Active Explorers
Centre-based chain
Active Explorers by city
Branded city pages — each lists Active Explorers's centres plus alternative operators in that city.
Active Explorers by suburb
Top 24 suburbs by centre count. Each links to a Active Explorers × suburb page with alternative operators alongside.
Centres by region
All centres
Active Explorers Swanson
ERO assessed Active Explorers Swanson as Not well placed in their 2017 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified B grades across curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, health and safety, and leadership and governance, with areas for growth noted in curriculum delivery and strategic planning.
Active Explorers Central Park
ERO assessed Active Explorers Central Park as Not well placed in 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report identified strengths in children's wellbeing and bicultural practice, with areas for development in curriculum planning, whānau partnership, and leadership evaluation cycles.
Active Explorers Airport
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report identified areas for development: curriculum planning requires deeper individualization and intentional teaching; bicultural practice and te reo Māori need strengthening; and leadership systems need stronger internal evaluation to measure impact on outcomes. Whānau partnerships were noted as a relative strength.
Active Explorers Highbrook
ERO assessed Active Explorers Highbrook as Not well placed in December 2019. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, and leadership and governance (all grade A), with health and safety assessed as grade B.
Active Explorers Ellerslie
ERO assessed Active Explorers Ellerslie as Not well placed in December 2019. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in children's wellbeing, health and safety, and bicultural practice, but identified whānau partnership as an area needing development. The service was also noted to need deeper engagement with Te Whāriki and stronger connections with child aspirations.
Active Explorers Farnborough
ERO assessed the service as Not well placed in their June 2017 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service received B grades across curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and leadership and governance.
Active Explorers Mana
ERO assessed Active Explorers Mana as Not well placed in August 2017. Our analysis of the ERO report identified areas requiring improvement: curriculum and learning processes need development, bicultural practice requires stronger culturally responsive strategies, and leadership evaluation systems are newly implemented but not yet embedded. Strengths include children's wellbeing support and health and safety practices.
Active Explorers Blockhouse Bay
Active Explorers Blockhouse Bay is an education and care service in Avondale with a current roll of 60 children. Our analysis of the ERO report from May 2020 found the service graded B across all four dimensions: curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, bicultural practice, and health and safety. The review noted positive teaching interactions and strong relational practice supporting children's social and emotional development.
Active Explorers Shakespeare Street
Active Explorers Shakespeare Street is an education and care service for 36 children in King Park. The service received an Akarangi review in September 2021. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in curriculum responsiveness, children's wellbeing support, and whānau partnership (all graded B), with child-centred leadership evident. Bicultural practice was identified as a key focus area requiring improvement for consistent integration throughout the curriculum (graded C).
Active Explorers Invercargill
ERO assessed Active Explorers Invercargill as Not well placed in 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report found B grades across all five dimensions: children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, bicultural practice, health and safety, and leadership and governance. Strengths included strong relationships supporting children's confidence, effective parent partnerships, and integrated te reo Māori and bicultural experiences, though some health and safety quality assurance processes could be more consistent.
Active Explorers Blenheim
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in their March 2017 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified strengths in children's wellbeing, bicultural practice, and leadership, with solid performance in curriculum, whānau partnership, and health and safety. The service serves 83 children.
Active Explorers St Lukes
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in their 2019 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified B grades across all five dimensions: Curriculum & learning, Children's wellbeing, Whānau partnership, Bicultural practice, and Leadership & governance. The service demonstrated effective teaching and responsive practice, though ERO noted areas for deeper Te Whāriki engagement and more consistent implementation of bicultural approaches.
Active Explorers Lower Hutt
Active Explorers Lower Hutt is an education and care centre in Lower Hutt. Our analysis of the ERO report from November 2021 found the service received B grades across all four dimensions: curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, health and safety, and leadership and governance.
Active Explorers Glenfield Rimu
Active Explorers Glenfield Rimu is an education and care service for 80 children in Glenfield. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service graded B for health and safety procedures and B for leadership and governance, indicating established processes in these areas.
Active Explorers Victoria Avenue
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in 2017. Our analysis of the ERO report found strong performance in curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, and leadership and governance, with all three dimensions graded A.
Active Explorers Upper Hutt
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in their February 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found sound performance across curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, health and safety, and leadership and governance, with all dimensions graded B.
Active Explorers Melville
Active Explorers Melville is an education and care service in Melville with a current roll of 100 children. Our analysis of the ERO report from March 2021 found the service achieved a B grade for children's wellbeing, with positive interactions evident, and a B grade for health and safety, meeting regulatory standards.
Active Explorers Grenada
ERO assessed Active Explorers Grenada as Not well placed in their 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identifies strengths in children's wellbeing and health and safety practices, while curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and bicultural practice require further development.
Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara
ERO assessed the service as Not well placed in February 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report identified areas for development across curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and bicultural practice, with each dimension graded C.
Active Explorers Greenmeadows
Active Explorers Greenmeadows is an education and care service in Greenmeadows, Napier, with a current roll of 89. Our analysis of the ERO report (September 2020) shows the service received B grades for Curriculum & Learning and Health & Safety, while Whānau Partnership and Bicultural Practice were graded C, with parent engagement and Te ao Māori integration identified as areas for development.
Active Explorers Glenfield Kea
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in 2019. Our analysis of the ERO report identified further development needed across curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing (particularly for older children), and leadership and governance.
Active Explorers - Kaiapoi
Active Explorers - Kaiapoi is an education and care service in Kaiapoi with a current roll of 68 children. Our analysis of the 2019 ERO report indicates B grades across Curriculum & learning, Children's wellbeing, Health & safety, and Leadership & governance, reflecting Te Whāriki-based planning, support for cultural confidence and diversity, established health and safety systems, and continuous quality improvement processes.
Active Explorers Papakura
Active Explorers Papakura is an education and care service in Papakura with a roll of 85 children. Our analysis of the ERO report from November 2020 grades the service as B across curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, and health and safety. The service has an inclusive, responsive curriculum with children involved in decisions, actively supports social competence and behaviour understanding, and has addressed previously identified health and safety non-compliances.
Active Explorers Helensville
Active Explorers Helensville is an education and care service in Helensville with a roll of 60 children. Our analysis of the ERO report (2020) found the service graded B across all dimensions: curriculum and learning is consistent with Te Whāriki with positive interactions and a language-rich environment; bicultural practice is acknowledged; health and safety standards are met; and leadership and governance are well-managed with qualified teacher leadership.
Active Explorers Grey Street
ERO assessed Active Explorers Grey Street as Not well placed in 2017. Our analysis of the ERO report found sound curriculum and learning practices, strong children's wellbeing, and bicultural approaches with te reo and tikanga embedded in practice. The report indicated opportunities to strengthen whānau partnerships and Pacific cultural knowledge.
Active Explorers Masterton
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in January 2019. Our analysis of the ERO report identified sound curriculum and teaching practices (B grade) and responsive approaches to children's wellbeing (B grade), alongside bicultural practice that required strengthening (C grade). Leadership showed improvement focus with room to develop evaluation capability.
Active Explorers Rolleston
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in their November 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found B grades across curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, and leadership and governance, with a C grade in bicultural practice where te reo and tikanga integration was identified as a next priority area.
Active Explorers Hokitika
ERO assessed Active Explorers Hokitika as Not well placed in October 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service graded as B across curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and bicultural practice, with effective community integration and parent engagement noted, though bicultural practice embedding was still in progress.
Active Explorers Nelson Street
ERO assessed this Greymouth South education and care service as Not well placed in their 2017 review. Our analysis of the ERO report indicates the service had effective learning partnerships and assessment practices in curriculum and learning, though with some inconsistency, while bicultural practice was at an emerging stage with developing awareness of te reo and tikanga.
Active Explorers Richmond
Active Explorers Richmond is an education and care service in Richmond. Our analysis of the 2019 ERO report indicates the service demonstrated sound performance in children's wellbeing and health and safety, with positive teacher-child interactions and well-monitored safety procedures.
Active Explorers Leeston
ERO assessed Active Explorers Leeston as Not well placed in June 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report identified concerns in curriculum and learning, and bicultural practice (both grade C), while health and safety and leadership and governance were assessed as grade B.
Active Explorers Ashburton
Active Explorers Ashburton operates as an education and care service in Tinwald with a current roll of 71 children. Our analysis of the October 2021 ERO report found strengths in leadership and governance (A grade) and solid performance across curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and bicultural practice (all B grades). The service maintains a play-based curriculum aligned with Te Whāriki and has embedded te ao Māori values, though there are opportunities to strengthen assessment consistency and learning partnerships with whānau Māori.
Frequently asked
- How many centres does Active Explorers have?
- Active Explorers operates 32 licensed early childhood services across New Zealand.
- Is Active Explorers a chain or independent?
- Centre-based chain
- Does Active Explorers participate in 20 Hours ECE?
- Most Active Explorers centres participate in 20 Hours ECE for 3-5 year olds. Confirm directly with the individual centre for current participation and any optional charges.
Data sources & freshness (4 sources · last refresh 12 July 2026)
Service type, address, roll, ethnicity, Equity Index, 20 Hours, Takiwā, lat/lng
Annual financial returns (community-based + umbrella orgs)
Per-centre review reports + 6-dimension letter grades (curriculum / wellbeing / whānau / bicultural / health & safety / leadership)
Safety score, crime/1k, 2023 Census demographics
Last build refresh: . See full methodology + data sources pages for licences, refresh cadences, and known gaps.