Childcare options in Rotorua

We believe the experience we offer is truly unique. With our own vegetable patch, orchard, sensory garden and worm farm we embrace the outdoors everyday. 

Our Monday to Friday sessions provide the perfect combination of routine and predictability along with plenty of time and space to explore their own ideas and make break-through discoveries. With no more than 20 children on any given day, our three fully qualified and registered teachers have time to get to know each and every one of them and what makes them tick.

BestStart Fairy Springs is a wonderfully unique early learning centre located close to the central city. We're open all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm and care for children aged 0 to 5 years old with a range of half and full day childcare options to suit our families needs.

There's no stopping us!

Together with our whanau, we support our children to be the best they can be, to believe in themselves and their capabilities.

BestStart Fairy Springs is a mixed age centre, with our babies and older children learning alongside each other. Learning this way means our children develop empathy and kindness, encouraging each other through tuakana-teina relationships, celebrating achievements and supporting each other to do their best.

We're independent! We foster children's independence to grow and succeed, from feeding themselves, getting themselves dressed, looking after their belongings, and even independently playing with their peers. Giving children the opportunity to develop their independence boosts their confidence and self-esteem and encourages perseverance which helps them as they face challenges.  

An environment like no other! We believe that the environment children spend time in is an important teacher. By utilising our knowledge of each child and family, we set up the learning environment based on the children's interests where they are free to explore and are supported by our teachers to extend their own learning. We have a unique, huge indoor playground complete with sandpit where children can run, climb, and build sandcastles even when it's raining. 

A supportive family! Our teachers spend quality time families to ensure everyone has a smooth transition into centre life. We have open communication with our families and welcome them to spend time with us whenever they like. We share what's been happening in the centre via our online portfolio Storypark and enjoy getting together and celebrating special events and occasions. We also provide healthy, delicious and nutritious meals, in line with Healthy Heart guidelines - no packing a lunchbox required! 

Our infants - We have a dedicated baby teacher who provides our babies with the very best nurturing care. Our baby teacher also takes care of key moments, such as feeding, nappy changes, and sleeping. We have a warm and safe play space designed especially for our youngest babies to support, nurture, and engage them as they grow. Our babies are provided with natural heuristic resources which allows them to develop their skills at their own time.

Our toddlers - Our toddlers are supported to be independent by developing their self-help skills, such as dishing out their own kai and dressing themselves, in calm and familiar routine.

Our preschoolers - Our preschool aged children enjoy lots of creative open-ended resources - boxes, paper towel rolls, and bottle tops - giving them the opportunity to explore, imagine and work together, developing their listening and problem-solving skills as well as the art of negotiation. We ensure our children are ready for school when the time come to embark on their next learning journey - they'll have a sense of independence and personal responsibility for their belongings. They'll have a curiosity for knowledge and the confidence to ask questions and lead their own learning. There'll be no stopping them!

We welcome you to come in, talk to the teaching team and see the amazing learning that happens at our centre.

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.

BestStart Pukuatua is convienently located close to Rotorua's CBD. We're open right through the year, only closing for public holidays and care for children aged 3 months to 6 years old, supporting them to gain the skills to be successful, confident life-long learners.

Leaders of our own learning

Kaitaki akoranga

At BestStart Pukuatua, our vision is about fostering self-belief and developing a sense of empowerment in every child.

We empower our tamariki to design their own learning with teacher and whanau support. Children make their own decisions, learning in their own style and at their own pace. They connect with the people, places and things around them, developing an understanding and respect for the diverse cultures we support here at BestStart Pukuatua.

Tikitapu Room

In our infant and toddler room for children under 2 years old you will find our youngest tamariki engaged in a variety of learning experiences. Music and movement, messy play, exploring our indoor and outdoor environment help children develop new skills and the confidence to explore the world around them, nurtured and supported by our kaiako.

Okareka Room

In our 2 to 3 year old space our tamariki are developing their self-help skills by learning to serve their own kai. Their social skills are growing as they build positive friendships through play, creating their own style of learning with a variety of experiences. Kaiako observe and support this learning, using the natural rhythms and routines of the day.

Rotoiti Room

In our 3 to 4 year old space, our tamariki are really driving their learning. They learn through trial and error, creating masterpieces, becoming more independent through play, self-help skills, and leading their own learning at their own pace.

Tarewera Room

In our 4 year old space becoming a leader is established and fostered through group learning, independent learning, and developing essential skills for school and for life long leading.

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.