Childcare options in Woolston

Looking for safe, loving childcare in Woolston?

We look forward to welcoming you, your child and whanau to our childcare centre, where, from the start, you’ll feel a part of our safe, loving centre community. Here, our dedicated Centre Director, Lynnette Katene, and her qualified team will ensure your family feels valued and will cherish your little one, developing their physical, social and emotional skills through our fun-filled care and learning program. We offer both full time and part time enrolment options.

At Kindercare, every day begins and ends with love.

Why choose our centre?

Our daycare centre has been providing outstanding care and early childhood education since 2008. From infancy until they are ready to go to school, your child will thrive in our intentionally planned indoor and outdoor environments that are specially designed around their age and stage of development. We provide a cooked midday meal and healthy morning and afternoon snacks to ensure your child’s daily nutritional needs are being met.

Our dedicated team are committed to building a warm, nurturing and loving relationship with your child and giving your son or daughter the confidence to explore, learn and discover within our fun-filled environment. 

BestStart Ferry Road is a brand new early learning centre in the heart of Woolston. We provide quality education and care for children aged between 3 months to 5 years old.

Where Culture Thrives

When you walk into BestStart Ferry Road, you feel the sense of belonging. Strong relationships with each child and teacher/parent partnerships are the foundation of the centre. A rich programme celebrating cultural diversity develops learning, fun and discovery.

We have three rooms named after our local water ways: Ōpāwaho, Ōtākaro and the Ihutai Rūma. These names are special to who we are - they create a link to place based curriculum and children and family can whakapapa to this.

Our indoor spaces are built to support the learning and development of every age group – Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers. Each room is equipped with natural, high quality, focused resources designed to spark curious minds. We strive to meet all curriculum areas to support our children’s learning journeys, milestones and development.

Tuakana-teina relationships - Our centre values and extends tuakana (older) – teina (younger) relationships. The older or more experienced children take the younger ones under their wing and support their learning. They do this by celebrating with them, inviting them in to play and ensuring they get a turn. We role model inclusiveness and all our children feel connected and involved in centre life, with a real sense of belonging.

Rich cultural narrative – Each child’s home culture is valued. We take every opportunity to celebrate, share knowledge and learn about each other. We use a wide range of teaching approaches and strategies when working with our children and use the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki, to provide engaging and stimulating programmes that are exciting for all the children in our centre.

Be School Ready - Our Be School Ready initiative is carefully designed to support children’s next big learning step when they move to primary school. We support parents and children as they develop the skills and attitudes for being a lifelong learner. We have a unique advantage with strong relationships with Te Waka Unua, St Anne’s and Linwood Primary schools. We connect with them regularly to ensure children are familiar with staff and the transition to school is streamlined.

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.

Thinking about Home Based childcare with Home Grown Kids?

All of our Educators are carefully selected and screened including Police Vetting, identity checks, an interview that assess their attitudes and values toward children and an overall assessment of risk.

Enquire today and we’ll be in touch with you soon to provide the perfect option for your family.

Choosing the Best Educator for Your Child

We stand strong alongside our Educators. We care about them and we’re committed to the work they do, supporting and communicating with them every step of the way. We understand that engaged, fulfilled Educators make for happy families and even happier tamariki who thrive in these small group settings.

Small Group Setting

Our Home Based childcare groups are capped at a maximum of four children under the age of six, including Educators’ own children. This means we can offer each child the individual attention they need to flourish.

The best fit for your whānau values

Our Educators offer a range of different programmes based around their beliefs, values, culture, background and philosophies. Over 90% of our Educators hold a recognised ECE qualification. Some of our Educators are mothers and grandmothers with fantastic life skills, experience and knowledge. We’ll listen to your needs and then offer, where possible, a range of Educators. You will get to choose an Educator that you and your whānau connect with and trust.

Exceeding educational standards

An education programme that reflects New Zealand ECE curriculum - Te Whāriki. We are a Ministry of Education approved and licensed Early Childhood Education provider. Regularly reviewed by the

Education Review Office to ensure all our Home Based environments not only meet, but exceed the Ministry of Education’s Licensing Criteria for Home-based Services (2008).

Subsidies available

We’re an approved Work and Income provider and can support you to access a childcare subsidy if you are eligible.

20 hours ECE scheme

The Government subsidises all children aged 3-5 years (or 6 if not enrolled in school) who attend an ECE facility, making access more affordable for all.

Leaders in development practices for each child

All our Educators are supported and guided by our Visiting Teachers who are Qualified certificated ECE teachers with many years’ experience and expertise in early childhood education. Our Visiting Teachers regularly attend professional development to keep up-to-date with current research and theory for best practice for Education and care for under fives.

Our philosophy, vision and mission

• Our Vision– The why – The reason we exist:

To provide a family friendly wrap around support service that enables all tamariki/whanau to learn, grow and thrive in a home-based setting. Investing in cultivating kindness, strong and professional relationships, in all our people to continue growing as lifelong learners

• Mission Statement – The How -How are we going to achieve the Vision?

We will achieve our Vision through ensuring that every team member is emotionally invested in the well-being of our people including tamariki, whanau, Educators, communities and our Edubase family. We value successes and that these are not ours alone, the greatest success comes from the strengths of many. Our passion, knowledge and commitment will be the catalyst that enables everyone to learn, thrive and achieve.

• Philosophy Statement

Edubase is a Home Based Early Childhood Education service that is committed to providing nurturing learning environments where tamariki thrive as individuals through an authentic play-based, natural learning education and care programme, in a home setting.

To enrich the learning of each tamariki we form strong community connections, developing links within the home and the learning environments of our Kaiako. Tamariki learn respect for people, places and things, shaping Aotearoa and developing an appreciation of New Zealand’s dual heritage. We continually strive to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi – supporting a holistic approach to learning which is guided by our NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki.

Educators and Nannies offer comfortable, small group sizes, fostering respectful and reciprocal relationships, promoting tikanga Māori within their practice.

As an Organisation, we pride ourselves on cultivating strong, professional relationships, strengthening capability in all our people to continue growing as lifelong learners.

Edubase celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of each tamaiti, whanau and Kaiako and the gifts they bring. They are taonga, a treasure or gift. All things cultural are affirmed and celebrated, aiming to support children in gaining a positive awareness of their own and other cultures.

Tiaki nga tamariki – take care of the children