Starfish Early Childhood Centre

About Starfish Early Childhood Centre
About Education & Care Service
Education & Care Services are mainstream early learning centres that offer full-day or part-day care with a structured curriculum, qualified teachers, and a focus on learning through play. They cater to families needing flexible childcare options and wanting a balanced approach that supports social, physical, and early academic development in a diverse environment.
What Is 20 Hours ECE funding?
20 Hours ECE is a government-funded initiative that helps reduce the cost of early childhood education for families with tamariki aged 3–5. Eligible children can receive up to 20 hours of funded care and education each week at participating services. Centres can set their own enrolment patterns and may ask for optional charges, but the funded hours themselves should be free of compulsory fees. If you are unsure how this works at Starfish Early Childhood Centre, it is best to ask the centre directly how they apply 20 Hours ECE.
Community Profile
Roll & age distribution
Starfish Early Childhood Centre currently has a roll of 58 children tamariki , with most children enrolled in the 2–5 years age band.
Ethnicity profile
European tamariki are the largest group (77% of the roll), alongside māori, pacific, asian, other children.
Roll and demographic figures are based on data supplied by the Ministry of Education and were last updated on 01/07/2024.
Parent Reviews
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Truly Wonderful Preschool Starfish is an exceptional preschool where children are genuinely valued, supported, and inspired every day. The teachers are warm, patient, and incredibly dedicated—they create an environment where kids feel safe, confident, and excited to learn. The programmes are thoughtfully designed, blending play, creativity, and exploration in a way that helps each child thrive. The communication with families is excellent, and you can really feel the sense of community the moment you walk in. I couldn’t recommend Starfish more highly—it’s a place where children shine :). A wonderful home away from home.”
“We’ve had all our children attend this daycare, and it has been nothing short of amazing. The staff are warm, friendly, and genuinely care about each child’s wellbeing and growth. You can really see the kids thrive in such a positive environment. The owners are hands-on and often on the floor, which makes communication seamless and personal. We couldn’t be happier with our experience, truly an outstanding place for little ones to learn and grow!”
“Fantastic preschool with genuinely caring teachers and owners. My son flourished at Starfish and was set up for school perfectly with confidence, great friends and plenty of practical skills thanks to the high quality of teaching. Plus he loved it and had lots of fun everyday. Highly recommend!”
“Pure Magic! This is honestly the best daycare centre ever. I feel like a lot of parents don't know about it. It is absolutely incredible. All the the teachers have so much magic with all the children. We are so grateful to be part of Starfish family. All the teachers are so friendly and are so good with the kids that you really feel at ease when you're trusting them with your child. It is their home away from home after all. Our boy found so many lovely friends here, we are forever grateful that we have discovered this centre. There are so many activities for the kids and they learn so much here. The teachers put so much effort into their every day. Thank you all so much! We couldn't be happier. You can really tell that everyone that works here are truly passionate about children and really want to see them learn and explore. One owner based and you can just tell how much effort, passion and magic they have here at Starfish. It is definitely a hidden gem here on the Coast. We are so fortunate to be able to have a place here for our boy. Thank you so much to all the Starfish team, you are absolutely incredible! You make our days every single day! You are truly the best! Nataliya and Tom”
“Our girls absolutely love the place and the wonderful attentive staff. There are well structured programs in place so plenty for the kids to do to keep their little minds active.”
Interested?
Contact the centre directly to check for availability or arrange a visit.
Getting ready for daycare?
See what your child will need for their day: labels, drink bottle, lunchbox, spare clothes, sunscreen and more.
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