BestStart Kawaha Point

BestStart Kawaha Point is an exceptional early learning centre providing care and education for children from zero right through until they start school. With a focus on trusting relationships, our tamariki and whanau have a true sense of belonging within our centre.

Together we learn, grow and lead

Parents play an active role in their child's learning and development and at BestStart Kawaha Point our whanau are an important part of centre life. There is a real sense of belonging, where whanau share their skills and knowledge with us. We develop a community of care, where tamariki learn empathy towards each other, the environment and wider community.

At BestStart Kawaha Point we value education as the foundation of learning. Our friendly, loving, and caring kaiako provide quality care and education by fostering trusting relationships. This allows tamariki and whanau to develop a sense of belonging within our centre. The commitment of our staff to promote such relationships is visible, with the intimate and responsive primary caregiving system set out for our infant and toddler community. 

Natural learning spaces - Our unique centre spaces are enhanced through natural wooden resources, equipment and furnishings, and natural foliage. We have a strong belief in providing natural open-ended resources, recyclable and sustainable materials for tamariki to initiate their creativity, imagination and ideas.

We promote and practice Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, to communicate a sense of environmental sustainability in the care of our planet. This message is one that we encourage our tamariki to carry through to their home environment.

Learning from each other - Tamariki are engaged in an environment that celebrates and embraces all cultures. Tikanga Maori and Te ao Maori values are practiced and woven throughout the centres daily programme and routines. Our community involvement reflects meaningful connections that allow tamariki to experience the value of helping and giving to others, developing tolerance and compassion towards others and the wider community.

Ready for school together - We prepare and support children in their next journey of life to school by providing weekly school visits to our sister school Kawaha Point Primary. We have a well-established relationship with the school working in collaboration and participation of each other's experiences and sharing of knowledge to create similar experiences for when tamariki move on to school.

We offer 20 ECE hours for 3-5-year olds, with morning and afternoon sessions. We also hold a healthy heart award in which we provide healthy nutritious morning and afternoon teas. We look forward to meeting you, pop in anytime as we have an open-door policy.  For more information about the specific fees for your centre please contact us directly. You might be eligible for support paying their childcare fees. For more information click here. 

Nga kaiaka ó  BestStart Kawaha Point.

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.