BestStart Leeds Street is an early learning and childcare centre conveniently situated in inner-city Wellington, on Leeds Street in Te Aro. The centre describes its tamariki as "Urban Explorers," with a philosophy that learning extends beyond the centre's walls and into the surrounding city — exploring street art, galleries and museums, photographing and drawing what they find, and talking through what they discover.
The centre takes a holistic approach to learning, aiming to empower children to be active explorers, researchers and decision-makers in their own learning. A collaborative approach to planning is central to the culture here, with whānau treated as active contributors to the programme and curriculum and regular whānau events held to build relationships, networking and a sense of belonging.
Regular excursions are a hallmark of life at BestStart Leeds Street, from weekly Wilton Bush walks and Friday art trips around Wellington City (including visits to Te Papa) to a local park clean-up project and an intergenerational play group with elderly members of the local community. The centre also keeps its own pets — Coco the bunny and Fishy the fish — and holds a Healthy Heart Award reflecting its focus on nutrition and health, alongside a Get Set for School programme for children preparing for their next step.
Right in the middle of inner-city Wellington, on Leeds Street in Te Aro, sits BestStart Leeds Street — a childcare and early learning centre that treats the whole city as an extension of its classroom. The centre calls its tamariki "Urban Explorers," a description that isn't just a slogan: children here are regularly out and about in the central city, exploring art on the streets, in galleries, and in museums, then photographing it, drawing it, and talking through what they've seen.
BestStart Leeds Street's approach is built around a holistic view of learning — one that positions children as active explorers, researchers and decision-makers in their own development, rather than passive recipients of a fixed curriculum. That shows up clearly in the centre's weekly rhythm of excursions.
Monday brings a Wilton Bush walk for 3-5 year olds: a 20-minute bus ride out to the bush, where children explore freely among native trees, plants and flowers, have morning tea, and listen to birdlife overhead. Wednesdays (every second week) take the same age group on a 10-minute walk to Cobblestone Park, where they wear gloves and use tongs to collect rubbish — a hands-on project designed to build sustainability awareness and pride in the local Wellington community, with time built in to play as well.
Thursdays bring two different experiences. An Intergenerational Play Group, held every second week, takes younger tamariki (from 10 months up to 5 years) on a short walk to the local community centre to read stories, sing songs, and spend time with elderly members of the community — a rare and valuable kind of connection for young children. The same day, weekly during school term, an external Playball programme comes into the centre, introducing children aged 2-5 to a range of sports through a multi-activity approach. It's optional, and priced separately from the centre's standard fees, at each family's discretion.
Fridays are for art: a weekly trip into Wellington City where children learn to observe, pick up new vocabulary like "abstract," and learn the protocols of behaving in a gallery. A regular stop on this trip is Te Papa, Wellington's national museum.
BestStart Leeds Street places a strong emphasis on relationships with whānau, describing a collaborative approach to planning where families are active contributors to the programme and curriculum, playing a role in decision-making. The centre holds regular whānau events aimed at building relationships, networking, and a strong sense of belonging within its community.
Among the things BestStart Leeds Street highlights are its 20 hours free ECE for 3-5 year olds, with WINZ subsidies available where needed, and a Healthy Heart Award reflecting the importance the centre places on nutrition and health — meals and snacks are prepared fresh each day. The centre also runs a Get Set for School programme to help prepare older tamariki for their next step, and keeps its own centre pets, Coco the bunny and Fishy the fish, as part of everyday life at the centre.
Parent feedback on the centre speaks to long-term trust: one parent noted their child had the same kaiako as an older sibling who'd attended years earlier, pointing to low staff turnover, while others describe children who are "happy, safe and learning," with a centre manager and team genuinely invested in tamariki and whānau alike.
BestStart Leeds Street is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 5:45pm. Families can book a visit or make an enquiry directly through the centre's website.