About | Peninsula Stars

Peninsula Stars, also known as Fetu Fa Tokelau Akoga Kamata,

is located in Te Atatu Peninsula, West Auckland.

Our Founder

QSM, Centennial Women’s Suffrage recipient,

Registered Nurse - Qualified Teacher

Kailelei Tepou is the founder of Fetu Fa Tokelau Akoga Kamata who previously ran a Tokelau playgroup voluntarily for nearly 20 years. Kailelei was encouraged by her husband Rev Liu Tepou to carry on the playgroup work that ran out of the church they served.

The founding President of Ofaga o te Gagana Tokelau a national organisation that umbrellaed 4 Tokelau licensed preschools and playgroups nationwide. Kailelei was dedicated to fostering children to grow confidently in their early years of learning.

Kailelei was a pioneer, a visionary, a leader in our community, ensuring ethnic minority groups were represented in government and local government. She was not only a leader in the arena of education, but also filled positions of leadership in Pacific health, churches and government organisations.

Between 2002 to 2005 Kailelei secured a playcentre building on the council land that the Centre currently occupies. During this period, under her leadership the old building was removed and replaced with a new purpose-built building.

In 2006 our centre was licensed a great dream of hers. Instrumentally she inspired many in our community to work alongside her in this venture and we honour them all. Establishing this Centre was one of the many marks that she left for generations who follow. Her legacy and philosophy is what frames our service. Kailelei’s philosophy was based on the belief that all children have innate gifts endowed by their Maker and are to be nurtured.

Her vision was to provide a generation of learners who would reach their full potential to do great things for God, their futures, their families, and their communities.

Our Transitional Story

Fetu Fa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre was established for the purposes of sustaining the Tokelau language and culture. Today the Centre trade as "Peninsula Stars Early Learning Centre."

Since 2006 our service has been available for all families to access. We have served more families from ethnic backgrounds outside the Tokelau community which is relatively small in the West Auckland area. We have over the years been challenged with cultural capability to fulfil our mission: by full immersion to sustain and promote the Tokelau language and culture.

To sustain our work in the community we serve our story has blended to widen access for more families and their children who otherwise could not access early learning because of unaffordable fees. This has included our decision to rebrand the Centre with an all-encompassing name Peninsula Stars.

The Tokelau aganuku of Alofa (Love), Vā Fealohafani (Relationships), Inati (sharing resources equitably for the common good), Fakaaloalo (Respect) are values that continue to underpin our practice. The Tokelau language and a wide range of languages that reflect our diverse community are celebrated here.

Our school motto “Reach for the Stars” is based on how our founder Kailelei Tepou lived out her life and served her community. We see every child as a budding superstar, ready to embark on a thrilling journey of growth and discovery through engaging learning adventures.

Reach for the Stars!

Reaching for the Stars:

Building Legacy

"I adopted the phrase "Reach for the Stars" from my grandmother Kailelei Tepou, who instilled in me the importance of dreaming big and setting ambitious goals. I am now humbly an architect completing a Master's in Architecture.

With loving direction of my family and the principles passed down through generations, I continue to strive for the stars, fueled by a love of architecture and a deep appreciation for my multifaceted history, as a Tokelau, Tuvalu and Irish. From the beginning God remains my driving force"

Alex Liu Tepou-Dickson (21 years old)

(preschooler at Fetu Fa Tokelau Akoga Kamata 2002-2007)

Meet our Teachers

Elisapeta Pedro

Centre Manager

I am the daughter of the founding Supervisor Kailelei Tepou who worked tirelessly for over 20 years to establish the Centre.

My place here is not a job but is a committed service to the vision of my mother's legacy to provide a learning environment where children are embraced as gifts of God.

We are privileged to be entrusted with every child that joins our family to partner in their early learning journey with their families.

Ivoga Tufala

Head Registered Teacher

I am a fully registered teacher who has been teaching in early childhood education for 20 years.

I am a mother to three boys who are boisterous at times but like me they have a heart of gold.

Children learn best through interest so providing a learning environment that is fun, challenging and stimulating is important.

I believe that all children and families must be treated with care and respect.

Leena Dahiya

Registered Teacher

I have been working in the early childhood sector since 2015.

I come from India and speak Hindi.

My family members consist of my husband, my and daughter.

As a teacher, we are privileged to help shape children to become confident and independent learners.

I love my job!

Our Teacher Relievers

We have a wonderful team of teacher relievers who are student teachers and parent teachers.

They come with a wide range of skills and multi languages that enhance our curriculum.

Our teachers come with the languages and cultural knowledge of English, Te Reo, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Hindi, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga,

Children learn and develop best when their culture, knowledge and community are affirmed.

Tokelau

Historically and culturally Tokelau Islands are made up of four atolls in the South Pacific Ocean.

Three atolls Atafu, Fakaofo and Nukunonu sit under the realm of New Zealand while the fourth atoll Olohega (Swains Island) was annexed by the US as part of the territory of American Samoa.

Gagana Tokelau is a recognised language in NZ.

Our Centre's beginnings spring out of our heritage and strong links to our community continue.

More Information