Learning at home for three to five-year-olds

Rural families may be eligible to enrol with The Correspondence School’s free ECE service.

Families with children aged between three and six-years-old, who live more than six kilometres from a licensed ECC, are able to enrol with the school.

“The programme is unique in that parents teach their children at home with the support of their teacher who is based in Wellington,” says EC manager, Jenny Hayes.

“Parents build a relationship with their child’s teacher by maintaining regular contact via our free phone number, e-mail, letters and attending our event days around the country.

“Many people may simply not be aware that they are eligible to access this service.”

Each child has an individual learning programme developed for them, which is delivered by parents with the support of their child’s teacher. The teachers follow the EC curriculum, Te Whariki.

Families who use the service are still able to attend a licensed ECC for up to eight hours per week, offering the best of both worlds.

The service is available to families who meet certain eligibility criteria including distance from a licensed ECC and:

• Itinerancy – families are travelling for at least six months per year.

• High health needs – the child or their sibling/s or caregiver has a medical condition which prevents them from attending an ECC.

• Special development needs – the child has special development needs that are not catered for at their local EC environment.

• Special circumstances – there are special circumstances which prevent attendance at an early childhood centre.

Students are sent a range of learning materials by post, which may include books, puzzles, games, CDs and DVDs for them to learn with at home.

For more information about our EC service, families should contact the school by visiting: www.correspondence.school.nz/ech