Wellington Central Early Learning Centre
Enrolment offer
Enjoy 50% off fees for 6 months for over 2 year olds — plus, we provide nappies and wipes. T&C's apply
Kia ora,
Kia ora,
About this centre
Wellington Central Early Learning Centre is a bright, stimulating and safe environment in the heart of Wellington where your child will thrive.
- We have our very own vegetable garden in our large, ground floor outdoor area with plenty of natural equipment and resources that will inspire your child.
- Light, bright and airy, our indoor environment is purpose-built to stimulate and develop the natural curiosities of our tamariki.
We embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of every child that walks through our doors.
0–6 years
A beautiful and nurturing environment for tamariki to learn and thrive in
Enrolment offer
Enjoy 50% off fees for 6 months for over 2 year olds — plus, we provide nappies and wipes. T&C's apply
Extended hours
Open 7:00am - 6:00pm to support busy whānau, longer work hours and city commutes
Nutritious meals
Healthy kai made fresh each day, including breakfast, lunch and morning & afternoon tea.
Large outdoors
Discover our hidden gem with a spacious, secure and fun outdoor environment in the heart of the city
Expertise and knowledge
Experienced in early learning for over 55 years
-
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 local, loving team and tailored environment are all waiting to be discovered by your family.
Extended hours, pram parking zone, and Storypark - our online parent communication tool, are just some of the ways we try to make things a little easier for parents. 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 nuturing 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 painting, waitata and the many natural play areas they have to discover.
Staff who nurture and inspire
Our qualified and experienced kaiako 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 kaiko create positive opportunities for your child to develop physically, mentally 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.
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 at Wellington Central. We grow our own vegetable and herbs in our garden and go on community excursions to Te Papa, Central Park, Wellington City Library, and more.
Nutrition and wellbeing
We know that good nutrition is an important part of your child’s wellbeing, learning and growth. At our Wellington Central centre, tamariki enjoy balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day, including breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and a late snack. 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 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
- Healthy breakfast, lunch and snacks
- Nappies and wipes
- Local outings
Current offer:
Recieve 50% off fees for 6 months for 2-6 year olds.
Terms and conditions:
- For new enrolments only
- Valid for 6 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 play
Our team of teachers are guided by Te Whariki – NZ’s Early Childhood Curriculum. They work closely with your child and respond to their unique curiosities by creating an environment that is reflective of each child's needs.
Connecting with whānau
Our whole community benefits from families and whanau being involved in our centre and their children's learning. Connecting with you via Storypark and celebrating festivals are just some of the ways we include families and whānau.
Community Connection
From growing their own veggies and herbs in our veggie patch to local excursions in the community, we constantly look for ways for your child to explore the connection between their community, their environment and themselves.
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.
Read what parents say about us!
My son went to Barnardos Wellington Central for 2 years, the staff were so lovely, always welcomed him in the morning, knew my son well, his interests and how he learns. My son was well set up and transitioned smoothly to big school, which is really valuable for us. My son was also bilingual, the teachers encouraged him to speak in our language and tried to learn simple words in Tagalog so engage with him. Highly recommend this centre to anyone especially if you come from a different culture and country, they are very diverse and inclusive. Very happy with the quality of education they provide.
Dianne KabigtingWe are so happy with our choice. Our little one loves going to daycare and even being away on holiday for 3 weeks he smiled and was so happy to be back
Fabianna Cinelli
Teachers and staff are friendly, committed, caring, always planning new and fun activities always with purpose and linked with development, and make you feel at home. Thank you for helping and support my baby development and taking care of him with so much love.My Son attended Wellington Central from Apr 2020 until Aug 2025. We met so many staff at the Centre throughout this time and we found that all of them were so loving and warm towards Cooper. He was always greeted with smiles and hugs and he thrived whilst at the Centre. The staff went out of their way to find toys amd activities that interested him and they found many way to engage him in everything. Thank you to the Managers, past and present, and to all the team, past and present. We were sad to leave and I have and would again recommend Barnardos Central to any parent looking for Daycare.
Aimee HineWe are happy with our choice and highly recommend Barnardos Wellington Central :) The centre is clean and spacious, and I love that they plan nutritious meals for the children. The place is very warm, friendly, and has really taken care of our son. As parents, it is extremely important to us to find a childcare where we could entrust our little one to capable hands. We feel like it was our second home :)
Debbie Samson
Shoutout to Aswathi and to all the teachers for being dedicated and for inspiring the children to learn and have fun at the same time. Your passion has made a positive impact on my son’s journey. Our family really appreciate the care you have for our little one :)Yury MalanchukTammy
