Childcare options in Shirley

"Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti arahia ō tātou māhi" | "Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work."

Here at BestStart Marshland Road, this underpins everything we do. What does this look like for you and your tamariki?

In the Nursery (3 months to 2 years) we pride ourselves on providing individual care catered to your child. We work closely with you to develop and support a routine which works for you and your child. We provide a daily record/communication book that keeps track of everything your child does during their day here with us.

In our Preschool (2 years to approx. 3.5 years) we provide an environment where your child is encouraged to be themselves. Here they develop a stronger sense of who they are. They can explore their environment using all their senses. Children are encouraged to take risks, while being supported to achieve the tasks they set out to do.

Our Prepschool (3.5 years to school) supports children to make their own decisions. The planned programme is child led and allows for children to take the learning to areas that are of interest to them. This provides opportunities for children to learn at a level and rate which works for them. They are encouraged to strive to learn new things every day.

Our wonderful Kaiako are here to nurture your child and support tamariki in developing new skills. Our aim is to provide care and education that gets your child ready for their next learning journey at Primary School. This looks different for each child, so come and talk to us about what we can offer for you and your child.

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.

Te Puna Oraka Early Learning Centre is a safe, nurturing and welcoming environment with spacious areas to stimulate and develop your child’s natural curiosities.  

Our spacious outdoor area has a deck area, swings, slides, climbing rope, a new bike track and our very own playhouse! Indoors, your child will be inspired and stimulated by our rich array of play-based experiences and resources. We embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of every child that walks through our doors.

The First Learners centre that will remind you of home.

Some of the reasons to choose First Learners Shirley for your child's early childhood education

• Lower than Ministry ratios Nursery 1:4, Preschool 1:7
• Experienced, caring staff, over 80% are ECE qualified
• Homely environment which focuses on sustainability
• Cooked nutritious lunches if required, morning and afternoon tea included in the fees
• Large outdoor play area which consists of many movable, engaging pieces of equipment.
• 4 year old extension programme
• Vegetable gardens which the children are involved in planting, harvesting and eating the produce
• 20 hours ECE where the hours really are FREE!
• Handy to schools, Palms shopping centre, and easy distance to CBD

At Shirley First Learners we pride ourselves on...

• we value and promote sustainable practices within our centre community
• we recognise and acknowledhe Deaf culture and New Zealand Sign Language as an official language of New Zealand. This is included into our curriculum and daily programme.

Our Philosophy

First Learners are homely centres which off tamariki, their families/whanau and our teachers/staff a place that empowers them to make choices that suit their individual needs and requirements.

A place that enables each individual to develop at their own pace, to be unique, and have their individuality recognised and celebrated. A place that is rich in wonder, curiosity, excitement and fun. A place where there is no distinction between learning and play.