BestStart Elles Road

BestStart Elles Road is in the heart of south city. We are close to SIT and the hospital, as well as bus stops, making us convenient for our families. Our families love us and especially love the relationships they build with our understanding, patient and passionate staff.

Our Vision - Nurture, Blossom, Grow

Our centre nurtures our children, aged 3 months until they are ready to go to school, supporting them throughout their journey at our centre, and beyond, to create confident, capable lifelong learners. 

Throughout the centre, kaiako (teachers) observe the individual strengths and interests of each child and create a unique plan for their learning to make sure they thrive. We know that children learn best through play and provide opportunities and learning environments where they can blossom among our community of learners. The culture of each child is nurtured in an environment where diversity is respected and celebrated.

We are committed to sustainability and teaching children how to be kaitiaki (gaurdians) in their community. We strengthen this further by developing relationships with our centre whanau and community. Kaiako and tamariki (children) build positive, nurturing relationships based on whanaungatanga, ensuring a sense of belonging for all.

Matai Room - Nursery

Our Nursery is a nurturing and safe space where children are constantly engaged. Our caring teachers help foster relationships with the children, as well as between children in the room. In our Nursery, you experience a real sense of belonging, where all whanau are welcome and connected to our wonderful teaching team. We prepare our children for the next stage of our journey through building independence and problem solving skills. Our transitions are individual to each and every child, allowing them to progress on their own journeys, at their own pace.

Rimu Room - Preschool

The busy children in our Preschool learn through play, at their own pace. We value the experiences that children themselves initiate and lead, with a buzz of engaged children always visible in the room. We have large indoor and outdoor spaces, giving children the room to explore and discover, helping foster their key developmental skills. Our Preschool children tend to and maintain our community garden, learning how to nurture and care for living things. Our separate sleep area and gym room allow our children to try new things, as well as follow their routines from home.

Kauri Room - Prep Room

We assist the children in our Prep Room to prepare for their next step off to school. Our passionate teachers want the very best for every single child and want to see them succeed at school, and beyond. This includes working with our whanau to prepare them for the school experience. We help the children develop their self-help skills and build a sense of pride in their achievements. This room is uplifting, energetic and electric, as children strengthen their relationships with the teachers in this room.

What you can expect from our centre:

• We take the time and invest in our relationships with our families
• Happy, friendly, welcoming teachers who work closely together to ensure the best experience for our children and families
• Large playgrounds allowing children to explore, discover and take risks
• The centre is the heart of the local community, and whanau is at the heart of our centre
• We work with the other local BestStart centres to create a wider whanau network in the city

We would love to meet you and your child, come in and talk to us about how we nurture our relationships.

For more information about the specific fees for your centre, please contact us directly (03) 216 8769 /  elles@best-start.org. You might be eligible for support paying their childcare fees. For more information click here.