Mt Wellies ELC Limited is a purpose-built Early Childhood Centre at 31-35 Carbine Road, Mt Wellington, Auckland, catering for children aged 3 months to 6 years, right through until they are ready for primary school. The centre describes itself as a diverse whanau, celebrating each child's uniqueness, culture and identity, with the relationship between children and educators forming the foundation for all other learning.
Mt Wellies has three purpose-designed rooms, each named after a native New Zealand tree. The Mamaku Room cares for infants and toddlers, the Pohutukawa Room is home to toddlers, and the Rata Room, the centre's largest, supports preschoolers to become confident, independent learners. The centre follows a Primary Caregiving approach and weaves Kaupapa Maori learning dispositions through its programme, alongside an individualised learning plan for every child.
Each day, children enjoy fresh home-cooked meals prepared by the centre's chef, Holly, included in the fees and following a healthy menu that introduces different tastes and textures. Pre-schoolers take part in a phonics-based Focused Literacy Programme to prepare them for school, and the centre celebrates the multicultural makeup of New Zealand through regular excursions and cultural celebrations. Parents receive daily feedback at pickup and monthly learning stories through the online Story Park system.
Mt Wellies ELC Limited is a purpose-built Early Childhood Centre at 31-35 Carbine Road, Mt Wellington, Auckland, catering for children aged 3 months to 6 years, right through until they're ready for primary school. The centre describes itself as a diverse whanau, proud to celebrate each child's uniqueness, culture and identity, with the relationship between children and their educators forming the foundation for everything else they learn.
Mt Wellies has three purpose-designed rooms, each named after a native New Zealand tree. The Mamaku Room cares for infants and toddlers, with a key teacher providing all care moments — including bottle feeding, nappy changing and sleep support — and each child following their own individual routine in a spacious sleep room. The Pohutukawa Room is home to toddlers, with routines built around eating and sleeping to provide consistency as children develop their communication skills and personalities. The Rata Room, the centre's largest, supports preschoolers with a wide range of interesting and challenging resources, helping them become confident, independent learners ahead of school.
Each child at Mt Wellies has an individual development plan based on their specific needs, interests and dispositions, alongside group project work built around the collective interests of their room. Parents see and hear about their child's learning each day at pickup, and receive monthly learning stories electronically through the online Story Park system, highlighting key moments in their child's development.
Food is a central part of the Mt Wellies day, with fresh, home-cooked meals prepared daily by the centre's chef, Holly, and included in the fees. The healthy menu introduces different tastes and textures for children as they grow. In the Rata Room, preschoolers also take part in a weekly sandwich day, making their own sandwiches to build independence, hand-eye coordination and concentration. For older preschoolers, a phonics-based Focused Literacy Programme teaches letters, letter sounds, correct pencil grip and more, helping prepare children for the transition to primary school.
Mt Wellies embraces the rich multicultural makeup of New Zealand, running excursions and celebrations throughout the year that allow children and families to learn about and share the values and beliefs of different cultures within the centre's community.
The centre is led by Director Matthew Richardson and Centre Manager Kim Dawson, supported by educators including Imalie Amarawardana, a teacher in the Mamaku Room caring for babies.
Parents describe Mt Wellies as feeling like a second home for their children. One parent shared how well their daughter settled in after a transition back to the centre, always happy to talk about her day at pickup. Another described their children asking to go to daycare on weekends, while a third parent, whose son joined at eight months old, credited Mt Wellies with playing an important role in his development from his first steps to his first words.
Mt Wellies ELC is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm. Families are welcome to pop in and visit, book a tour, or get in touch by phone or email to learn more about enrolment.