BestStart North Road

Here in our homely Tuatara Room, we are guided by the principle of whanaungatanga, growing and maintaining strong, honest relationships with our whānau and tamariki. This allows us to provide consistency between home and centre throughout their day. Our approach is supported by BestStart’s Start with Heart philosophy and PEPE (Primary Caregiving) guide, which help us build secure, trusting relationships and ensure each child receives responsive, individualised care. 

 

We respect tamariki for their individuality and are guided by their unique cues and communication styles. We also have a strong focus on manaakitanga—creating a culture of kindness, respect, and empathy, and supporting the development of friendships that can continue throughout their journey at BestStart North Road and beyond. 

 

Tamariki are empowered and supported to freely explore, test their limits, and develop confidence within our safe and stimulating learning environment. 

In the Paihamu Room we provide an environment where tamariki are encouraged to explore, try new things, and develop an “I can do it” mindset. We have a strong focus on sensory exploration, offering a wide range of hands-on experiences that invite tamariki to use their senses to discover, investigate, and make sense of the world around them. 

 

We are guided by the principle of whanaungatanga, which for us means an open-door policy that supports responsive and reciprocal relationships between whānau, kaiako, and tamariki, building a strong sense of community and mana whenua | belonging. 

 

In the Paihamu Room, tamariki engage in rich sensory experiences that support early mathematical thinking, problem-solving, and curiosity. As they explore alongside others, they share ideas, investigate together, and build important social skills through these meaningful interactions. 

 

In the Pūkeko Room, we acknowledge and believe that young children learn through the relationships they experience with people, places, and things in their world, building a strong foundation for future learning. Kaiako value both planned and spontaneous learning through projects, inquiry, and making connections with the wider world. 

 

We offer a ‘Wild at Heart’ programme, with regular excursions to Thompson’s Bush. This gives tamariki the opportunity to become confident learners and explorers of the natural environment. 

 

We also support our older tamariki through our Set for School programme, which includes regular visits to Donovan Primary School. These experiences help children build familiarity, confidence, and a sense of belonging as they transition to school. 

 

Explore. Discover. Learn.