Our centre offers the NSW Government-approved "Start Strong" Preschool Program , providing access of 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 Leonie, and I am the Centre Manager here at The Learning Sanctuary Freshwater. I am passionate about supporting children not only in their early education, but also in developing important life skills such as resilience, social connections, and a lifelong love of learning.

I began working in early childhood education in 2016 and joined the Learning Sanctuary Freshwater in 2020. My time in early childhood education has been incredibly rewarding. What I enjoy most is watching children grow in confidence, independence, and curiosity through play-based learning, while building strong relationships with children, families, and educators. Throughout my career, I have learned that children learn best when they feel safe, valued, and genuinely heard. Every child develops at their own pace, with unique interests, strengths, and needs. This understanding guides my teaching style to be flexible, responsive, and child-led, using play-based learning to support curiosity, confidence, and independence while intentionally extending children’s learning.

My approach is centred on play-based learning, strong relationships, and creating nurturing environments where children feel confident to explore, take risks, and learn. I am passionate about supporting children not only in their early education, but also in developing important life skills such as resilience, social connections, and a lifelong love of learning.

When speaking with families, I explain that early learning environments provide rich, intentional experiences that support all areas of development. Qualified educators carefully plan play-based experiences that support early literacy and numeracy foundations, social and emotional growth, and independence, while also providing opportunities for children to build friendships, collaborate with peers, and develop confidence within consistent routines.

We are fortunate to have a long-standing and highly experienced team, with many educators having been part of the service for 10 to 15 years. This consistency helps build strong relationships with children and families and creates a supportive, collaborative environment where educators bring a wealth of knowledge, passion, and professionalism to the care and education we provide.

I support families by fostering open, honest communication and building trusting relationships. By being approachable, listening to families’ perspectives, sharing information about their child’s learning and development, and working in partnership with them, I aim to create a welcoming community where families feel valued, supported, and confident in our service.