We would love to welcome you and your whānau to Rutherford Street Kindergarten | Te Puna Kōhungahunga o Piki Mai.
Choosing the right early childhood education service is an important decision. We are always happy to answer questions, arrange a visit, and support you through the enrolment process so you can feel confident RSK is the right fit for your tamaiti and whānau.
Visiting and Enrolling
We encourage families to visit before enrolling. This gives you and your tamaiti the opportunity to meet our teaching team, explore the environment, experience the atmosphere of the kindergarten, and talk with us about your child’s interests, routines, needs, and previous early learning experiences.
Rutherford Street Kindergarten is licensed for tamariki aged two to six years and is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We offer flexible attendance options, subject to availability, and will work with you to find a pattern that suits your tamaiti and whānau.
If you feel RSK is the right fit, we will provide you with an enrolment pack and discuss your preferred days, hours, and proposed start date. After the enrolment information has been completed and a place confirmed, we will arrange settling visits for your tamaiti.
Our standard fee is currently $6.95 per hour. This applies to children under three and to any attended hours that are not covered by government funding.
From their third birthday, children may be eligible for the Government’s 20 Hours ECE funding, up to six funded hours per day. Rutherford Street Kindergarten also offers up to 30 free hours per week for eligible children who attend five days per week, subject to our usual enrolment conditions.
We request a voluntary contribution of 50 cents for each funded hour. This helps support additional resources, experiences, profile books, sunscreen, and visits or trips for tamariki. Choosing not to make this contribution does not affect your child’s enrolment.
Work and Income childcare subsidies may also be available depending on your circumstances. Fees can vary depending on your child’s age, attendance days, and booked hours, so please contact us if you would like an estimated weekly cost.
Each tamaiti has three settling visits before their first official day. These visits are at least 30 minutes long, and a parent, guardian, or familiar whānau member stays at the centre during them. This gives your child time to become familiar with the environment, begin building relationships with kaiako, and develop a sense of safety and belonging.
Your child will also have a key kaiako who will be a main point of connection for your tamaiti and whānau during the settling process.
Tamariki bring their own lunchbox, named water bottle, and spare clothing each day. RSK is a peanut-free centre, and we ask that food is prepared in a way that is safe and suitable for your child’s age and stage of development. More detailed information about settling, lunchboxes, food safety, and daily routines is included in our enrolment pack.
We understand that every child and whānau is different. Please get in touch to ask about availability, arrange a visit, request an enrolment pack, or discuss anything your tamaiti may need to feel supported at RSK.
