BestStart Willowpark Road

BestStart Willowpark Road is located in the heart of the Hastings CBD, across the road from Queen’s Square Park. We are a busy and vibrant early learning centre with two separate rooms to suit the needs of our tamariki. We're open from 7.30am until 5.30pm and only close for public holidays.

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa

Let us keep close together not far apart 

Our centre vision represents the merging of cultures in our centre and our wider community. It links to the virtue of atawhai or compassion, and is shown through affection, caring advice and kindness. The selfless concern for the wellbeing of others is what you will experience as part of the BestStart Willowpark Road whānau.

At BestStart Willowpark Road we go above and beyond to ensure our tamariki and whānau enjoy a welcoming experience from the very beginning of their journey with us. We believe in enrolling the whole whanau and we cater transition programmes to suit individual needs.

Togetherness - Relationships are the heart of our centre life. We work in partnership with whānau to ensure that tamariki reach their full potential during their time with us. We value the importance of ngā whakawhanaungatanga – reciprocal and responsive relationships and believe that tamariki learn best in an environment where warm, respectful relationships are established and nurtured.

Empowerment - Tamariki at Willowpark Rd experience an environment that allows them freedom to explore and learn in their own unique ways. We believe in empowering tamariki to become leaders in their own learning. Kaiako acknowledge and extend children’s interests and developing working theories through intentional provocations and teaching strategies. We value Ako and recognise the importance of tuakana /teina relationships.

Pride - Our localised curriculum lays the foundation for tamariki to become curious and resilient learners for life. We support tamariki to walk with mana, secure in who they are and where they come from. We achieve this by instilling the importance of ako, whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga. We acknowledge Māori as tangata whenua and recognise the bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa and work to uphold the spirit and intent of Te tiriti O Waitangi by making Te Reo me ngā tikanga Māori an integral part of our programme.

Our learning spaces - We have two age-based learning rooms to best meet the needs of tamariki as they develop and grow. Our Pukeko Room caters to the needs of our youngest tamariki, infants through to 2-year-olds and our Kiwi Room caters to the needs of our 2 – 5-year-olds. Both Rooms have their own separate outdoors areas. Our Kaiako provide a programme that offers a mix of free play, group learning times and intentional teaching.