Childcare options in Onekawa

BestStart Riverbend Road is nestled within the Onekawa community on Riverbend Road, right next door to St. Patrick’s School. We care for children from 0 to school ages and are open all year round.

Manaakitanga at the heart of our learning

At BestStart Riverbend Road manaakitanga is at the heart of our learning.  We take the time to know you and your child, as we believe in deeper relationships to support and strengthen our whānau community.  Children are encouraged to become confident learners who can work together during moments of discovery and learning, sharing the values of kindness, generosity and aroha.   

Kowhai Room (Infants) – Our Infant Room practices a Pikler inspired approach to education and care. We have a specially designed, nurturing infant nest for our youngest babies with secure indoor and natural outdoor discovery spaces. Infants have their own cherished area for sleeping. Every child has a Primary Caregiver, one teacher responsible for their important care moments like bedtime and nappy changes and who is a key contact for each family. Our calm, nurturing teachers develop strong, intimate relationships and attachments with each child and family.

Pohutukawa Room (Toddlers) – This is where tamariki explore and learn using all their senses. Together with our families we develop individual plans for each child supporting aspirations, learning and development. Our large playground offers opportunities to wonder at nature as well as to develop the physical skills that are so important for learning. We create a rich social learning environment that promotes independence, cooperation, friendship, exploration and curiosity in our children.

Totara Room (Young Children) - In our Totara Room the Be School Ready initiative helps us to prepare children for the next step in their learning journey. Through play, teachers support children to develop communication and social competence, maths and literacy, science and technology skills, as well as physical skills and knowledge about how to keep safe and healthy. Our visits to local schools also support children in their transition to school, they become familiar with the environment and the activities they will experience in the classroom.  Our teachers take a project approach to learning that encourages children to become confident learners through research and investigation.

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.

About us

Tiny Nation is home-based care and education with a difference.

We believe that children have the best chance to flourish when they have secure attachments and a strong sense of belonging in their early years. This foundation is key to emotional, physical and mental growth and wellbeing. From this nourished beginning, happy, healthy and well-adjusted young adults can grow.

Enquire today

We would love to match you with the ideal educator in your area so send us an enquiry here and we’ll be in touch to provide you with all the information you need to make the best choice for your family.

How we look after our families

• High quality education and care using only trained educators and qualified teachers

Because we believe in quality, not quantity, we only work with trained educators and qualified teachers, who by completing their training have proven their commitment to nurturing and caring for children. We find the best trained teachers and educators and support them to deliver their own unique early learning programmes in their own homes. We hand-pick them for their passion, commitment, experience and qualifications. We know that qualifications are an indicator of quality when it comes to early childhood education and we’re proud to represent 100% qualified educators and teachers.

• Family and educator self-matches

When you enquire with us as a family, we support you to self-match with a Tiny Nation educator of your choice. The choice factor is huge here – you get to choose the person you leave your child with when you can’t be there. You will choose your educator based on the needs of your family and child, your values, your own early learning philosophy and, most importantly, your connection with them. This allows you to find the perfect educator for your family – someone who will become a part of your support village and who will advocate fiercely for your child when you can’t. Isn’t this what we all want as parents?

• Small ratios of no more than four children to one educator

By choosing home-based early learning, you are choosing small groups and responsive relationships. Tiny Nation educators have no more than four pre-school children in their care at any given time, with no more than two under the age of two. This allows them to engage with their care children in meaningful ways, dedicating time to support their development and getting to know them deeply. Having small ratios of children per educator enables respectful interactions and authentic connections. Your child is not just a number at Tiny Nation.

• Nurturing, natural and familiar home environments

Home environments stir up comforting memories for all of us. We make personal connections with this kind of environment because it represents our childhood. It provides a strong sense of security and safety as we are able to seek comfort through the familiar. Early childhood education in home environments provide a calm and settled foundation for learning to occur. Children have the space to explore the community around them in real and authentic ways.

Our vision

To empower a nation of children to reach their full potential

Our guiding principles

Leadership / Ārahitanga

We encourage, empower and inspire our educators and teachers to contribute to our thinking and re-define what leadership looks like in early childhood education.

Relationship / Whanaungatanga

We are founded on consistent, familiar and nurturing relationships. It’s vital to take the time to understand, relate to and acknowledge each other as relationships are the soil from which everything else grows.

Partnership / Whakahoahoatanga

We are collaborative and work in partnership with parents and whānau, educators, the community and other like-minded services so that they can participate in and contribute to our journey.

These are our values

Authenticity / Mana Pono

This means being real and accountable. We partner with people who are aligned with our principles, values and beliefs so that we can all show up for our children in meaningful ways.

Belonging / Nō Konei Hoki

We affirm the identity, culture and language of our community and ensure staff, children, families and whānau know they have a place with us. Our environments and programmes are inclusive and our transitions are thoughtfully planned.

Communication / Kōrero

Reciprocal and responsive communication allows us to express ideas and feelings. We’re as passionate about listening as we are about being heard. We model effective communication so that our children become capable and confident communicators.

Our commitment to families

“Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti aroha o tatou mahi.

Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work.”

When you enrol as a family with Tiny Nation, we make a commitment to you as we journey together to provide your child with the love and care that they need to grow and flourish. For us, early childhood starts with care and ends with education. We know that no significant learning can occur without there first being a significant relationship. Your chosen educator becomes your child’s special person – their ‘go to’ in times of triumph and trouble. Someone who loves them just like you do and an extension of your family.

Nau Mai, Haere Mai Ki

KIDSPACE Early Learning Centre

KIDSPACE Early Learning Centre is a small and unique mixed age centre, meaning children from 4 months through to school age can be together. Your child and their sibling can be together too which is not only comforting, but aids their sense of well-being and belonging. The tuakana -teina approach to learning is evident throughout our educational programme. Tuakana/teina refers to the relationship between an older (tuakana) person and a younger (teina) person and is specific to teaching and learning in the Māori context. Another benefit of our unique mixed age centre is your child does not have multiple transitions from room to room as they grow. Their learning journey can continue with familiarity in one place throughout their time here. At KIDSPACE we believe in providing  a nurturing and cosy environment where children build a love for learning through play. Your child receives meaningful care, as well as personalised learning and development.

Conveniently located on Kennedy Road, in Onekawa, Napier, we are close to Onekawa School and St Patricks School. Being on the main road means it is convenient on a trip to the Napier CBD or out to EIT. 

Your child will love our open-flow centre, well laid out for fun and learning through play at every age and stage. You will find family play, a specific art room, as well as quiet space for reading and reflection.  There’s also plenty of natural resources with space to explore both indoors and out.

At KIDSPACE, our experienced teachers are warm, welcoming and fun. They guide our tamariki to engage in challenging experiences and treat all children with respect, providing equal opportunities to ensure your child gets the best start in life.

Parents love the rich sense of community that we instill within the centre, and our curriculum at KIDSPACE reflects our philosophy for strong relationships. We value participation from parents, teachers, whānau, children and our wonderful community.