Our History

Northland Community Preschool began in 1989 when a small group of Northland parents identified the need for a crèche and worked tirelessly as a community to make it happen. Even physically digging out under the community centre to create the space and the entire outdoor area.

The preschool was opened at the Northland Community Memorial Centre and operated from the lower hall for nearly 24 years. As the preschool continued to grow and regulations changed, it became apparent that it was necessary to find our own premises. And so, our relocation process began.

In 2010 we found and purchased the perfect place - an old hall on Mairangi Road. The first major step of our relocation was complete but as a not-for-profit preschool, we still had a long road ahead of us to enable us to open. So the next 2 years were a whirlwind of activity - the entire community came together and fundraised, applied for grants and identified trades and businesses that could help us. And our heroes, the wonderful lads of the 2 Engineers Regiment, NZ Army then built us our dream!

The teachers and parents continue to maintain this strong partnership and it’s this wonderful sense of community spirit that continues to make Northland Community Preschool so special.

Treasure Chest and Storage Shed Project 2018 - 2021

Our vision for a new, more easily accessible storage shed and a Treasure Chest full of fascinating items was possible thanks to generous support from the Southcombe family and the wider Northland Community Preschool community.

Storage for our outdoor toys

Fundraising to build the new storage facility began in earnest in 2018. An additional Treasure Chest, based on the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ concept, has also been built into the adjoining wall.

Fundraising events included establishing a Give A Little page, bake sales at local events, and a movie night. The big event was a Silent Auction in May 2019 which raised nearly $5000.

Our Cabinet of Curiosities

We were also fortunate to receive a one-off donation of $7100 from an NCP family.

In late 2020 we had accumulated the funds needed and were fortunate to find a builder keen to take on the project for us. Building work was completed during term 4 2020. In 2021, we invited our NCP whānau to contribute items of intrigue for inclusion in the Treasure wall, which was donated and built by the Southcombe family.

Inspectingthe curiosities

The treasures are encased behind perspex, and provide moments for conversation, wonder and curiosity from our tamariki as they notice and discover different objects.