BestStart Queenstown

BestStart Queenstown (formerly ABC Queenstown) pride ourselves on providing a safe, loving and challenging environment that nurtures the growth of all children. We offer education and care for children from 3 months to 5 years old and are open from 8am until 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, only closing on statutory holidays. Our meals are prepared by a experienced cook.

Trust and respect - We believe children learn best when they can build trusting and respectful relationships – within their peer groups, with teachers and within our community. We believe children learn through play and our teachers foster and extend the individual interests of children as they develop, and adapt to their individual learning needs.

Our learning rooms - We have 4 classrooms, all named after the Maori legend of Lake Wakatipu.

Tāhuna - (Queentown) is a small, intimate room for children aged 3 months to 1 year.

Manatā - (The daughter of the local Maori Chief) is a large space for children aged 1 to 2 years old. Toddlers in this room have indoor/outside flow to their own outdoor play area designed specifically for their age group.

Mātau - (The Giant who kidnapped Manata) Our 2 to 3 ½ year old classroom is where we focus on social competence, self-worth and independence “I can do it!”.

Matakauri - (A man who rescued Manata and later killed the Giant who fell and created the deep groove that is now Lake Wakatipu). This classroom focuses on providing a successful transition to primary school.  The programme within this room is specifically designed to integrate the New Zealand Primary School curriculum.  Many of the learning experiences in this classroom are based on what would happen in a new entrant classroom.  We work closely with our local primary schools, managing before school visits and liaising with teachers to ensure each child’s interests are communicated with each school. Ask us about our unique Be School Ready initiative.

The great outdoors - It is important to us that children have an opportunity to be outside, we believe that this reflects the life we choose to lead here in Queenstown.  Children will always have the option to explore outside, in the rain and in the snow.  We annually have a ski day up Coronet Peak, which is extremely popular.

Our outside learning area reflects this belief, with a bike track, sandpit and plenty of space to run and climb.  We acknowledge that our learning environment extends beyond the centre, with visits to the Kiwibird life park, rides in the gondola, visits to the post office to post letters or even walking to our local supermarket to buy fruit for the day.  Excursions our essential to how we not only trust children, but how we see learning, a playroom within our community with extensive possibilities and opportunities.

Ka kohi te toi, ka whai te māramatanga - If knowledge is gathered, enlightenment will follow