Papamoa Kindergarten is a finalist in the 2017 Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards.
The kindy is one of three Bay of Plenty education providers that are up for one of the prestigious awards, joining Te Kohanga Reo o Rotokawa and John Paul College, both in Rotorua.
Papamoa Kindergarten was selected as a finalist for the Excellence in Engaging - Atahapara Award.
The Ministry of Education said that Papamoa Kindergarten established whanau groups so that all members of the community had opportunities to lead in the kindergarten areas of interest and strength.
The groups set out to develop a framework for bicultural teaching, learning and assessment, that would guide conversations between teachers, parents and children. This has led to a positive improvement in the culture within the kindergarten and wider community.