Eastbourne Early Learning Centre

Enrolment offer

Receive 50% off fees for 3 months for 2-6 year olds. T&C's apply.

Enrol your child and receive 50% off fees

See centre T&C's for everything you need to know.
T&Cs apply.* Enquire now

Kia ora!

I’m Tess, the Centre Manager. I’m excited to be leading our wonderful team and supporting tamariki and whānau in the Eastbourne community. While I’m new to this centre, I’m no stranger to Barnardos Early Learning and feel privileged to be back working alongside passionate kaiako who care deeply about children and their learning. I’m hands-on, approachable and love spending time with tamariki, supporting their growth and celebrating their achievements. I also enjoy meeting new families and would love to show you around our centre and help you feel at home in our learning community.

About this centre

Nestled in the heart of the Eastbourne community, our centre offers a warm, nurturing environment where tamariki are known, valued and supported to thrive. As a smaller centre, we are able to build strong relationships with children and whānau, creating a genuine sense of belonging and allowing our kaiako to provide personalised support for each child's learning journey.

Learning through play is at the heart of what we do. Tamariki are encouraged to explore, discover and follow their interests through hands-on experiences, sensory play and meaningful interactions with the world around them. Our natural outdoor environments provide endless opportunities for adventure, creativity and exploration, while community excursions help children develop confidence, curiosity and a strong connection to the place they call home.

We also provide nutritious meals each day, including a cooked lunch, and support tamariki with a smooth transition to school when they are ready for their next adventure.

ERO report

0–6 years

Supporting every stage of your child's early learning journey

Enrolment offer

Receive 50% off fees for 3 months for 2-6 year olds. T&C's apply.

Flexible hours

Open 7:30am - 5:00pm with part or full day options

Nutritious meals

Healthy kai made fresh each day, including lunch and morning & afternoon tea.

Large outdoors

Spacious, secure and fun environment

Expertise and knowledge

Experienced in early learning for over 55 years

What's happening at our centre

Little yogis in action

Our yoga sessions are a fun way for tamariki to slow down, stretch and move their bodies. Through playful poses, breathing and mindfulness activities, children build confidence, improve coordination and learn simple ways to relax, all while having fun with their friends.

Wā kōrero

Our older tamariki love taking on new challenges as they prepare for school. Through games, creative activities and hands-on learning, children build confidence, independence and early learning skills while making friends and having fun. We want every child to leave our centre feeling excited, confident and ready for their next big adventure.

Pom pom creation

Some of our favourite creations take time! Through long-term creative projects, tamariki are encouraged to explore new ideas, try different techniques and take pride in seeing their work come to life. Whether they're wrapping, cutting or creating, children build confidence, perseverance and creativity while celebrating every step of the journey.

More about us

Convenience

Our aim is to create the best conditions for your child's learning, wellbeing and care. We also know how important it is to give you the convenience you need and reassurance that your child is in safe hands. Our central Muritai Rd location, loving team and tailored environment are all waiting to be discovered by your family/whānau.

Storypark - our online parent communication tool, is just one of the ways we try to make things a little easier for parents to stay in touch. Local excursions, delicious meals and fun activities are just the beginning when it comes to being the best we can be for your child.

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 our spacious and light filled indoor areas offer room for reading, rest, and engaging indoor learning experiences. Our children love the sandpits, waiata and the many natural play areas they have to discover.

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 Eastbourne. We grow our own vegetable and herbs in our garden and go on community excursions to the local library, and local schools Muritai and San Antonio.

Nutrition and wellbeing

We know that good nutrition is an important part of your child’s wellbeing, learning and growth. At our Eastbourne centre, tamariki enjoy balanced, nutritious meals and morning/afternoon teas throughout the day, helping them feel energised, focused and ready to learn and play. Children also love being involved in food experiences, including using fresh herbs and vegetables grown at the centre in our baking and cooking.

Our meals are prepared by onsite cooks who hold food safety and hygiene certificates and follow Ministry of Health food guidelines. 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.

For our pēpi and toddlers (0–2 year olds)

Our youngest tamariki are nurtured in calm, secure and responsive environments, with dedicated kaiako who specialise in caring for this age group. We focus on building strong, trusting relationships, as this is the foundation for all future learning and wellbeing.

Pēpi have their own thoughtfully designed spaces, with cosy areas for rest, bespoke cots, and age appropriate resources that support early movement, sensory exploration and discovery. Barnardos Early Learning services offer safe outdoor areas, so they can begin to explore the natural world in a gentle and supported way.

Our routines are flexible and guided by each child’s individual rhythms, ensuring their needs for sleep, nourishment and comfort are always prioritised.

For our older tamariki (3–6 year olds)

Our older tamariki are supported to become more independent, confident and socially connected learners.

They enjoy access to larger indoor and outdoor environments, including adventurous playgrounds that encourage physical activity, creativity and problem solving. Kaiako continue to 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, subsidies and enrolment offers

We want to make your child's early learning experience as affordable as possible. As a not-for-profit organisation, everything we do is reinvested into supporting tamariki, our centres and the communities we serve.

Our fees include:

Quality education, care and learning experiences provided by our experienced kaiako
Healthy lunches and snacks
Local outings and excursions

You may also be eligible for childcare assistance and ECE subsidies. Get in touch with us to find out what support may be available for your whānau.

Current enrolment offer

Receive 50% off fees for 3 months for children 2-6 years old.

Offer conditions

Available for new enrolments only.
Valid for the first 3 months from your child's enrolment date.
A minimum enrolment of 6 hours per day applies.
Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion.

Read what parents say about us!

Bronwyn Chapman

Alicia Lonergan

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 and whānau can receive instant feedback and plan new ways to extend their child’s unique interests and abilities.