Petone Early Learning Centre
Enrolment offer
Receive 50% off fees for 3 months for 2-6 year olds. T&C's apply.
Kia ora!
Kia ora!
About this centre
At Petone Early Learning Centre, we know how important it is to find a place where your child feels comfortable, cared for and able to grow in confidence. Our experienced kaiako take the time to build strong relationships with tamariki and whānau, creating a supportive environment where children can learn, explore and develop at their own pace.
Children enjoy a wide range of hands-on learning experiences both indoors and outdoors. Our large outdoor environment encourages active play and discovery, with plenty of space for climbing, biking, digging and imaginative play. Tamariki also help care for our worm farm and newly established vegetable gardens, learning about sustainability, where food comes from and how to care for the natural world around them.
Learning through play is at the heart of our programme, with opportunities for children to follow their interests, ask questions and make meaningful discoveries every day. We are proud of the strong community we have built at Petone, where every child is encouraged to participate, contribute and thrive.
View our latest ERO report
2-6 years
Individualised guidance, support and resources
Enrolment offer
Receive 50% off fees for 3 months for 2-6 year olds. T&C's apply.
Flexible hours
Open 7:30am-5:30pm with part or full day options
Large outdoors
Spacious, secure and fun environment
Home packed kai
Each tamariki brings a lunchbox prepared by their whānau, filled with the foods they enjoy. We provide fresh seasonal fruit to share.
Expertise and knowledge
Experienced in early learning for over 55 years
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More about us
Staff who nurture and inspire
Our qualified and experienced teachers are committed to caring for and nurturing your child. They build a strong connection with each child throughout their early learning journey and go out of their way to ensure every child feels supported and their unique needs are met.
Our teachers create positive opportunities for your child to develop physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. They help guide your child as they navigate new friendships, master new skills and build independence and resilience to get ready for school and lay the foundations for lifelong learning.
Engaging environment
Our happy and nurturing environment will inspire, stimulate and empower your child to learn in their own unique way. The outdoor spaces challenge and excite the imagination, while inside offers a quieter area for reading, rest and engaging indoor learning experiences.
Connecting with the outdoors
We only know who we are, by knowing where we come from. That's why building a strong connection with nature and our local community is so important. We believe it helps your child develop a sense of belonging and identity and positively influences their learning experiences.
We're so lucky to have so many wonderful options on our doorstep here in Petone. We grow our own vegetable and herbs in our garden and go on local community excursions.
Nutrition and wellbeing
Each tamaiti brings a lunchbox prepared by their whānau, filled with the foods they enjoy. We also provide fresh, seasonal fruit to share so children can enjoy a variety of nutritious foods throughout the day. We work with families to ensure any allergies or dietary needs are carefully managed.
Care that grows with your child
We recognise that tamariki at different ages and stages have very different needs. That’s why our approach early learning evolves as your child grows, ensuring they feel safe, supported and confident every step of the way.
We also take the time to get to know each child and their whānau from the very beginning. During the onboarding process, our kaiako work closely with parents and caregivers to understand each child’s individual needs, routines and preferences, helping us create a smooth, familiar transition into care.
Our tamariki are supported to become more independent, confident and socially connected learners.
They enjoy large indoor and outdoor environments, including adventurous playgrounds that encourage physical activity, creativity and problem solving. Kaiako guide and extend their learning, while also allowing space for child led play, friendships and exploration.
At this stage, there is a strong focus on building skills that support school readiness, such as communication, self regulation, resilience and curiosity, all within a fun and engaging environment.
We’re always happy to talk through how we support each age group, and what this looks like in our centre.
Feel free to get in touch or come in for a visit, we’d love to show you around and chat about how we can support your child’s learning journey.
Supporting the transition to school
We support tamariki to feel confident and ready for school by gradually building their independence, self regulation skills, social competence and love of learning. This includes everyday skills like caring for themselves, making choices, problem solving and working alongside others. As children get closer to starting school, our kaiako work closely with parents, whānau and, where possible, local schools to ensure a smooth and positive transition. We share information, encourage school visits, and tailor support to each child so their move to school feels familiar and well supported.
We’d be happy to talk more about how we support your child’s transition to school, feel free to get in touch or chat with our team.
Fees and subsidies
We want to make your child's early learning and care experience as affordable as possible. We are a not for profit organisation, so everything we do goes back into supporting your child, the centre and our community.
Our fees include:
- Quality education, care and activities provided by our team of teachers
- Local outings
Current offer:
Receive 50% off fees for 3 months for 2-6 year olds.
T&C's:
- Offer is valid for new enrolments
- Valid for 3 months from enrolment day
- Minimum of 6 hours per day
Did you know you may eligible for fee and ECE subsidies? Talk to our Centre Manager for further information.
What's happening
Learning through messy play
Making connections with others and developing social skills is an important part of life at our centre. Water and messy play provide tamariki with fun, hands-on experiences that they can enjoy together, building relationships as they learn alongside one another. As tamariki explore the texture of finger paint with their hands, they are developing fine motor skills, sensory awareness and curiosity about the world around them. These shared sensory experiences also support emotional wellbeing, creating opportunities for children to communicate, take turns, work together and celebrate their discoveries as they play, learn and have fun together.
Exploring cultures together
Celebrating and learning about different cultures is an important part of life at our centre. As part of our Chinese New Year celebrations, tamariki enjoyed exploring traditions through stories about the Chinese Zodiac, wearing red and sharing cultural songs together.
These experiences provided opportunities for children to learn about the world around them while developing an appreciation for different cultures, traditions and perspectives. By celebrating diversity and sharing experiences together, tamariki build a strong sense of belonging, respect for others and an understanding that everyone brings something unique to our learning community.
Building confident learners
Building strong relationships with tamariki and whānau is at the heart of what we do. We work closely with families to support each child's learning journey, helping them develop a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging as they transition from home to our centre community.
Through everyday play experiences, tamariki are exploring early literacy and numeracy in meaningful and engaging ways. Whether they are sharing stories, recognising symbols and numbers, solving problems or communicating their ideas, children are building confidence and developing the skills they need to become capable and enthusiastic learners.
Stay in touch with Storypark
We use Storypark to record and communicate learning as it happens via photos, video, audio and observations within a secure online environment. Parents can receive instant feedback and plan new ways to extend their child's unique interests and abilities.
Read what parents say about us!
My daughter has been attending Petone since October 2025, and she has absolutely thrived there. The kaiako are incredibly caring and attentive, taking the time to understand each child’s individual interests, strengths, and needs. Their planning and teaching clearly reflect this, creating meaningful learning experiences that support every child to grow and succeed.
Kiruthikaa Ravindran
Jo, the Centre Manager, is highly approachable, communicative, and genuinely invested in supporting both children and their whānau. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure families feel welcomed, informed, and valued.
We feel very fortunate to have found such a wonderful centre for our daughter. It has truly been a positive and nurturing environment for her development.A wonderful wonderful centre with lovely experienced teachers and a very calm atmosphere that helps children thrive.
Najla Kunhimondarmawansyah ismailWe love Barndardos Petone! Our son moved here after his centre was closing down due to the riverbank development & he has fitted in so well. The teachers are amazing and and made the transition a breeze! I love the feel of the centre. I highly recommend, thank you guys for taking such wonderful care of River x
Sophia SmartVery kind, helpful, and responsible teacher and my kid just love it.
Y ZhanRachel Vannathy
