive of my son’s shy, sensitive nature. He feels at home at kindy with the home cooked meals, the lovely outside garden and the small ratio of children is not to overwhelming for him. I will miss this kindy and the teachers tremendously.
When I first heard about Pathways I thought it sounded a bit too ‘hippy’ for my ex-military head to get around, but I knew some lovely families who were sending their children there and they couldn’t speak more highly about it. Now we wouldn’t go anywhere else, and I feel confident we have made a great decision about our childrens’ early education.
What I love about the kindy is that everything is natural, the children respond really well to their teachers and absolutely love going. I love that it is play based learning as now days our kids are growing up so fast so this gives them the opportunity to just be a kid without distraction, as well as discovering nature and lets their imaginations grow and develop.
Having a smaller Kindergarten allows my children to communicate well with the teachers and other children and feel safe that they are all getting equal attention. I was a bit worried how my eldest would go at school but she transitioned really well and is thriving.
If you are looking for a beautiful, nourishing, gentle kindergarten for your little ones then I can assure you this is the one.
We have our son going to the kindergarten and are visiting the playgroup every week with our daughter. They both love being at the kindergarten. The toys and things to play with outside and inside are beautiful, made from great materials, are good quality and give them the freedom to use their own imagination on how and what to play. And it’s great to see what things are being created and constructed! There is also the daily story, which changes with the seasons and sometimes has them in awe and sometimes in stitches.
The new team of teachers that has formed over the last few months are working so well together, creating a very peaceful, calm, happy and fun environment. They are excellent in meeting the different needs of each of the tamariki – also due to low children to teacher ratio – and are full of love for them, which reflects in every place and doing in this kindergarten.
And lastly, we really like what fresh and healthy meals the kindergarten provides throughout the day, and especially that the kids can help prepare them. Our son’s favourite day is “buns day”, when the kids sing a song together while kneading and forming their own buns they’ll eat for lunch.
All in all it’s a great place for them to explore, learn and be part of.
We have attended the playgroup and kindy over the past 5 years and absolutely love this gem of a kindergarten. The outside play area is a really beautiful large garden space with lots of nooks for the children to freely play with their imaginations. I love the lack of plastic! Real spades, spoons and pots for the sandpit, and inside are lovely cloth and wood toys, natural objects, lots of sheets and pegs to build huts, etc. Lovely home-cooked mostly organic food is provided also. My kids just love it here, and I love their freedom of play and developing imaginations.
The playgroup was such a great way to get to know the kindy teachers, environment and rhythms and allow my children to get comfortable and familiar. So when they started kindy there were no transition issues – they were both keen and happy from the start! My son used to ask me all week “when is the next kindy day?” My 3rd child, 2 year old son, now attends playgroup as well, and will soon begin at kindy – he can’t wait! I absolutely LOVE the teaching team here – Carina and Kim are especially amazing.
I highly recommend checking out this kindy!
When we moved to Rotorua, we were looking for a kindergarten for our 2.5 year old son. At first I was a bit hesitant about Steiner, only having heard bits and pieces about it here and there. But walking into the Kindergarten and seeing the lovely garden, and the kids playing so happily, and with such a sense of calmness (by little kids standards), it just felt right. The teachers, with the thoughtful way they approach caring for the kids, ensure our son feels very at-home and welcome here. We’ve never regretted choosing this kindergarten.
I feel very fortunate that my two daughters have had the opportunity to attend Pathways, both at the playgroup and kindergarten. They have both thrived there in the caring environment and beautiful space that is provided.
In my 20+ years of teaching I’ve never encountered such a close-knit community that are so proactively and passionately involved and so readily put up their hands to help.
It has truly been an honour working at Pathways and being given the role of caring for and nurturing your beautiful tamariki. I will miss both the children and families and look back on my days at Pathways with fondness.