Our centre offers the NSW Government-approved "Start Strong" Preschool Program, providing 600 hours of quality preschool education annually for children aged 3–5 years. This program includes fee relief funding to make early childhood education more affordable for families.

Our Enhanced Learning Program for Preschool children focuses on:

• Numeracy & Literacy: Developing key skills for lifelong learning.
• Self-Regulation: Fostering emotional control and resilience.
• Social & Emotional Development: Supporting independence and building healthy relationships.
• Creativity & Problem-Solving: Encouraging curiosity and critical thinking.

With extended hours and a year-round program (excluding public holidays), our Preschool program is delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers committed to supporting your child’s individual development.

Additional Benefits Include:

• Government subsidy: Further reduces out-of-pocket Preschool fees in addition to your eligible Childcare Subsidy (CCS).
• Personalised Learning Plans: Tailored to your child’s unique needs.
• Rhythm and Resilience Program: Music and movement to improve emotional regulation.
• School Readiness: Preparing your child for a smooth transition to school.

We also engage with local schools and provide transition statements, ensuring your child feels confident and prepared for the next steps in their education journey. Stay connected with your child’s progress via our Xplor platform, which offers regular updates on their learning and development.

“Let the child be the scriptwriter, director and the actor in their own play” - Magda Gerber

Nursery Space: 6 weeks – 2 years

Learning starts from before birth, and our Educators have created a welcoming and nurturing nursery environment where each baby feels safe to explore and discover new things - through their senses, their communication and cues (body language, facial expression and sounds) and through experimentation. On any given day you can see the nursery children engaging in all types of play including sensory play, music time, story time and more. Every day provides a brand new, exciting adventure for our babies to support their development, learning and wellbeing.

Toddler Space: 2 - 3 years

Our teachers and educators encourage the children to learn through play to help enhance their sensory-motor development. This happens through carefully planned music, dance, games, role playing and reading experiences.

On any given day the Toddlers can be seen developing their numeracy by building a tower, sorting objects, pointing and identifying shapes and patterns and participating in counting songs and games.

Children in our toddler space are encouraged to participate in group play. Group play is important as it helps our toddlers develop important social skills such as, turn-taking, developing self-confidence and emotional self-regulation. Our skilled team helps children through talking, planning and role modelling.

Preschool Space: 3 – 6 years

Preschool is a unique time for learning with peers and developing skills for later learning including confidence and curiosity, important skills for starting school. Our play-based program has school readiness at its core, encouraging active engagement in learning and supporting a range of positive developmental outcomes including resilience, independence, critical thinking and creativity.

The oral language supports literacy learning and a child’s oral language ability is the best predictor for later success in learning to read and write. Hearing the sounds within a language is the first critical step for all literacy learning. Our team supports our Preschool children's literacy development by engaging in rich discussions, reading, storytelling, dramatic play and experimentation all of which introduce new vocabulary as part of everyday conversations.

Throughout the Preschool year, children use their language to share ideas, ask questions, express themselves, and connect with peers and adults in social settings.

Social-emotional skills, including the ability to self-regulate emotions, are supported through group learning experiences. Our team supports each child’s social and emotional development by labelling and talking about emotions and supporting appropriate responses as together, they engage in new and challenging situations. Our goal in the Preschool year is to prepare children and families for a smooth transition to primary school.

Our centre chef prepares and cooks nutritious meals daily, catering to the unique dietary requirements of every child. We believe that by encouraging active participation (such as growing their own fruit and vegetables, preparing, and finally cooking!) children learn to appreciate and understand the importance of healthy eating across a wide variety of food.

Our centre offers seasonal whole food-based menus – created to delight the fussiest eaters.

Hello! My name is Maria and I'm the Centre Manager of Early Learning Centre Forestville.

I have been working in early learning since 2009. I joined Forestville ELC as a centre manager in 2023. I completed my Early Childhood Education Care diploma in 2008 after finishing my Bachelor of Arts degree. I built my experience running my family day care when my children were young and later moved into centre-based long day care. I worked as a room leader first in preschool rooms, and became an assistant centre manager and acting centre manager.

During my career, I have learned that all children are unique and learn at their own pace. Children demonstrate remarkable resilience and a willingness to persist despite challenges. As educators, we support the children's interests and learning so they can find their way to achieve their learning goals. As a centre manager, I prioritise providing a safe, secure environment and high-quality education. I encourage a growth mindset, fostering resilience by praising effort, celebrating progress, and reframing mistakes as opportunities for learning. I aim to instil knowledge and a love for learning, empowering children to become lifelong learners who confidently embrace challenges. Ultimately, my goal is to inspire and guide children to discover their strengths, navigate through obstacles, and develop the skills and mindset needed to thrive in academics and life as compassionate, curious, and confident individuals.

Forestville Early Learning Centre has a long-standing team of highly qualified educators. Many have been at the centre for more than five years and most of them live locally. They are very confident in communicating with the families as they know the community well. They are dedicated and passionate about the children's development and learning.

We build strong relationships with families by establishing regular, open lines of communication. We share information about children's progress, activities, and any concerns using various mediums like newsletters, emails, or Xplor apps. I actively listen to parents' concerns, suggestions, and feedback. We respect their insights and involve them in decision-making processes regarding their child's education and care.

We can’t wait to welcome you into our Forestville community.