The Aurora Home-based Childcare Services in South Auckland have announced a dramatic progress in their operations since their establishment.

The Tongan-owned and Otara-based services now have more than 100 children enrolled and there is a waiting list.

Last year the school enrolled 90 school children.

The development comes three years after the school was established. Students are mostly Tongan children and a number of children with Maori and other ethnic backgrounds.

Directors Siale Heitonga and Hulita Kaati Tangitau Heitonga hosted a Christmas farewell party with multi-cultural entertainment to send off with the children and their parents this afternoon at the Wiri Community Hall.

The celebration began with a prayer led by Rev. Kelemeni ‘Otuhouma before the children performed cultural activities. They were presented with Christmas gifts followed by lunch prepared by the host and a closing speech by Siale.  

Siale revealed new educators will begin working at the Aurora next year and talks were underway to recruit more of them.

” We are currently undertaking restructuring to better meet the demands of a growing organisation,” Siale said.

Helping each other and working together with the Aurora community and stakeholders helped ease barriers, which Siale described as normal in any school operations. 

He said Aurora has followed its strategic vision which was set until 2021.

Parents and children during Aurora X-mas party. Photo/Kalino Lātū

The vision included the organisation striving to become a provider of high-quality home-based early childhood education services that were inclusive, culturally competent, flexible, and responsive to the needs of the children and their families.

It also undertook to allow greater participation and involvement of families and whanau to share and contribute their knowledges and skills.

The school also embraced and promoted cultural diversity, facilitated multi-cultural learning and made educational opportunities equally available to everyone.

Aurora Home-based Childcare Services logo. Photo/Kalino Lātū

It also continues to retain qualified ECE co-ordinators and educators and supported educators to achieve higher qualification such as ECE level 4.

Siale said Aurora was in a strong financial position and operating under effective governance and management.