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.

Hi my name is Cady, and I am the Centre Manager here at Great Beginnings Gymea. I started working in early learning in 2012 as a school-based trainee in an Early learning centre in Queensland. I have been working at Great Beginnings Gymea in October 2017 and have loved it ever since. I hold a Certificated 3 and Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. I have also completed a Certificate III in Dental Assisting. 

I love being a part of children's lives, helping them feel safe and watching them grow and learn. Children are very empathetic and can be influenced by adults’ emotions. This has guided my teaching style which is supporting the children's emotional needs throughout the day. I do this through cuddles if they'd like, sitting with them, singing songs and being available to them. I particularly love focusing on sensory play. I believe it is a wonderful way for children to explore, learn and develop. 

I believe children are capable learners, and if we support them by allowing them to build self-help skills, learn through play, risky play, explore nature, develop self-regulation, they will grow to be amazing friends, leaders, and people. 

While at an Early Education Centre, children are given opportunities to learn from other children of all different ages which is so important for their social learning. We have a wide range of resources that may not be available at home, and we provide opportunities to participate in centre events and excursions into our local community. 

We are a small, close-knit team here at Great Beginnings. Many of us have been working together for a long time. All educators have a great bond with all the children in the centre no matter what room they are in. We observe the children monthly and do a six-month developmental summary for each child mid-year. From these summaries we can provide your child with a set of goals to work towards for the next six months to ensure they are progressing. 

I believe communication and trust is so important. Throughout the day, we send posts, emails and have phone calls if necessary to reassure families, gain information and build those strong relationships with families.

Our team at Great Beginnings Gymea cannot wait to meet your family and start on the child care and early education journey with you.