Daycare & ECE in Wellington CBD
6 licensed early childhood services across 1 service type in Wellington CBD, Wellington.
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 6 licensed services in Wellington CBD.
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 Wellington CBD, by type
Education & Care — 6
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.
Polyhigh Community Childcare Centre
Polyhigh Community Childcare Centre is an education and care service in Wellington CBD with a current roll of 50 children. Our analysis of the ERO report identifies caring relationships and responsive teaching practices supporting children's social-emotional development, with positive parent relationships and learning-focused partnerships emerging. Leadership and governance show collaborative practice, though the internal evaluation framework is not yet effectively used for improvement.
Moriah (Private) Kindergarten Inc
Victoria University of Wellington Fairlie Terrace Early Childhood Service
ERO did not assign an overall placement in its March 2023 review. Our analysis of the ERO report found the service graded B across all dimensions: strong attunement to children's wellbeing with effective transitions, improved whānau partnership with scope to better reflect cultural diversity, embedded te reo and tikanga with opportunities to strengthen visibility of diverse cultures, and all health and safety legal requirements met.
Playhouse Childcare
Capital City Preschool
Explore Wellington CBD & Wellington
Schools in Wellington CBD
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 Wellington CBD?
- There are 6 licensed early childhood services in Wellington CBD, Wellington: 6 education & care. Combined enrolment 272 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Wellington CBD?
- Yes — Wellington CBD has 6 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 Wellington CBD?
- Victoria University of Wellington Fairlie Terrace Early Childhood Service is the largest licensed centre in Wellington CBD with 77 children enrolled (education & care). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Wellington CBD offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 6 centres (0%) in Wellington CBD 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 Wellington CBD?
- No kindergartens listed in Wellington CBD specifically — try adjacent suburbs. Other licensed options below cover the same age groups.
- Which operator chains have centres in Wellington CBD?
- Only one chain operates in Wellington CBD: BestStart Educare (1 centre). The other 5 centres are independent.
- How much does daycare cost in Wellington CBD?
- Costs in Wellington CBD 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/wellington-cbd/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Wellington CBD?
- All 6 licensed centres in Wellington CBD are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Wellington CBD 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 it cost to care for a child per week?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Wellington CBD.
- How many hours is free daycare NZ?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Wellington CBD.
- How much does Winz pay for childcare subsidy?
- See the centre listings, methodology, and our FamilyBoost calculator on this page for daycare in Wellington CBD.
- 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 Wellington CBD.
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.