About Us
Philosophy connecting to our Logo
Our logo had a little update in 2021.
- Green represents connections with Te Ngahere (the Bush).
- Blue represents connections to te Wai (the Water), te Awa (the river) and te moana (the sea).
These are central to the learning your child will experience at our Footprints. We spend 90% of our day outside.
Empowerment, Courage, Curiosity and Kindness are at the core of what we are about. Through Empowering your child through choice and partnership they are able to engage in our free-play curriculum with courage, curiosity and kindness with others.
The two footprints are without shoes, showing the special connection made when bare feet touch earth (whenua).
See more at our philosophy below.
Our People
Footprints is owned and operated by sisters, Tina Mudgway and Kathryn Cochet. The centre was purpose built in 2009 and has consistently maintained a high standard of care and education of all children.
Tina and Kath
Kia ora
We are the lucky owners of Footprints, here in Waihi. We purchased the centre from Phil and Pauline Davison in late 2019, and began a fabulous journey with the existing staff. Tina, a qualified Early Childhood Teacher, spent the last ten years working in childcare in Nelson, while Kathryn is a Qualified Primary School Teacher, from Rotorua.
We both truely enjoy working with children watching their growth as they learn about the world around them. From this relationship with the child, we become a part of something bigger, part of each family, and the community around us. Hence we have come to purchase a childcare centre together as sisters, turning our small family into a larger one.
As a team we value the individual child, their needs, and interests. Our desire is for children to come away from Footprints with a strong sense of self worth, good self-esteem, confidence in their individuality, and the ability to be independent in their day to day activities. This will put them in the best position to be ready to start school. We have excellent support in the kind and caring staff at the centre - You can read more about them below.
We look forward to meeting new families and inviting them to join our community here at Footprints.
Leona
I have been involved in Early Childhood Education and parent education for the past 13 years and hold a Playcentre level 4 qualification, and in 2021 completed my Batchelor of Teaching (ECE) . I have been trained by Pennie Brownlee and Kimberly Crisp to hold respectful parenting courses within the community. The practice of working in partnership with children and parents, through education, is my passion.
I believe in creating a supportive stable environment where children can play out their intelligence to their highest potential. I work with our smallest children in the Under twos - Soulroom
Kerrilee
Hi, I’m Kerrilee. I am a mother to 3 grown children and have been a qualified ECE teacher since 2016. I have been working at Footprints since I moved to Waihi in early 2020.
Belinda
Hi, my name is Belinda and I work predominantly with the Over two’s. I started in 2021 covering parental leave for Kayla. I am part of an out doors family who enjoys trips to our mountain house to go snowboarding. It has been my pleasure to meet the different families and build relationships with the tamariki.
Kriselda
Hi I’m Kriselda. I am a qualified Primary School teacher who has worked in ECE centres in Auckland since 2014. I began my journey with Footprints Preschool in early 2023 after moving to Waihi.
I am a passionate teacher who is a continuous learner, always striving to improve my practice. I believe that building respectful relationships with the tamariki and their whanau are the backbone of teaching in ECE.
Kayla
My name is Kayla, I started out at Footprints doing my work experience for school, then as a reliever and now I am a full time teacher since early 2019.
I love working with children and watching them develop all their milestones and having lots of fun along the way. Having strong relationships with the children means they can trust you and they can come to you when they need you most. I am currently unqualified but have the national certificate in ECE level 3, in the future I do hope to study ECE more.
In 2021 I had my first child and now have the pleasure to return to work in the Under twos with him in mid 2022.
Suzy
My name is Suzy and I have been working with children for many years in both primary schools and Early Childhood Centres. I have been working at Footprints since 2020 in a casual role. You will usually see me in the centre at least once a week covering when staff are sick or on holiday. I love relieving here and have been able to build lovely relationships with the tamariki and whanau.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is our guide and foundation for everything that we do at Footprints.
Our vision is to create a family within our centre, with connection to our people, and places within the wider community. We are here to nurture and support each other, through manaakitanga, and whakawhanaungatanga. Like the harakeke plant, the young children are at the heart of our community, surrounded firstly by their whanau, and supported by the kaiako, to be confident, capable learners who are secure in their sense of self.
Our mission is to grow empowered citizens that show kindness to others and through curiosity and courage, building resilience that will leave impressions, lasting for life
Empowerment
At the heart of our philosophy, is the concept of Mana Motuhake - Empowerment. To support our children, in setting them up for lifelong success. We believe that to be a happy, healthy learner, physiological and biological needs must be met first and foremost, such as safety, security, belonging, and connection, so their confidence and a sense of self can be actualised. At Footprints we build this empowerment through caring relationships, knowing our tamariki and respecting who they are, and by working ‘with’ children in partnerships such as ako. Children are empowered through being given the opportunity to make choices for themselves, being seen as capable, practicing self care and care of others, and having responsibilities and leadership opportunities. Our parents and whanau are valued partners with Kaiako working together to achieve the best learning outcomes for their tamariki.
Ko te ahurei ko te tamaiti arahia ō tatou mahi Let the uniqueness of the child guide the work
Kindness
Being Kind, having Manaaki for everyone in our community and beyond underpins our curriculum. Kindness is encouraged and role modelled; to be friendly, generous, and considerate to oneself as well as others. It is shown through affection, gentleness, warmth, concern, and care. It’s about taking our time, having empathy, being kaitiaki to our environment, and giving to others. Through feeling the joy of kind words, or kind acts, children are open to giving kindness to others, which in turn fosters friendship and connection which are vital to increasing overall happiness. Kaiako at Footprints encourage and support children to receive and give kindness through their words and actions day in and day out.
He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai, Kindness given is kindness sown.
As children's sense of security, empowerment and mana grows this enables them to engage fully in a curriculum of Curiosity and Courage. Time and space to engage in free play empowers our tamariki to take a lead in their learning, while kaiako take the time to observe the learning that has happened, and provide an environment that extends and enriches each child’s individual learning path.
Curiosity
Curiosity/Whakapākiki is at the centre of all play. It is a desire to learn, explore, discover, and understand all that is around. Children are inquisitive to know how or why something is, or does what it does. A curious child is open to possibilities. Through providing open ended play materials, and plenty of uninterrupted time, kaiako support children to follow in our favourite character Maui’s footsteps; to think outside the box, through resourcefulness, problem solving, inventing, teamwork, experimentation, innovation and creativity.
Mā ngā huruhuru ka rere te manu … It is the feathers that enable the bird to fly
Courage
As our curiosity grows, we need a little Whakamanawanui/Courage to realise our potential. Courage is not loud or proud, but a quiet confidence, that “I can do this”. When children feel good about themselves and see that they have the personal power to make courageous choices, they are more likely to lead personally satisfying and successful lives . The environment at Footprints is set up to provide just the right amount of challenge at the right time, so children meet small moments where courage can be practiced. Kaiako support children to acknowledge and understand their feelings, to use their voice to speak up, to take calculated risks, and to try something new, enabling the children to fly…
Ka mahi te tawa uho ki te riri Well done. You, whose courage is like the heart of the tawa tree
When children leave Footprints to continue their learning journey we know that through providing a secure base children are being empowered to be kind, curious and courageous explorers. In providing a circle of security, children’s inner strength is developed allowing them to take risks, recover, and get back up to try again.
We are creating “Learning impressions that will last for life”
