BestStart Te Aroha

Nestled under our beautiful maunga Mount Te Aroha, you will find the magic of our small rural centre.

The soundtrack to our day is orchestrated by the chimes of the clock tower around the corner and the joyful shrieks of laughter as our tamariki explore, discover and learn something new. While the town is illuminated by the clock tower lights at night, our days are brightened by the excitement and wonder of new discoveries.

Our town is part of our identity, and we are proud to be part of Te Aroha’s identity too. We embrace our small community through a localised curriculum that reflects the people, places and experiences that make our town special. We love getting out and about, making the most of the wonderful opportunities right on our doorstep. Regular walks and excursions are part of our everyday experiences, whether we're heading to the local playground, visiting the library, exploring our town or connecting with our local schools.

We also have some very special feathered members of our centre whānau - our chickens! Our tamariki absolutely love spending time with them, caring for them and learning about their needs. They provide wonderful opportunities for children to develop a sense of responsibility, compassion and connection with living things, bringing our priority of caring for our world to life in a meaningful, hands-on way.

Whanaungatanga is at the heart of everything we do. Our three key priorities that guide our everyday practice are:

1. Caring for our world and the people and things in it.
2. Fostering a love for language and literacy.
3. Nurturing a love for mathematics. 

These priorities are woven into the rich experiences we provide and we believe learning should be meaningful, exciting and connected to the world around us, giving every child the confidence, curiosity and foundations to flourish.