Little Blue Penguin Prestons
Kaiako at Little Blue Penguin are caring professionals who are there to offer gentle, respectful guidance for children through quality, responsive interactions and a collaborative ‘community’ approach to teaching and learning.
Rachel Phillips
Centre Manager
Rachel has a strong passion for inclusive education, creating environments where every child feels seen, supported, and valued. Rachel leads and teaches with heart and prioritises a supportive teaching and learning community.
Kristie Hack
Owner / Kai Creator / Kaiako
Kristie is our centre owner and business manager working with and alongside Rachel to create a quality programme. Kristie ensures that our kaiako, tamariki and their whānau have a strong sense of belonging.
Aleisha Pascoe
Nursery Kaiako
Aleisha values relationships and tamariki and their whānau and ensures she gets to know the individuals needs of the tamariki in her care. She is very warm, unhurried and offers a calm approach.
Ella Stewart-Marnoch
Nursery Kaiako
Ella brings a calm, caring presence to the environment, building strong relationships with tamariki. She nurtures each child’s wellbeing by respectfully meeting individual needs and routines, creating a secure, responsive learning environment where tamariki thrive.
Pat Duffin
Preschool Kaiako
Pat is dedicated to fostering meaningful relationships with tamariki and whānau. Through a nature-based and child-led approach, Pat creates a supportive community where every child feels valued and empowered to explore and learn.
Katie Pattenden
Preschool Kaiako
Katie is an exceptional preschool kaiako, demonstrating a passion for inquiry-based learning, fostering curiosity and critical thinking skills in tamariki. Katie is passionate about whānau and community engagement and cultural responsiveness.
Stéphane Zhang
Preschool Kaiako
Stephan designs rich, group-based learning experiences that spark curiosity. Soft-spoken and calm, he engages tamariki with thoughtful questions, encouraging exploration, investigation, and discovery about their wider world while fostering collaborative inquiry and critical thinking.