BestStart Parau Drive

Our under 1's space in our Kawakawa Room is a calm, loving environment where pēpi are cared for through responsive, relationship-based practices that honour their rhythms, cues, and unique personalities.

We work closely with whānau to create a sense of belonging, ensuring each baby feels safe, cherished, and connected. Our kaiako build trusting relationships with both pēpi and their families, creating a strong foundation for emotional security and confident exploration.

Here, your baby is embraced by a caring community — where every cuddle, smile, and shared moment helps them grow in their own time, surrounded by aroha.

In our 1–2 year old space, our Kahurangi Room is grounded in respectful, relationship-based care. We honour each child as a capable, curious learner, and our kaiako respond with intentional teaching that supports their growing independence, emotional development, and sense of belonging.

Through calm, consistent routines and rich, play-based experiences, we create an environment where tamariki feel safe to explore, express themselves, and build meaningful connections. Our teaching practices are thoughtful and purposeful, guided by each child’s interests, cues, and cultural identity.

In our 2–3 year old Raukaraka Room, we embrace a pedagogy that honours each child as a capable, competent learner. Our kaiako use respectful practices and intentional teaching to support tamariki as they begin to express themselves, make choices, and explore their growing independence.

This is a time of rapid development, and our environment is thoughtfully designed to encourage curiosity, creativity, and connection. Through rich, play-based experiences and consistent, nurturing relationships, children build confidence in their abilities and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

In our preschool/Tangiwai Room, we support tamariki aged 3–4 as they deepen their sense of identity, independence, and belonging. 

Our pedagogy and philosophy is grounded in respectful relationships, intentional teaching, and a belief in each child’s capability to lead their own learning journey.

Kaiako create rich, engaging environments that spark curiosity and encourage exploration. Through thoughtful planning and responsive interactions, we guide children to develop social skills, problem-solving abilities, and a love for learning — all within a context that values their voice, culture, and whānau.

Our 4–5 year old/Totoweka room is a vibrant space where tamariki are empowered to grow as confident, capable learners. Our pedagogy is grounded in respectful relationships, intentional teaching, and a deep understanding of each child’s readiness for the next stage in their learning journey.

Kaiako thoughtfully plan experiences that extend children’s thinking, support self-regulation, and foster a love for inquiry. Literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills are woven into play-based learning that reflects the interests, cultures, and strengths of each child.

Our Totoweka Room/Set for School Programme supports tamariki in their final year of early learning as they prepare for the exciting step into primary school. 

Our kaiako design rich, play-based experiences that foster early literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and social competence — all while honouring each child’s unique strengths, interests, and cultural identity. 

We use a project-based learning approach that makes the classroom active and hands-on. Children explore real-world ideas, ask questions, and work together to solve problems. It’s all about creativity, curiosity, and learning by doing.

Our Pipiwhararoa Room is a vibrant, welcoming space where children build connections with the world around them. It’s a place where stories are shared, friendships are formed, and learning comes to life.

We regularly welcome visitors from the local library, community and whānau. These visits spark curiosity and help children learn about the people, places, and cultures in their community.

Whether it’s a storytelling session, a music workshop, or a discussion around recycling, every visit adds something special to our learning journey. The Community Room is where relationships grow, ideas are explored, and children feel part of something bigger.