BestStart Fendalton  

BestStart Fendalton (formerly First Steps Fendalton) is a warm, inviting early learning centre in a beautifully renovated villa. We provide high quality education and childcare for children from 3 months to 5 years old and are conveniently located on Fendalton Road, perfect for easy pick up and drop off on the way to work in the city.

Our team of experienced teachers are skilled in supporting children's learning as they grow and develop. We encourage children to learn through exploring what interests them as well as through planned group experiences.

Your child will have their individual needs and interests recognised and responded to. Their day will be filled with a wide range of high quality learning experiences, including music, art, messy play, physically active play, dramatic play, maths, science, literacy and more.

During their time with us, your child will develop responsibility and independence.  You will see them grow in confidence and develop new relationships.

The Nursery Room - Our infant and toddler area has been designed to provide a safe space for our babies, while allowing toddlers to challenge themselves and acquire new skills.

Our philosophy is underpinned by the RIE/Pickler theory which advocates for free movement and respectful, authentic communication with children. In line with this, we practice primary caregiving.

Each child has a primary caregiver who takes care responsibility for feeds, sleeps and nappy changes.  We believe this supports your child to feel safe and secure away from family and therefore develop a strong sense of belonging really quickly. 

We also provide a flexible transitioning process into the preschool room when they are ready usually around 2 years old.

The Preschool Room - Our Preschool room is for children aged 2 to 5 years. When your child starts in our preschool room, they will be paired up with one main teacher who will help them settle in each day.

The preschool's outdoor area is spacious with a natural setting. Large established trees provide shelter and beauty. It is a unique outdoor setting providing safe spaces for children to learn, explore, challenge themselves and gain confidence over their bodies. 

Our aim is to provide children with a love of learning within a play-based curriculum.  We know we have achieved this when children leave our centre with curiosity, perseverance and a strong sense of themselves as a valued member of a group.  These dispositions will allow your children to be ready to learn the academic skills taught in school.

Be School Ready - Our fantastic Be School Ready initiative encourages children's learning and development around what they will need for school such as independence, self-help skills, being able to express themselves and taking responsibility for their own learning.

This initiative starts in our Nursery where we encourage the independence and self-help skills of our toddlers. For example, we give them a mirror to look in while they use a face cloth to wash their own hands and faces with gentle guidance from teachers.

Children in the Preschool room develop responsibility through putting away their own belongings and pouring their own drinking water throughout the day.  Children in the Preschool room are encouraged to develop their sense of responsibility in many different ways. Our four year old programme gives older children an opportunity to extend their skills and knowledge in smaller, more focused group experiences.

Healthy eating - We provide a cooked lunch each day made by our experienced cook. Our meals include a variety of vegetables, meats and starches.  We also provide morning and afternoon tea which includes a selection of fruit as well as something else nutritious. We also have a Healthy Heart Award from the NZ Heart Foundation.