BestStart Berryfields Crossing

Our Pounamū Room is a calm and nurturing space for babies aged 0–18 months, designed to help your little one feel safe, settled and cared for while they are away from home. Pounamū is a precious and powerful stone, treasured for its significance and strength, reflecting how we see every pēpi in our care as precious and full of potential.

• A small, nurturing environment: With only 10 children in the room, our teachers have more opportunities to get to know your baby, understand their individual needs and provide plenty of care and attention.

• Start with Heart: Our Start with Heart programme focuses on the things that matter most in your baby's first years, including strong relationships, responsive care and meaningful everyday experiences.

• Space to safely explore: Babies can discover their surroundings at their own pace, with a calm indoor environment and outdoor space shared with our Wai-iti Room for fresh air, movement and exploration.

In Pounamū, your baby has a gentle and reassuring start to early learning, surrounded by caring teachers who support them to feel secure, build confidence and discover the world around them.

Our Wai-iti Room is designed for toddlers aged 18 months–2.5 years, a busy stage when children are becoming more independent, developing big personalities and discovering just how much they can do. Named after the Wai-iti River, which flows through the Richmond and Tasman area towards Te Tai-o-Aorere, the Tasman Sea, the room reflects our connection to the local environment and the growth and change happening during these toddler years.

• A smaller group: With a maximum of 16 children, Wai-iti provides a supportive environment where teachers can get to know your toddler and respond to their individual needs, interests and development.

• Growing independence: Children are encouraged to have a go, make choices and do more for themselves, while teachers support them as they learn to understand and manage their emotions.

• Learning alongside others: Our shared outdoor space with Pounamū creates natural tuakana-teina relationships, where toddlers can interact with younger children, develop caring relationships and grow in confidence as the older children.

Our Wai-iti Room gives your toddler the freedom to explore, try new things and discover what they can do, with caring teachers there to guide and encourage them along the way.

Our Kōtuku Room is designed for children aged 4 years and over, with a strong focus on helping your child feel confident, capable and ready for their transition to primary school. Named after the Kōtuku, or great white heron, which holds particular significance to the Māpua region and symbolises leadership and uniqueness, this final learning space encourages children to recognise their strengths as they prepare to take flight on their next learning adventure.

• Set for School: Our Set for School programme helps children develop important early literacy, numeracy, communication and practical skills, while building the confidence they need for a positive transition to primary school.

• Confident and independent: Children are encouraged to make choices, take responsibility, solve problems and have a go for themselves, developing independence and resilience for their next stage of learning.

• Growing as leaders: As the older children in our centre, Kōtuku tamariki have opportunities to support younger children through tuakana-teina relationships, building empathy, communication, teamwork and leadership.

In Kōtuku, preparing for school is about the whole child. Like the Kōtuku itself, each child is encouraged to recognise what makes them unique, grow as a leader and feel ready to confidently take flight into school.

Our Kōtuku Room is designed for children aged 4 years and over, with a strong focus on helping your child feel confident, capable and ready for their transition to primary school. Named after the Kōtuku, or great white heron, which holds particular significance to the Māpua region and symbolises leadership and uniqueness, this final learning space encourages children to recognise their strengths as they prepare to take flight on their next learning adventure.

• Set for School: Our Set for School programme helps children develop important early literacy, numeracy, communication and practical skills, while building the confidence they need for a positive transition to primary school.

• Confident and independent: Children are encouraged to make choices, take responsibility, solve problems and have a go for themselves, developing independence and resilience for their next stage of learning.

• Growing as leaders: As the older children in our centre, Kōtuku tamariki have opportunities to support younger children through tuakana-teina relationships, building empathy, communication, teamwork and leadership.

In Kōtuku, preparing for school is about the whole child. Like the Kōtuku itself, each child is encouraged to recognise what makes them unique, grow as a leader and feel ready to confidently take flight into school.