BestStart Educare in Wellington
16 licensed centres across 12 suburbs · Wellington
All BestStart Educare centres in Wellington
BestStart Petone
ERO assessed BestStart Petone as Not well placed in its 2019 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified whānau partnership as a strength, with valued relationships and effective communication systems. Bicultural practice was graded as developing, with opportunities to expand te reo Māori use and cultural learning.
BestStart Cornwall Street
ERO assessed BestStart Cornwall Street as not well placed in May 2020. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service demonstrated strong bicultural practice (Grade A) with Te ao Māori embedded throughout, and achieved Grade B in curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, and leadership and governance.
BestStart Waitangirua
BestStart Waitangirua is an education and care service in Waitangirua. Our analysis of the ERO report identified B grades across children's wellbeing, health and safety, and leadership and governance. The service maintains respectful interactions and calm environments, has addressed health and safety non-compliances, and operates an established internal evaluation cycle.
BestStart Naenae
BestStart Naenae is an education and care service with a roll of 80 children. Our analysis of the ERO report identified concerns in bicultural practice and health and safety, with both areas graded as requiring significant improvement. The service's curriculum was noted as not adequately reflecting and respecting diverse cultures including Māori families, and deficiencies were identified in health and safety compliance, excursion procedures, and hazard checks.
Beststart Melling
Beststart Melling is an education and care service in Lower Hutt Central with a current roll of 98 children. Our analysis of the ERO report from October 2020 found the service graded B across children's wellbeing, health and safety, and leadership and governance, indicating positive interactions between children and staff and reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
BestStart Taita
BestStart Taita is an education and care service in Taita with a roll of 87 children. Our analysis of the May 2021 ERO report found B grades across Curriculum & learning, Children's wellbeing, Health & safety, and Leadership & governance, indicating the service meets expected standards in these areas.
BestStart Totara Park
BestStart Totara Park is an education and care centre in Totara Park, Upper Hutt, with a current roll of 73 children. Our analysis of the ERO report (October 2022) found B grades across children's wellbeing, health and safety, and leadership and governance, indicating consistent systems and a calm environment with respectful teacher engagement.
BestStart Montessori Kilbirnie
BestStart Montessori Kilbirnie is an education and care service in Wellington with 26 children on roll. Our analysis of the ERO report shows strengths in curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, and leadership and governance (all grade B), with bicultural practice identified as an area for development (grade C). The service was reviewed by ERO in June 2021.
BestStart Kaiwharawhara
Our analysis of the ERO report from June 2021 shows BestStart Kaiwharawhara received B grades across curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and health and safety. The service has responsive curriculum design informed by parent and whānau input, and implements monitored health and safety systems.
BestStart Tawa South
BestStart Tawa South is an education and care service in Tawa with a roll of 70 children. An ERO review in February 2023 did not assign an overall placement. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service graded B in children's wellbeing (positive relationships and supervised rest/sleep areas), health and safety (regulatory standards being met), and leadership and governance (policy framework and management processes established).
BestStart Montessori Rongotai
ERO assessed this service as Not well placed in its 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, health and safety, and leadership, but identified bicultural practice as an area needing development, particularly around consistent te reo Māori use by teachers.
BestStart Leeds Street
ERO assessed BestStart Leeds Street as Not well placed in June 2020. Our analysis of the ERO report identifies strengths in children's wellbeing, health and safety, and leadership, with grades of B in these areas. However, curriculum and learning, whānau partnership, and bicultural practice all received grades of C, indicating these areas require further development.
BestStart Stokes Valley
ERO assessed BestStart Stokes Valley as not well placed in its 2020 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified strengths in children's wellbeing, health and safety, and leadership, but noted that bicultural practice was emerging and requires sustained development. Assessment practice in curriculum and learning, and consistency in whānau partnership, were flagged as areas needing strengthening.
BestStart Rongotai
ERO assessed BestStart Rongotai as Not well placed in its 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service at grade B for bicultural practice, with te ao Māori actively promoted and te reo Māori use emerging, and grade B for health and safety, with staffing ratios exceeding minimum requirements.
BestStart Tawa
ERO assessed BestStart Tawa as Not well placed in 2017. Our analysis of the ERO report identified strengths in health and safety practices, with staffing ratios exceeding requirements. However, curriculum and learning practices, and bicultural approaches including te reo Māori use, were assessed as developing and requiring significant strengthening.
BestStart Montessori Johnsonville
ERO assessed the service as Not well placed in its May 2018 review. Our analysis of the ERO report identified strengths in curriculum and learning and children's wellbeing, both graded B, while bicultural practice was graded C and identified as an area requiring further development.
By suburb in Wellington
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Frequently asked
- How many BestStart Educare centres are in Wellington?
- 16 licensed BestStart Educare centres in Wellington, across 12 suburbs. 0 (0%) participate in 20 Hours ECE.
- What are alternatives to BestStart Educare in Wellington?
- Other operators with centres in Wellington: Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens (59), Playcentre Aotearoa (31), Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust (26), Hutt City Kindergartens (21), Barnardos New Zealand (9). 323 total licensed centres in Wellington.
- Do BestStart Educare centres in Wellington accept government funding?
- All licensed ECE centres including BestStart Educare are eligible for the Childcare Subsidy (means-tested, MSD) and FamilyBoost rebate (25% of weekly fees, capped at $75/week, IRD). For 3-5 year olds, 0 of 16 BestStart Educare centres in Wellington also participate in 20 Hours ECE.
261 centres nationwide
323 licensed centres
FamilyBoost + 20 Hours stacking
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.