Typically responds within
A few hours
At BestStart Kelvin Grove early learning centre relationships are important to us. We're open right through the year from 7.30am to 5.30pm and offer flexible hours for children aged 0 to 6 to suit the needs of our families.
At one with child, whānau and community
Respect - Manaakitanga, Individuality - Mana, Teamwork - Kotahitanga, Empathy- Atawhai
We have a beautiful learning environment at BestStart Kelvin Grove and create special spaces that spark interest and curiosity for our children. We believe children learn in their own time and at their own pace, the concept of ā tōna wā, and follow their lead to support them in their learning journey.
Relationships
Our centre is a place where families are always welcome. We value the diverse cultures of our children, families and staff and work together with families to celebrate and acknowledge the values and traditions. Te Ao Māori and Tikanga practices are woven throughout our bicultural curriculum.
Developing trust
Our specialised baby team support families and children to settle in to centre life. Our babies are lucky to have freedom of movement, with no barriers preventing their exploration. We work with you to support your home routines and learn about your aspirations for your child. We practice primary caregiving which is when each child has their own special teacher responsible for their care moments. This teacher is the key contact for families, they'll be able to tell you about the details of your child's day and take on board any feedback. The close, trusting relationships we develop with our children encourages them to develop confidence, try new things and develop at their own pace.
Child-led learning
We believe imagination and creativity is the source of all human achievement. Children at our centre lead their learning and have the freedom to explore, take risks and challenge themselves. We take the lead from children's interests and extend their learning, developing their curiosity and enthusiasm to learn. Our Be School Ready initiative ensures children are supported, through play, to learn skills and gain confidence to begin their school journey.
Community connections
We make use of the rich resources in our local community to extend our learning and understanding of the world. Not only are we out and about meeting locals and discovering the local environment, we also have regular visitors from the community.
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.
