Dear Community,
As many of you know, over the past several months Council has carried out extensive testing on our building. During this time, the back of the House - home to our much-loved Early Learning Centre (ELC) - has remained closed.
Both Council and our team were hopeful that temporary solutions might allow us to return to the ELC space. Unfortunately, late last year we were advised that reoccupation will not be possible for the foreseeable future.
The damage is significant and the required remediation will take considerable time. Responsibility for planning, funding and determining the future use of the space now sits with the Kaipātiki Local Board, and there is no certainty the area will be reinstated as an ELC. This left us without a permanent home for at least a year - and likely much longer.
After careful consideration, discussions with our members and in close collaboration with our wonderful ELC team, we made the very difficult decision to discontinue the ELC operations. The final day of operating (at our temporary location at Birkenhead Primary School) is Friday 13 February 2026. While the front of the House remains open and operating as usual, the back of the House will stay closed until further decisions are made by Council. When opportunities arise for the community to have a say in the future of this space, we will be sure to let you know.
This has been an incredibly challenging and emotional situation. We are deeply grateful to our dedicated staff, our ELC whānau, our Board, and the wider community for their patience, understanding and support throughout this process.
We will truly miss having the ELC and its tamariki at Highbury House, but we remain committed to delivering programmes and events that continue to engage, support and enrich local families well into the future.
Sincerely,
Gillian Taylor
Chairperson, Highbury Community House Board
For over 30 years Highbury House Early Learning Centre offered a high quality, child-centred service that highly valued community, connections and relationships.
He aha te mea nui o te ao. He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
What is the most important thing in the world?
It is people, it is people, it is people.
Our philosophy
Highbury House was a home away from home where everyone was nurtured, loved and encouraged to grow and learn alongside others in a beautiful and calm environment. We valued children as taonga (treasure) and viewed childhood as a time to slow down and to joyfully explore, inquire and wonder.
We valued and prioritised:
Social-Emotional competence
Respect for ourselves and others; social and cultural awareness; fairness; relationships; effective communication; feeling secure, a shared understanding, well-being and a powerful sense of belonging for all, equitable and value-based practices, Growth mindset
Family, community and connections
Inclusiveness; key teacher relationships; mixed ages; whānau participation and partnership; social events; learning and growing together; culture, language and identity; connecting to home, nature and the wider community; authentic and deep relationships
Dispositional learning through play
Courage and curiosity (taking an interest), trust and playfulness (being involved), perseverance (persisting with difficulty, challenge and uncertainty), confidence (expressing a point of view or feeling), responsibility, rangatiratanga (self-determination/courage); whakatoi (cheekiness, curiosity, confidence); manaakitanga (supporting others); aroha (respect and loyalty); hūmārie (kindness) and whakahī (pride), reciprocity, creativity, imagination and resilience.
We created a centre culture, plus teaching and learning practices at Highbury House that:
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were underpinned by Te whāriki, the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum
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recognised that Māori are the first people of Aotearoa New Zealand and upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi
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weaved te reo and tikanga into our curriculum in an authentic way
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were inquiry based and identified, supported and extended children’s learning
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were intentional and well considered, supported by qualified kaiako who recognised the uniqueness of each child and their whānau and knew them well
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promoted the use of open-ended resources and learning experiences that were challenging, real, relevant and rewarding
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supported developing skills and love of literacy, math and science
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encouraged story-telling; dramatic play and the arts
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promoted physical capabilities, confidence and skills
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supported children to develop a strong learner identity
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were joyful, playful and often spontaneous
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promoted a growth mindset and the development of powerful 21st century learners, thinkers and contributors
