Head Teacher, Waitakere Kindergarten

**ECE Head Teacher - **Waitākere Kindergarten**
- Operational leadership opportunity
- Work in a collaborative and supportive team environment
- Permanent, full time role at our **Waitākere Kindergarten**

**The organisation**

Ngā Tamariki Puāwai ō Tāmaki |Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA) has a long history in New Zealand in the Early Childhood Education sector, beginning in 1908 in Freemans Bay. We now have 107 kindergartens, four KiNZ centres five Playgroups, and support services staff forming our organisation.

Ours is a bicultural environment, where the learning framework of Te Whāriki underpins all we do, and where the good of our tamariki and their parents and whānau sits at the very heart of our organisation. At AKA, we provide a safe and enriching early childhood learning environment where children can develop as confident and competent learners. Our kindergartens offer quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) to a diverse range of children. Our Auckland-wide network of kindergartens are places where young Aucklanders get the very best start to prepare for school and beyond - building the foundations for a lifetime of learning.

**The kindergarten**

Nestled at the foothills of the Waitākere Ranges with an environment rich in nature, tamariki have the freedom and space to discover and grow their passions, strengths and interests, unhurried and at their own pace. With trees to climb animals to care for and a zipline to race down, we create an environment that truly embraces the Magic of Childhood.

Waitākere Kindergarten is a place where joy and laughter are abundant and creativity blossoms.

We have a welcoming and collaborative environment with a strong sense of community and a close relationship with Waitākere Primary. Our curriculum is designed around meeting the aspirations of our whanau, community, tamariki and educators. Whānau are welcomed and encouraged to stay and spend time with us, sharing their wealth of knowledge and skills and alongside this we provide support, council, guidance and a friendly ear. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi. Engari, he toa takitini - My strength is not the strength of one. It is the strength of many.

We celebrate the Magic of Childhood and believe that early childhood is a time of wonder, imagination, creativity and fun. Our kindergarten provides this by having a play-based curriculum where uninterrupted play is prioritised. We provide an imagination rich environment which allows tamariki to immerse themselves in creative and dramatic play and in turn, we encourage tamariki to drive their own learning and make their own choices as they explore their interests.

**The role**

Waitākere Kindergarten is currently looking for a permanent, full time Head Teacher to join and lead our teaching team, and help us contribute to the high level of service that we are proud to provide our local community. If you are a registered and fully certificated ECE Teacher, and experienced ECE Head Teacher with proven leadership experience, this is a fantastic opportunity to be part of the AKA

We're looking for an experienced Head Teacher who really enjoys being a great example to your team as an exceptional leader. Through your open communication style, collaborative approach and focus on strengthening relationships; you will value the past whilst bringing to life a vision for the future that is shared by the team, kindergarten whānau and local community are on the journey together; and ensures that all key stakeholders are on the journey together.

Balancing professional leadership with management of the day-to-day kindergarten operations and teaching duties means variety and intrinsic reward. You need to be energetic and enthusiastic about providing excellent learning experiences to our tamariki, driven by our play-based philosophy and focus on dispositional learning; and have the resilience to meet the compliance and operational targets that the management component of the role requires.
- have 5+ years' experience in an ECE environment, and hold a current practicing certificate
- experience working with diverse communities
- have demonstrable skills in Pedagogical leadership
- experience in leading a team, where collaboration and development is key
- experience in leading small teams
- strength in leading the Internal Evaluation cycle
- operational leadership perhaps having managed an early childhood centre.
- share the organisation's commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, informing and leading bicultural practice
- share our kindergarten's philosophy of care and respect for the natural environment and sustainability and incorporate this in to learning experiences for children
- value the use of ICT as a teaching tool, utilising a range of available technological resources to extend children's learning and improve teaching practice
- have a strong focus on inclusiveness, recognising and valuing the rich diversity of the tamariki, whānau a