BestStart Taradale

BestStart Taradale has been providing outstanding childcare for Hawke’s Bay families for over 20 years. Located on the edge of Bledisloe Park in Napier, the natural environment and gardens around our centre make for great learning opportunities.

Together we learn, grow and lead

Superior childcare - We appreciate that selecting the right early years environment can be a daunting task and are delighted that you are exploring the possibility of joining us at BestStart Taradale. The Education Review Office has rated us one of the top childcare centres in New Zealand. When you visit us we know you will find it a refreshing experience - there aren't many centres around that are as good as ours! 

Convenient location - The Taradale Hills and Sugar Loaf provide a beautiful backdrop to our centre. We couldn't be positioned in a more convenient location, right between Napier and Hastings and near EIT Tairāwhiti in Gloucester Street - perfect for commuting families and students. 

Relationships - Teachers live a philosophy of respectful practice where your child can play and explore at an unhurried pace and be given freedom to develop in their own time. You'll meet teachers who are mature and sensitive to the needs of both family and children. Your child’s key teacher is there for your child throughout the day, offering support and guidance during care moments and teaching opportunities. Your key teacher is always there to listen making sure all the significant and magic moments about your child’s day is passed on to you.

Special places for special people 

We're a destination centre for those parents looking for a place that feels like home. The centre is based in two spacious houses which stand side by side on full sections with impressive, large, spacious outdoor play areas.

Environment - The quality of the learning environment is very important to us. When children find themselves in environments that are beautiful, soothing, full of wonder and discovery, they feel intrigued, respected and eager to spend their days here. 

We have won awards for our child friendly gardens. Children play in and out of plants, bridges, butterflies and trees  They learn about worm farms, gardening, chickens, eggs, recycling and nature.

Atmosphere - Influenced by a Reggio Emilia approach and Pikler, natural materials, soft furnishings and calming colours are found throughout. Plants, soft lighting and quiet background music, along with a lovely natural environment, all help to create a homely, nurturing atmosphere. 

Fresh baking and yummy cooking smells drift from the kitchen through the rooms as our cook prepares meals and healthy snacks for the children. When it’s time to rest, we have spacious sleep rooms with fresh bedding and that favourite blanket, or toy from home. 

Babies and toddlers are offered rich sensory spaces that provide for safe exploration and active whole-body learning. When babies have familiar objects around them, their security and wellbeing is nurtured making transition a peaceful time. 

Learning for life - When children turn four they begin BestStart’s Be School Ready initiative. Cutting edge teaching styles support children to be resilient, resourceful, creative problem solvers, who can work alone and in teams to achieve their goals. These children enjoy challenging, edgy learning and are continually stretching their brains, their skills and their dispositions. We are lucky to have Bledisloe, Greenmeadows, Taradale, Arthur Millar and Reignier Primary Schools all situated close by. Our relationships with these schools really supports our children transitioning to school. 

We welcome you and your child to come and visit us at any time to find out just how wonderful our centre is.

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.