BestStart Wairakei  

The NZ Education Review Office has rated BestStart Wairakei (formerly EduKids Wairakei) in the top New Zealand childcare centres providing positive learning outcomes for children.

You can trust that your child will receive the very best education and care at BestStart Wairakei. Located in Burnside, close to the Bishopdale shops, Christchurch Airport and the Airport Business Park, we have a specially designed learning environment and a skilled teaching team committed to making a positive difference in the lives of children. 

Our environment - Our environment plays a vital role in the learning and development of our children. We provide a warm, nurturing, caring, home-like environment that always feels welcoming. Our learning spaces are bright and interactive and our dedicated, multicultural, qualified team are musical, creative, loving and caring.

Our relationships - Our team is passionate about building strong, trusting relationships - we pride ourselves on the warm, lasting relationships we form with children and their families. We are proud of the positive feedback we receive from families of children who are currently in our care as well as those who have transitioned smoothly to school. We value parent contribution which is reflected in our emergent curriculum programme, on Storypark and parent evenings, as well as our on-going daily communication.    

Our learning spaces - We have separate age appropriate rooms, to best support the different stages of children’s learning and development.  Our outdoor areas in our Nursery and Preschool have been recently upgraded and promote exploration and physical movement.

Nursery Room - We have a beautiful Nursery Room which caters for children and babies, aged 3 months to 2 years, with a peaceful, home-like sleep room. We have a beautiful babies nest that provides a safe space for our youngest babies to confidently explore and discover their own capabilities. We provide aspects of primary care for young babies to support their care and development and promote their well-being through nurturing, caring and responsive relationships. We encourage our children to learn through play and planned group experiences.

Preschool Room - Our Preschool Room caters for children aged 2 to 5 years and offers a variety of challenging and socially interactive activities for our pre-schoolers. Our 4 year olds participate in our Be School Ready initiative. This helps them develop vital skills such as literacy, numeracy and working alongside others to ensure they are ready for school.  Our termly visits to our local schools also help to support their transition. Our children are offered a variety of experiences each day which focus on their current interests.

We have strong community connections with our local primary schools (Cotswold School, Isleworth School and Wairakei School) where we have termly visits to support the children with their transition to school. We also support our local parent centre, local Plunket and rest home, with fundraising and music sessions to help families in our area. 

Education Review Office Report

We have a fantastic Education Review Office (ERO) report, achieving the very best grade for all early childhood centres in New Zealand.