What is bicultural practice in ECE?

The bicultural curriculum indicators include that teachers be assessed on their use of te reo Māori, and that teachers are: Open to “listening to culture”, allowing space and time for whānau Māori to tell their stories, create their own images, and listen to their own voices.

Who is eligible for 20 hours free ECE?

See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for Best bicultural.

How much is the salary of an ECE teacher in NZ?

See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for Best bicultural.

What is the best age for early learning?

While the ideal age for preschool typically falls between 3 and 5 years old, the exact age can vary depending on your child's development and what state you live in. While age is important, it's more about whether your child is ready emotionally, socially, and academically for the structure and routine of preschool.

What do they call white maoris?

See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for Best bicultural.

Home · Rankings · Best bicultural

Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice — national top-50

Centres with the strongest ERO grade on the bicultural practice dimension — te reo, tikanga, treaty-honouring practice.

1,983 centres eligible nationally. Source: Education Review Office, licensed CC-BY 4.0.

1

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Pūtake Whakatupuranga

Elgin-Gisborne · Gisborne · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A

Roll 93
2

Te Kōhanga Reo o Iti Noa

Te Hapara · Gisborne · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A

Roll 70
3

BestStart Taradale

Taradale · Hawke's Bay · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 67
4

Te Kōpae Piripono

Bell Block · Taranaki · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A

Roll 55
5

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd

Burnham Camp · Canterbury · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 44
6

Te Kōhanga Reo o Kororipo

Kerikeri South · Northland · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A

Roll 33
7

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Ao Tawarirangi

Oceanic Gisborne Region · Gisborne · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L A

Roll 18
8

BestStart Dannemora

East Tamaki · Auckland · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 105
9

Wakari Kindergarten

Wakari · Otago · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 45
10

Paengaroa Free Kindergarten

Rangiuru · Bay of Plenty · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 43
11

Central Kids Kindergartens - Edgecumbe

Edgecumbe · Bay of Plenty · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
12

Milverton Kindergarten

Milverton · Manawatū-Whanganui · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
13

Oratia Kindergarten

Oratia · Auckland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
14

Remuera Kindergarten

Remuera · Auckland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
15

Colenso Early Childhood Centre

Marewa · Hawke's Bay · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 38
16

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kohao o Te Ngira

Hamilton East · Waikato · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 35
17

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whānau Tahi

Halswell · Canterbury · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 35
18

Kerikeri Playcentre

Riverview · Northland · Playcentre

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 30
19

Te Kōhanga Reo o Rāhui Pōkeka

Huntly West · Waikato · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 30
20

Te Kōhanga Reo o Tarimano

Ngongotahā East · Bay of Plenty · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 30
21

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rongopai o Takapau

Makaretu · Hawke's Bay · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 30
22

Dinsdale Playcentre

Frankton · Waikato · Playcentre

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 25
23

Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa

Rotokawa · Bay of Plenty · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 25
24

Te Kōhanga reo o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti

East Cape · Gisborne · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H B L A

Roll 20
25

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Pou Herenga Waka o Te Whakapono

Marewa · Hawke's Bay · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L B

Roll 20
26

BestStart Totara Street

Mountview · Waikato · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 80
27

Little Einsteins Montessori (MacDonald Street)

Mt Maunganui · Bay of Plenty · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H B L B

Roll 75
28

BestStart Judea

Judea · Bay of Plenty · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 72
29

Funhouse Learning Centre

Whanganui Central · Manawatū-Whanganui · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H C L A

Roll 50
30

Rainbow Bears Preschool

Henderson · Auckland · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H A L ERO: Not well placed

Roll 50
31

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Pekanga

Waitara East · Taranaki · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L B

Roll 50
32

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Tīmatatanga

Manurewa · Auckland · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L

Roll 48
33

Winton Kindergarten

Winton · Southland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H B L B ERO: Not well placed

Roll 45
34

Irmgard Ritchie Kindergarten

Upper Hutt CBD · Wellington · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 42
35

Anchorage Park Kindergarten

Pakuranga · Auckland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
36

Central Kids Kindergartens - Kihikihi

Kihikihi Central · Waikato · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
37

Central Kids Kindergartens - Paeroa

Paeroa · Waikato · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H A L ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
38

Central Kids Kindergartens - Thames

Thames Central · Waikato · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
39

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Burnham

Burnham Camp · Canterbury · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
40

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Phillipstown

Phillipstown · Canterbury · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
41

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Rutland Street

Christchurch · Canterbury · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
42

Newfield Kindergarten

Newfield · Southland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
43

Oxford Kindergarten

East Gore · Southland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
44

Papakōwhai Kindergarten

Papakowhai · Wellington · Kindergarten

C A W B Wh A B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
45

Parihaka Kindergarten

Parahaki · Northland · Kindergarten

C A W A Wh A B A H L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 40
46

Twizel Early Learning Centre Inc

Twizel · Canterbury · Education And Care

C A W A Wh B B A H B L A ERO: Not well placed

Roll 39
47

Te Kōhanga Reo o Atawhai

Tauhara · Waikato · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H A L C

Roll 35
48

Te Kōhanga Reo ki Pukeroa Ōruawhata

Rotorua Central · Bay of Plenty · Kohanga Reo

C A W A Wh A B A H B L B

Roll 34
49

Busy C's Preschool Lyttelton

Lyttelton · Canterbury · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H L A

Roll 30
50

Harinui Early Childhood Learning Centre

Riverview · Northland · Education And Care

C A W A Wh A B A H L A

Roll 30

Showing top 50 of 1,983 eligible centres. Per-centre pages link to the source ERO review with full attribution.

Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice by region

Auckland (602) Canterbury (233) Waikato (212) Wellington (204) Bay of Plenty (150) Manawatū-Whanganui (108) Hawke's Bay (81) Northland (100) Otago (86) Taranaki (54) Southland (50) Gisborne (29) Tasman (26) Marlborough (15) Nelson (21) West Coast (7)

How we score "Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice"

Sorted by bicultural_practice grade (A→D). Ties broken by composite + roll.

See full methodology and the ERO source row.

Other rankings

Best by SchoolsNearMe composite (v1) Best-rated by ERO Best for under-2s Best kindergartens Best kōhanga reo Best home-based networks Best playcentres Largest centres by current roll Best 20 Hours ECE centres Best curriculum (ERO) Best for child wellbeing (ERO) Best leadership (ERO)

Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice — national top-50

Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice by region

How we score "Best for te ao Māori + bicultural practice"

People also ask about best bicultural

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