Childcare options in Kelvin Grove

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.

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.

Tiny Legends Early Learning Centre is small, purpose-built and homely childcare centre in Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North. Our centre is licensed for a total of only 40 children. We believe that as an Early Learning Centre we have an important part to play in our community and a very special opportunity to positively impact young children’s lives in their early stages of development.

With a safe and nurturing environment for your child, we provide a place for children to learn, develop and grow through social interaction in an engaging childcare environment, carefully set up by kaiako, with lots of opportunities to explore and learn.

Our daycare centre caters for tamariki aged 0 – 6yrs and we are open 7.30am – 4.30pm, Monday – Friday. Our centre is situated in the popular suburb of Kelvin Grove in Palmerston North. We are easy to find and within a short travelling distance to the local town, making us a natural choice for busy parents and local families in the community.

Your child will love the well laid out learning corners at our daycare centre, consisting of a family play area, a creative art corner as well as a quiet space for reading and reflection.  There’s also plenty of natural resources with space to explore.

Our childcare centre team is made up of passionate and experienced teachers who are warm, welcoming and naturally wonderful people. Our qualified Early Childhood Educators bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team and their special connection with our children is cherished and supported in our childcare centre.

Teachers guide our Tamariki in learning, engaging them with fun, sensory and also challenging experiences to nurture their development.  All children are valued at their unique stage of life, respected for who they are and have equal opportunities to ensure the best possible start in life.  This special environment with a community of talented individuals, encourages the joy and wonder of learning to come alive.