BestStart Oraha Road is a purpose-built centre located in the beautiful semi-rural community of Kumeū/Huapai area, providing quality education and care for tamariki from 3 months up until they go to school.

Nurture the seed and it will blossom

We put relationships at the heart of everything we do!

From the moment you walk through our doors, you will feel a sense of aroha (love). You will be welcomed by the smiling faces of our caring and friendly kaiako and staff, and will see happy, engaged, confident and capable tamariki.

Our philosophy embodies the principles of the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki. The principles of Empowerment, Holistic Development, Family and Community, and Relationships underpin our centre programme and coincide with the Reggio Emilia approach which informs our practice and curriculum design. We believe that every child brings with them a deep curiosity that drives their interest to understand their world and their place within it. Our goal is to embrace this curiosity, challenge each child’s thinking and facilitate their eagerness to learn and construct understanding.

We acknowledge and support the aspirations contained in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and value working alongside tangata whenua Māori and tangata tiriti (treaty partners with Māori, which means all people other than Māori). We focus on affirming children’s mana and individual identity to create a sense of belonging and safety.

Our five indoor classrooms are built to support the learning and development of each age group. Our well-resourced learning environment create a space where tamariki feel safe and secure to explore new and exciting wonders.

We value our environment as the ‘third teacher’, therefore the detail and attention placed in our environment is purposeful and meaningful with the intent of provoking a sense of wonder, imagination, exploration, and discovery. There is an understanding on the importance of each kaiako and the critical role they play in children’s learning. Our kaiako are intentional in their practice - observing, assessing, planning, and creating inquiry and play-based projects where tamariki actively explore and investigate areas and topics that interest them.

Our team of passionate and professional kaiako are carefully selected for their knowledge, experience, professionalism, and their love for teaching.  Our excellent teacher-child ratios support high quality care and learning, and ensure needs are met and responded to in a way that shows respect and fosters trust. You will feel a sense of belonging in a place where tamariki and whānau are cared for, supported, and respected.  A place where tamariki are loved, encouraged, and empowered.

Our expansive outdoor areas are surrounded by established trees which provide a naturally beautiful backdrop for growth and development.  Our interactive riverbed flows under a bridge into a huge sandpit where the only limitation is the imagination!

The learning journey and milestones of each child is captured and shared through daily conversations, kaiako observations, pedagogical documentation, and individual learning stories posted on our online learning platform - Storypark. This is a great way to keep up-to-date with what your tamariki is learning and engaging in while at the centre.

We offer BestStarts’ ‘Be School Ready’ initiative for our preschool tamariki -which is interweaved into our daily practice, assisting with the next step in children’s learning journey. The initiative promotes self-help skills and provides a range of learning experiences to extend children’s independence and holistic development. To support this initiative, we also offer a ‘bring your own lunchbox’ day during the week to support children’s self-help skills and understanding as they practice opening their lunchbox and eating their own lunch. Learning in a way that is social, fun, and meaningful.

At BestStart Oraha, we understand the important role nutrition plays in a child’s wellbeing, learning and development - as well as making healthy meals that look, smell, and taste good so that our tamariki will eat them! This is why our centre chef is committed to designing a menu that serves local, fresh, seasonal ingredients, and tasty food options that provide appropriate nourishment, less sugar and salt, appeals to children’s tastes, reflects diverse cultures and caters to the unique needs of all our tamariki.

For more information about the specific fees for your centre, please contact us directly 09 282 8170 / oraha@best-start.org You might be eligible for support paying their childcare fees. For more information click here.