28/09/2026
At our centenary celebration at Government House, NZK Board Chair Sarah Tocker spoke about the people who have carried Kindergarten through its first 100 years, and the responsibility we share for its future.
Sarah’s words capture what makes Kindergarten so special: belonging, play, skilled Kaiako, strong communities and an enduring belief in Tamariki. She also offers a challenge for the century ahead.
Her speech is well worth a read.
Your Excellencies, thank you for your generosity in hosting us here tonight. We are deeply grateful for the warmth of your welcome, for the time and attention you have given us, and for the opportunity to mark this incredibly special milestone in surroundings that hold so much of the history and story of Aotearoa.
He honore maku ki te kōrero i roto i tēnei whare.
And to all of you – e te whānau – welcome. We are honoured that you are here. Thank you for joining us, for sharing in this celebration and, I have to say, for dressing up for the occasion too!
There is something special about gathering here at Government House.
This is a place associated with service, stewardship and responsibility to something bigger than ourselves. And tonight, we gather in that same spirit: to recognise a century of national service to the Kindergarten kaupapa, and the generations of Tamariki, whānau, Kaiako, leaders, volunteers, advocates and communities who have carried that kaupapa forward.
Tonight is about looking back with gratitude and humility. But it is also about looking forward with purpose and determination.
We honour those who shaped our first century, and we welcome those who will shape the next. We remember where we have come from, recognise those who sustain Kindergarten today, and recommit ourselves to carrying its mauri forward with courage and care.
The people who first brought Kindergarten to Aotearoa did so with a powerful social purpose. They wanted to stand alongside children and families who were doing it tough. They understood that education, relationships, opportunity and community could change lives.
That purpose has not changed.
Kindergarten continues to be a place of belonging, learning, safety, joy and care. It continues to open doors. It continues to strengthen communities. And it continues to change the trajectories of children and families.
That is worth protecting and developing. That is tuku iho taonga.
One of the things Kindergarten does extraordinarily well is reflect its community. Kindergartens are not all the same – nor should they be. They reflect their people and their places, and the diversity of Aotearoa.
They are places where whānau voice can genuinely shape what happens each day; where and how Tamariki can encounter challenge, curiosity, friendship, nature, creativity and joy; and where belonging is not simply something written in a philosophy statement – it is something a child can see and feel in their tinana.
That is the magic of Kindergarten.
And perhaps one of the greatest opportunities before us is simply to invite more adults in to see it. Come through our doors. Sit on the floor. Play with our Tamariki. Listen to the rich kōrero of discovery. See the relationships. See the skill of our Kaiako. See what happens when children have time, space, trust and people who believe deeply in their potential.
Kindergarten is not simply preparation for school. It is education in its own right. It is an act of hope for a better future. It is connection to whenua and whānau. It is knowing the world viscerally.
And it is an expression of the kind of society we choose to build together. And yes – we would quite like our decision-makers to see all of that too. And then invest accordingly.
So, as we celebrate our past, I want to lay down a wero for our next century. Let Kindergarten be one of the places where we practice the future we say we want.
A future where Te Tiriti is not simply acknowledged but lived through the ordinary decisions we make every day. A future where every child is cherished as a taonga. Where every whānau is met with dignity, respect and genuine partnership. Where every child, regardless of circumstance, has access to exceptional early education. And where every Kaiako has the time, trust and resources to undertake the relational mahi that we know changes lives.
That future will not happen by accident. It will require courage. It will require advocacy. It will require investment. And it will require all of us to hold fast to the mauri of our organisation.
For 100 years, people within this movement have been prepared to stand up for what they believe matters for Tamariki. That is our inheritance, and our responsibility.
Our network works incredibly hard, and we are extraordinarily fortunate to have wonderful people leading this kaupapa in communities throughout Aotearoa.
As we always have, we will keep turning up. We will stay at the table. We will negotiate, challenge, contribute and offer solutions. We will keep choosing Tamariki and whānau. We will keep protecting play, relationships, te taiao, inclusion and local belonging. And we will keep making the case for a Kindergarten movement that is brave, generous, inclusive and public-hearted.
Because after 100 years, our job is not simply to preserve what has been. Our job is to ensure that what comes next is even stronger.
Tonight, as I look around this room, he harikoa te ngākau – my heart is joyful. Joyful for those who came before us. Proud of those carrying the kaupapa today. And hopeful for those who will take it forward long after us.
Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou katoa mō tō aroha, tō tautoko, me tō kaitiakitanga.
Thank you for all that you have given to Kindergarten. Thank you for believing in its value. And thank you for helping us begin our next century with the same courage, generosity and belief in children that began this movement in the first place.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
