Daycare & ECE in Highfield North
3 licensed early childhood services across 2 service types in Highfield North, Canterbury.
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 3 licensed services in Highfield North.
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 Highfield North, by type
Education & Care — 2
BestStart Highfield
Craighead Kindergarten Incorporated
Craighead Kindergarten Incorporated is an education and care service in Highfield North, Timaru District, with a roll of 30 children. Our analysis of the ERO report (August 2022) found the service demonstrates collaborative leadership and strong internal evaluation processes, with good progress on prior improvement actions.
Explore Highfield North & Canterbury
Schools in Highfield North
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 Highfield North?
- There are 3 licensed early childhood services in Highfield North, Canterbury: 2 education & care, 1 kindergarten. Combined enrolment 156 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Highfield North?
- Yes — Highfield North has 3 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 Highfield North?
- BestStart Highfield is the largest licensed centre in Highfield North with 74 children enrolled (education & care). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Highfield North offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 3 centres (0%) in Highfield North 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 Highfield North?
- Yes — 1 kindergarten in Highfield North. Free Kindergartens typically charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds because of 20 Hours ECE.
- Which operator chains have centres in Highfield North?
- Only one chain operates in Highfield North: BestStart Educare (1 centre). The other 2 centres are independent.
- How much does daycare cost in Highfield North?
- Costs in Highfield North 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/highfield-north/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Highfield North?
- All 3 licensed centres in Highfield North are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Highfield North 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.