The recent Transitions Hui held at Kerikeri Kindergarten brought together kaiako from both Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres and local Primary Schools, fostering rich discussions around a crucial stage in the Enviroschools journey. Using the ‘Supporting transitions in Enviroschools from Early Childhood Education to Primary School’ resource as a guiding framework, the hui focused on how to support tamariki in their transition between these two significant phases of learning.
Looking at the Transitions in Enviroschools resource.
The hui was co-facilitated by two Enviroschools Facilitators, Judy Crooks representing the ECE sector and Zoe Jefferies from the Primary/Intermediate sector. This dual facilitation approach highlighted the importance of collaboration between different educational sectors. Each facilitator brought a unique perspective, sharing examples of how kaiako can seamlessly integrate the Enviroschools kaupapa into children’s learning and wellbeing, across ECE and primary school settings.
“Participants really enjoyed meeting up and having an opportunity to kōrero and going forward they created some awesome next steps.” – Judy Crooks, ECE Enviroschools Facilitator
Throughout the hui, practical strategies were discussed, including how kaiako can adapt their current practices to better support transitions. The use of the Transitions Resource proved invaluable in shaping the dialogue. Participants explored the elements within it, particularly activities such as ‘Connecting with the Guiding Principles – Ngā Mātāpono,’ a Bus Stop activity to explore key questions.
“For me, it really brought home how much kaiako, and staff across both sectors, appreciated and valued having the space and opportunity to kōrero, to make connections and gain a deeper understanding of how each of them are engaging learners in the Enviroschools kaupapa. I also think it was a bit of an eye opener for some to hear how lots of tamariki and whānau, transitioning from an ECE space, hold a sound knowledge of the Enviroschools kaupapa and are confident sustainable warriors! That is something that both Zoe and I felt we could have talked more of, maybe given some examples of what that looks like in an ECE setting.” – Judy Crooks, ECE Enviroschools Facilitator
Gathering ideas, collaborative energy.
Valuable resources available to support the processes.
Hui such as this serve as a powerful platform for kaiako across sectors to come together, share knowledge, and strengthen the Enviroschools kaupapa. The collaborative spirit witnessed at this Transitions Hui is a shining example of how we can collectively support tamariki to continue their learning journey with confidence, respect for te taiao, and a strong connection to their communities.
“The energy in the room was truly bucket filling stuff! Kaiako were forming connections, sharing ideas and we now have many plans to further explore in the transitions space” – Zoe Jefferies, Primary Schools Enviroschools Facilitator
The photos captured during the hui reflect the engagement, the shared insights, and the collaborative energy of the group—demonstrating that when we come together with a shared vision, we can create meaningful and lasting impacts on tamariki and their learning environments.
This hui not only showcased the strength of the Enviroschools network but also laid the groundwork for future collaborative efforts across both sectors.
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa – Let us keep close together, not far apart – This whakataukī speaks to the importance of keeping connected, of maintaining relationships and dialogue so that we can keep moving forward together.
Puna mātauranga capturing group knowledge for the hui.
Harnessing ideas around actions and next steps.