Daycare & ECE in Blenheim
10 licensed early childhood services across 4 service types in Blenheim, Marlborough.
Composite = our 0–100 ECE quality score (weighted average of six ERO dimensions, normalised within Equity Index band). 20 Hours ECE & ERO coverage are counts of the 10 licensed services in Blenheim.
Estimate your costs: our FamilyBoost + Childcare Subsidy calculator stacks 20 Hours ECE, the means-tested Childcare Subsidy, and the IRD FamilyBoost rebate to show net weekly cost.
Services in Blenheim, by type
Education & Care — 7
Little Wonders Blenheim
ERO assessed Little Wonders Blenheim as Not well placed in May 2020. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in children's wellbeing (A grade), with effective teaching in curriculum and learning (B grade), established whānau partnership practices (B grade), and collaborative leadership (B grade). The service was identified as needing further development overall.
Little Footsteps-John Street
Little Footsteps-John Street is an education and care service in Blenheim with a current roll of 45 children. Our analysis of the ERO report from April 2024 identified bicultural practice as an area for development, with the curriculum not currently reflecting Māori, Pacific and diverse ethnic cultures.
Blenheim Early Childhood Centres and Kindergartens Inc. John Street Preschool
Little Footsteps - Scott Street
Little Footsteps - Scott Street is an education and care service in Blenheim with a current roll of 42 children. Our analysis of the ERO report identified whānau partnership as an area for development, noting that parent aspirations are not yet integrated into curriculum planning and assessment.
St Marys Pre-School
St Marys Pre-School is an education and care service in Blenheim with a current roll of 40 children. Our analysis of the 2022 ERO report identifies strong performance across children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, and leadership and governance, with all three dimensions graded B. The service demonstrates affirming relationships, family-centred support, and effective teacher inquiry.
BestStart Blenheim Central
ERO assessed BestStart Blenheim Central as Not well placed in 2018. Our analysis of the ERO report found strengths in whānau partnership and health & safety (both grade B), but identified areas for development in curriculum & learning, bicultural practice, and leadership & governance (all grade C). The service was implementing improvements at the time of review.
Montessori Blenheim
Montessori Blenheim operates a Montessori and Te Whāriki-based curriculum with intentional teaching practices. Our analysis of the ERO report (May 2022) found the service achieved B grades across all four dimensions: curriculum and learning, children's wellbeing, whānau partnership, and leadership and governance.
Explore Blenheim & Marlborough
Schools in Blenheim
When they age out of daycare, check schoolsnearme.co.nz for every NZ school with audited financials + ERO reviews.
Frequently asked
- How many daycare and ECE centres are in Blenheim?
- There are 10 licensed early childhood services in Blenheim, Marlborough: 7 education & care, 1 home-based, 1 kindergarten, 1 playcentre. Combined enrolment 494 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Blenheim?
- Yes — Blenheim has 10 licensed early childhood services, every one of them listed below with its address, service type and 20 Hours ECE status. To rank them by walking or driving distance from your exact address, use our find-by-address radius search.
- What's the largest daycare in Blenheim?
- Education Angels is the largest licensed centre in Blenheim with 80 children enrolled (home-based). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Blenheim offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 10 centres (0%) in Blenheim participate in 20 Hours ECE, which subsidises up to 20 hours/week of care for 3-5 year olds. The 20-Hrs pill on each centre card below shows participation.
- Are there kindergartens in Blenheim?
- Yes — 1 kindergarten in Blenheim. Free Kindergartens typically charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds because of 20 Hours ECE.
- Is home-based childcare available in Blenheim?
- 1 licensed home-based ECE service operates in Blenheim. Home-based care typically suits families wanting small mixed-age groups in a domestic setting. Networks include PORSE, Nurtured at Home, and others — see the listing below.
- Which operator chains have centres in Blenheim?
- 2 operator chains with centres in Blenheim: BestStart Educare (1), Playcentre Aotearoa (1). Plus 8 independent centres.
- How much does daycare cost in Blenheim?
- Costs in Blenheim follow the NZ national pattern: education & care centres typically $280-$360/week for under-2s, dropping to $0-$100/week for 3-5 year olds at 20-Hours-participating centres. Free Kindergartens charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds. FamilyBoost (25% IRD rebate, $75/week cap) applies on top. See our /cost-of-daycare/blenheim/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Blenheim?
- All 10 licensed centres in Blenheim are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Blenheim centres), the means-tested Childcare Subsidy from MSD, and FamilyBoost (25% rebate up to $75/week from IRD, phased out from $140k-$180k household income). Use our /familyboost-calculator for your specific net weekly cost.
- How much do daycares cost in NZ?
- Typical Weekly Childcare Costs in New Zealand (Before Subsidies)
- How much does Winz pay for childcare subsidy?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Blenheim.
- How many hours is free daycare NZ?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Blenheim.
- How much does a child cost per year in NZ?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Blenheim.
- How much does Winz pay for childcare?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Blenheim.
- How much does a baby cost per week in NZ?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Blenheim.
Understanding NZ ECE — topic guides
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.