BestStart Montessori The Gardens is a Montessori childcare centre at 5 Chambers Street in North East Valley, Dunedin. It is an award-winning childcare centre, and the centre's own description calls its children "kind and respectful learners." It sits near the University of Otago and the Polytechnic, and many of its families have parents in higher education.
The Montessori programme is built around each child's own self-discovery, with a curriculum that staff shape around the aspirations of each family. The centre celebrates cultural events such as Matariki, Chinese New Year and Diwali as part of its tradition, to honour the languages and cultures of the children and their families. Families can book a visit through the website, choosing a time between 9am and 3pm, and the site has pages for the spaces, news and events and contact details.