Our Team
Our teachers are selected for their passion, their ability to work with children, background and qualifications.
"The best teachers are those that show you where to look but don't tell you what to see."
Alexandra K. Trenfor
Jan Beatson, Manager
Jan has been involved in Early Childhood Education in for nearly 40 years. She initially established Play and Learn to provide high quality education and care to children in low socio economic areas.
Jan is currently working towards a Master of Education at AUT focusing on the reasons it is so important to reconnect children with nature.
Solitaire Marshall
Wenderholm Regional Park, Auckland North Shore
Kia ora
I’m Solitaire and proud to be the coordinator of Wenderholm Nature Kindy and Dolphin Club (our school aged one day programme).
I have been a kaiako for a long time and love being an outdoors teacher. I am heart centred and love seeing tamariki blossom while playing and learning in nature. The benefits of our small connected group, our incredible setting and the opportunities for children to drive their own play are multiple. I love seeing the magic unfold as children connect with each other, the whenua (land) and their own strengths.
I live locally and am a dedicated Mumma of two teens and one cat.
I have a passion for supporting neurodiverse learners and for coaching social and emotional skills. Our Kindy has a unique whānau (family) feel with relationships as the heartbeat of our approach.
I am qualified and registered.
Ngā mihi
Noemi Pavlicz
Early Childhood Teacher
Cornwall Park/ Maungakiekie, Auckland Central
Tena koutou katoa, ko Noemi Pavlicz ahau, a dedicated kaiako (teacher) in New Zealand with a rich and diverse background in education. I began my teaching journey in Hungary by studying Early Childhood Education and a Master’s degree in Teaching, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Arts in the UK. After moving to New Zealand, I further developed my practice through a Teacher Refresher Programme, aligning my practice with the country’s educational values and bicultural heritage.
My teaching philosophy focuses on respectful strategies that promote children’s holistic development, with an emphasis on nurturing social skills and fostering confidence. I am passionate about creating environments where tamariki can thrive, especially in Nature Kindergarten settings that develop resilience and inspire exploration, creativity, and a deep connection to the natural world.
Through my work, I aim to support each child’s individuality and curiosity, laying a strong foundation for their lifelong learning journey.
Kerri Walker
Early Childhood Teacher
Cornwall Park/ Maungakiekie, Auckland Central
Kerri has been part of our team for 8 years. She has enjoyed many years of professional development with Play and Learn, both nationally and internationally. In 2011 Kerri won a scholarship to attend a one week intensive study at The Loris Malaguzzi Centre in Reggio Emilia.
"In my experience children actually teach us about the concept of more……. More time, more space, more opportunities, more conversations, more freedom, more mistakes. I also believe we need to teach children to use what they have, to repurpose, to find new ways of thinking and to discover more about themselves."
Emily Beatson
Primary School Teacher, ECE Teacher & Forest School Leader
Schlaepfer Park, South Auckland
Emily started teaching as a Primary School Teacher in 2000. After visiting Forest Schools in Denmark she retrained as an Early Childhood Teacher in New Zealand and started working for Play and Learn. She trained as a Forest School Leader in the UK in 2010. Emily now works at the Clarks Beach Centre where she runs the Nature Programme.
"I believe children deserve the opportunity to have rich experiences where they can learn about themselves and others and a chance to experience the world that they live in – not by reading it in books or watching it on television or the internet, to actually be out there and know what it feels like to feel, smell, taste, even to be a little bit scared but challenge yourself and reach that goal."
Jan Taylor
Early Childhood Teacher & Forest School Leader
Camp Sladdin
Jan has trained as a Forest School Leader in the UK in 2011 and helped develop the unique Nature Programme for Aotearoa New Zealand. She has worked at Play and Learn for 18 years, running the Nature Kindergarten at the King Street Centre for the last 7 years.
"My passion is to see that all children have the opportunities and rights that I experienced as a child, and I believe that the way forward for children is to provide them with the opportunities that will develop skills for life."