Daycare & ECE in Cambridge West
5 licensed early childhood services across 3 service types in Cambridge West, Waikato.
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 5 licensed services in Cambridge West.
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 Cambridge West, by type
Education & Care — 3
Cambridge Montessori
Cambridge Montessori is an education and care service in Cambridge West with a roll of 45 children. Our analysis of the ERO report (November 2022) found children's wellbeing supported by a calm environment that encourages exploration and peer relationships, with individualised support for diverse needs (grade B). However, bicultural practice and leadership and governance were both identified as areas for development, with limited authentic opportunities for Māori whānau involvement in curriculum and developing leadership collaboration post-merger (both grade C).
Magnolia Montessori
Magnolia Montessori is an education and care service in Cambridge West. Our analysis of the 2022 ERO report identifies bicultural practice and leadership and governance as areas graded B, with bicultural curriculum acknowledging Māori as tangata whenua and self-review processes supporting quality maintenance.
Little Thinkers Private Kindergarten
Little Thinkers Private Kindergarten is an education and care service in Cambridge West. Our analysis of the ERO report rates Curriculum & learning as A, reflecting highly intentional curriculum with strong pedagogy and child-led learning approaches.
Explore Cambridge West & Waikato
Schools in Cambridge West
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 Cambridge West?
- There are 5 licensed early childhood services in Cambridge West, Waikato: 3 education & care, 1 playcentre, 1 kindergarten. Combined enrolment 210 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Cambridge West?
- Yes — Cambridge West has 5 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 Cambridge West?
- Little Thinkers Private Kindergarten is the largest licensed centre in Cambridge West with 75 children enrolled (education & care). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Cambridge West offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 5 centres (0%) in Cambridge West 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 Cambridge West?
- Yes — 1 kindergarten in Cambridge West. Free Kindergartens typically charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds because of 20 Hours ECE.
- Which operator chains have centres in Cambridge West?
- Only one chain operates in Cambridge West: Playcentre Aotearoa (1 centre). The other 4 centres are independent.
- How much does daycare cost in Cambridge West?
- Costs in Cambridge West 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/cambridge-west/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Cambridge West?
- All 5 licensed centres in Cambridge West are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Cambridge West 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.
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.