Kaitiakitanga in practice
From the sustainable garden where children tend plants and share the harvest, to daily rituals that foster respect for the environment, Henderson is raising young guardians of the natural world.
Book a tour
Welcome to Bear Park Henderson
A warm, generous centre on Summerland Drive.
Bear Park Henderson · West Auckland
A modern, purposeful centre in the heart of West Auckland. Richly resourced classrooms, secret garden spaces and a multilingual team who see each child as a confident, capable learner.
Bear Park Henderson is a Reggio-inspired early learning centre at 64-68 Summerland Drive, caring for tamariki aged 3 months to 5 years from Henderson, Te Atatu, Sunnyvale and across West Auckland.
Co-learners, all of us
Children, teachers and whānau learn alongside each other in a tuakana-teina relationship. Tamariki are encouraged to test working theories in a safe, unhurried environment where the journey of learning matters as much as the outcome.
Diversity as a strength
Henderson's multilingual team celebrates the rich cultural identities of the families it serves. Every child's unique language and background is valued and affirmed in the centre's daily life.
Our director
A warm welcome from the team who lead the centre.
A short welcome from the person who leads the Henderson team, who would love to meet you and your child in person.
Our teachers are inspired by Reggio Emilia, the RIE approach and Te Whāriki, with genuine relationships between children, parents and teachers at the centre of everything we do.
Director nameCentre Director · Henderson
Director portrait
From our families
Every pick-up comes with a story
★ 4.4 average · 30 Google reviews
Thriving and so happy
"My daughter is absolutely thriving at Bear Park. She is always so happy to be there and the teachers are amazing with really great ratios."
Hannah DaltonParent · Henderson
Kind and caring
"Teachers are kind and caring, giving cuddles when needed at drop offs. The team works well with the kids' needs and interests, providing an environment that helps nurture and grow happy tamariki."
Megan BrooksParent · Henderson
Genuinely care
"Both our children have been well looked after by all the staff. Staff are excellent, super friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely care."
Fiona TrittonParent · Henderson
Questions parents ask
Good to ask, before you visit.
Bear Park Henderson is at 64-68 Summerland Drive, Henderson, Auckland 0612, next door to Summerland Primary School. Waitakere Hospital and WestCity Waitakere are both a 5 minute drive. Well placed for families across West Auckland. Open Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6.00pm. Nearby suburbs: Te Atatu South, Te Atatu Peninsula, Sunnyvale, Massey, West Harbour, Ranui.
Bear Park Henderson keeps more kaiako in every room by design. It creates calmer, more focused environments where tamariki can genuinely explore and connect. Our infant and toddler rooms maintain excellent teacher-to-child ratios, with experienced kaiako dedicated to each room, so no child ever gets lost in the mix.
Our Curriculum and Operations team, made up of experienced qualified teachers now working in leadership roles, mentors every kaiako at Bear Park Henderson. At least 80% of our teaching team hold an ECE or Primary teaching qualification at NZQA Level 7 or above, with Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand registration. Teachers in training study while they work, and more experienced unqualified teachers take part in our ongoing professional development programmes.
Bear Park Henderson welcomes tamariki from 3 months through to school age (5 years). Continuity of care is central to how we work, so your child grows with the same kaiako over time.
Please contact Bear Park Henderson directly for up-to-date fee information. We participate in the New Zealand Government's 20 Hours ECE funding for eligible three- and four-year-olds.
Spaces at Bear Park Henderson are limited, so we encourage you to enquire early. Reach out to our team to check availability and take the next step.
Booking a tour is simple. Visit bearpark.co.nz, hit the Book a Tour button and select Bear Park Henderson. You can also download our Parents Guide to get a feel for what Bear Park is all about before you come in.
Book a tour
Come and see a Henderson morning.
Free, about 45 minutes, and it asks nothing of you. This is your time to see Bear Park's philosophy in practice.
