At BestStart Opihi we have a strong focus on respectful and meaningful relationships. We are a semi rural centre in the heart of Temuka with strong connections within our community. We’re focussed on providing safe and nurturing learning environments, working in partnership with parents and whanau to respond to each child’s individual learning needs.

Little Feet Taking Big Leaps

At BestStart Opihi we have a strong focus on respectful and meaningful relationships.  We are a semi rural centre in the heart of Temuka with strong connections within our community.  We’re focussed on providing safe and nurturing learning environments, working in partnership with parents and whanau to respond to each child’s individual learning needs.

We have a friendly and passionate teaching team that love working with tamariki to support their learning journey.  Our two classrooms work closely together and have a strong focus on tuakana teina relationships - “Together we take risks, Together we grow”.

Nursery

In the Nursery, we have a strong focus on respectful care of our Pepi aged 3 months to two years.  We aim to create an environment that is a home away from home, where tamariki feel safe and cared for by those around them.  We want whanau to feel welcomed and know that this is a safe space for them to leave their children, understanding that their well-being is the focus of our day.  Through responsive and reciprocal relationships we are able to create a learning space that meets the needs of each individual child and supports tamariki to care for and respect each other and themselves.

Preschool

In our preschool room, with our children aged between 2-5 years, we have a strong focus on giving our tamariki the opportunity to take risks and be leaders of their own learning.  We empower children to gain independence and confidence, to view themselves as competent and capable.  Our Preschool planning and assessment uses strong learning priorities and outcomes to enhance and support children's learning journeys whilst at the centre.  We're lucky to have strong community connections where tamariki get to go out and explore our local wider world.

Come and visit us today to see our wonderful centre for yourself!

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.