Typically responds within
A few hours
Vacancies
Limited availability
BestStart Riverbend Road is nestled within the Onekawa community on Riverbend Road, right next door to St. Patrick’s School. We care for children from 0 to school ages and are open all year round.
Manaakitanga at the heart of our learning
At BestStart Riverbend Road manaakitanga is at the heart of our learning. We take the time to know you and your child, as we believe in deeper relationships to support and strengthen our whānau community. Children are encouraged to become confident learners who can work together during moments of discovery and learning, sharing the values of kindness, generosity and aroha.
Kowhai Room (Infants) – Our Infant Room practices a Pikler inspired approach to education and care. We have a specially designed, nurturing infant nest for our youngest babies with secure indoor and natural outdoor discovery spaces. Infants have their own cherished area for sleeping. Every child has a Primary Caregiver, one teacher responsible for their important care moments like bedtime and nappy changes and who is a key contact for each family. Our calm, nurturing teachers develop strong, intimate relationships and attachments with each child and family.
Pohutukawa Room (Toddlers) – This is where tamariki explore and learn using all their senses. Together with our families we develop individual plans for each child supporting aspirations, learning and development. Our large playground offers opportunities to wonder at nature as well as to develop the physical skills that are so important for learning. We create a rich social learning environment that promotes independence, cooperation, friendship, exploration and curiosity in our children.
Totara Room (Young Children) - In our Totara Room the Be School Ready initiative helps us to prepare children for the next step in their learning journey. Through play, teachers support children to develop communication and social competence, maths and literacy, science and technology skills, as well as physical skills and knowledge about how to keep safe and healthy. Our visits to local schools also support children in their transition to school, they become familiar with the environment and the activities they will experience in the classroom. Our teachers take a project approach to learning that encourages children to become confident learners through research and investigation.
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.
