BestStart Vardon Road

We are makers, we are shakers, jumping over alligators. We are scientists, we are artists, yes, we are super innovators!

Welcome to the Imagination Station, where everything is possible.

Children learn best through play so, at BestStart Vardon, we let our children’s imaginations run wild. 

Your child could go from starring in a fashion show to exploring enchanted forests and escaping pirates, all before lunchtime! Our teachers bring your child’s imagination to life and teach them how to inquire, problem solve, express feelings and make lasting friendships along the way. Your child will be nurtured to discover their curiosities and make magic happen from the moment they arrive.

So, step right into the nursery but do take care as you might find yourself lost in the hustle and bustle of the little explorers. They decorate the floor with an assortment of pegs, shells, blocks, and rattles. Dress ups are out of the basket and up in the air to find the perfect scarf for moving and grooving. Playdough is squished on the table in an abstract fashion, and paints are tested for taste while colour swatches are best done on bodies! Don’t be alarmed - giggles and squeals are the norm as swarms of bubbles escape from eager hands. Symphonies of oohs and ahhs surround the trough as pēpē encounter critters hiding in the icky and sticky world of gloop.  

In the preschool, you will see passionate storytellers designing their next fairytale, illustrators marveling at their masterpieces that speak joy and adventure, and witches and wizards whispering in collaboration and tweaking their magical and mysterious potions. You will hear echoes of screeching tyres, roaring engines and clanging hammers while the smell of smoking hot glue, draw your attention to the sparkly finishing touches on the supercars. Expert drivers of heavy machinery pave the way for the race to begin, giant rocks and sandbanks are constructed to secure the track. After a long day's work, sand-filled gumboots are shaken out and rumbling tummies are led to the mud kitchen where the master chefs have whipped up a feast.  

The children’s journeys do not end at the Imagination Station as they will be fully equipped for their last departure… where they will take their endless creativity and wonder with them in their school adventures. To prepare, children squeeze every memory into their backpack and unravel their treasure map, where X marks the spot of where to find their valuables such as shoes, lunchboxes and warm clothing. Your child’s treasure chest will be overflowing with riches that they can use to invent robots, raise castles but most importantly to build extraordinary friendships.  

Who is BestStart?

BestStart is for families who want more from early-childhood education. Safe, nurturing and educationally focused, we’re committed to growing caring people with curious minds.

Together we teach, learn and nurture.

Our vision is to work in partnership with families, whanau and communities to enable children to achieve their learning potential.

Ko tō mātou tirohanga hei mahi ngātahi i te taha o ngā whānau me ngā hāpori, kia āwhinatia ngā tamariki, kia tū pito mata ai rāatou, hei rangatira mō āpōpō.

We are committed to being a progressive and responsive leader in early-childhood education. We do this by enhancing our services, investing in our people, developing our support structure and continuously improving the educational outcomes and experiences of our children, families and the communities we serve.

Some facts:

• We’re licensed to educate and care for 15,000 full-time children daily.
• 18,000 families use BestStart services annually.
• We have over 270 centres nationwide located from Whangarei to Invercargill.
• Each centre is managed by a Centre Manager who is supported by a local Area Manager. This gives our centre teams ongoing quality training and support.
• Te Whāriki, the world-wide acclaimed national early childhood education curriculum, is used in all centres.
• We have over 4500 permanent teachers nationally. Over 90% of our permanent teaching staff are either fully qualified with a diploma or bachelor of teaching (ECE) or higher, or are in training. These figures are very high by national standards within the ECE sector.
• We provide a two-year Advice and Guidance Programme for all recently certified teachers, providing further mentoring and training. This gives strong support for teachers from provisional registration to full teacher registration with the NZ Teachers Council.
• We regularly spend around $4 million on teacher training per annum.

We’re for children

At our heart is our commitment and passion for children. Central to this belief is our focus on the holistic development of children. We support children to explore the world around them, learning through relationships, creating a love of learning in an ever-changing world. Exploration, friendship and fun are part of the journey.

We’re for good

BestStart is a registered charity owned by the Wright Family Foundation. We support initiatives and programmes within BestStart and the wider early-childhood education sector (ECE) that support good outcomes for all children. We do this because we want to make a positive difference to the lives of all children.

Innovation leads us

At BestStart, innovation guides our thinking. We advocate positive change for learners through our research and practice. We’re proud to be thought leaders within ECE, openly challenging ourselves to think differently to provide the best for our children, families and staff.

We’re responsive

Our centres reflect their children, staff and communities. We celebrate individuality, uniqueness and diversity, encouraging a spirit of empathy, understanding and collaboration. Through our responsive relationships and our curriculum, we support learners to choose their own path.

Our people matter

At BestStart people come first. When we grow and develop our people, everyone benefits. We strive for whakamana/empowerment, nurturing a culture of excellence with engaged, talented professionals. Their commitment, skill and passion light our way.