G8 Education’s Great Beginnings Centre located in Gymea, Sydney, is setting the standard for early learning and long day care after it received an “exceeding” rating from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

“I am so proud of the incredibly engaging and nurturing environment my team provide the children in our care every day that allows them to thrive,” said Cicada Kearns, Centre Manager at Great Beginnings Gymea.

Early child education and care services are assessed and rated by their state and territory regulatory authority against the seven quality areas of the National Quality Standard (NQS).

The “Exceeding” rating places the centre in the top 25 per cent of services nationwide.

Ms Kearns said it is her team’s focus on developing child-led programs and experiences that has led to the success.

“Our educators and teachers have strong relationships with our families and our community which allows us to develop meaningful and engaging programs for the children,” she said.

“We are led by the children’s interests and needs including facilitating flexible mealtimes and developing learning experiences which child initiated.”

The children at Great Beginnings Gymea also interact with their community and environment on regular excursions.

“We want to support children to be active members of their community by providing them the opportunity to actively participate in their community,” said Ms Kearns.

“The power of a child-led and child-focused program is clear when you visit Great Beginnings Gymea as the children are confident and curious learners with the confidence to make decisions and express their emotions,” said G8 Education New South Wales Regional Manager, Nadia Petrovski.

“The long-standing team at the service truly know and understand the needs of the families, the children and the community and that is reflected in the way the service is operated.”

Great Beginnings is part of G8 Education, one of Australia’s largest early learning providers dedicated to its purpose of creating the foundations for learning for life.

If you would like to learn more about Great Beginnings Gymea, you can visit the website to book a personalised tour or call 1800 517 086.

G8 Education’s Greenwood Early Education Centre, located in Officer Victoria, is setting the standard for early education after it received an “Exceeding” rating* from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) in a recent assessment and rating.

“I am so grateful and proud to lead a team of such talented educators and teachers, dedicated to creating an environment for children to thrive, learn and play,” said Janelle Jones, Greenwood Officer Centre Manager.

Early child education and care services are assessed and rated by their state and territory regulatory authority against the seven quality areas of the National Quality Standard (NQS).

The “Exceeding” rating places the centre in the top 25 per cent of services nationwide.

The service’s all ages outdoor area and unique staffing arrangements were recognised during the assessment.

“We are a 130-license place centre and we have one shared yard with a diverse range of learning experiences offered during a continuous indoor-outdoor program, where all ages can learn, be challenged, play and connect with each other,” said Ms Jones.

“We want to nurture children’s curiosity and confidence by allowing them the freedom, under active supervision, to explore new experiences and challenge their minds and bodies.”

“Our educators and teachers also work across all age groups, which helps build strong connections across the service and allows for smooth transitions between rooms for children and families.”

Greenwood Early Education is part of G8 Education, one of Australia’s largest early learning providers dedicated to its purpose of creating the foundations for learning for life.

Rebecca Lomagno, Victorian Area Manager for G8 Education, said it is the team’s connections and relationships with families and communities which really sets the service apart.

“You can see how the collaboration between educators, teachers and families influences the program to create meaningful and engaging experiences for children,” said Ms Lomagno.

Kristy Gray, Victorian Regional Manager for G8 Education, said Janelle’s leadership, and motivated team has also contributed to the service’s success.

“Janelle fosters a culture of collaboration, learning and fun, which is reflected in the educators’ and teachers’ interactions with children,” said Ms Gray.

“Under her leadership the service has become a pipeline for talent, with a large proportion of the staff engaged in study, including 12 team members working towards their Bachelor of Early Childhood Education through G8’s sector-leading Study Pathways Program.”

If you would like to learn more about Greenwood Officer visit the website to book a personalised tour online or call 1800 413 921.

*To be “Exceeding” the service must go beyond the requirements of the NQS in at least four of the seven quality areas, with at least two in quality areas one, five, six, or seven.

The beachside town of Yanchep continues to grow at rapid rates and isn’t slowing down with forecasts predicting the community of 12,000 is expected to grow to more than 45,000 by 2041.

The 100-place early learning centre, Great Beginnings Yanchep, opened its doors in April this year promising to provide quality early education and care for local families close to home.

“We are the first centre established near the newly developed Yanchep Golf Estate so we are pleased we can provide a great service in a convenient location for local families,” said Great Beginnings Yanchep Centre Manager Alejandra Becerra.

“I’m excited to build connections with the community to stimulate children’s learning which teaches children to explore the world that surrounds them.”

The service is already becoming part of the community fabric, sponsoring the Yanchep United Football Club.

“We are excited about our new partnership with Great Beginnings and thank them for coming on board with Yanchep United Football Club,” said YUFC President, Louise Purton.

“Our under eights, nines, and tens are sporting their new Great Beginnings kits on the field and they look amazing.”

Ms Becerra joined Great Beginnings Yanchep with eight years of experience in the early learning sector and says she is looking forward to inspiring her dedicated team of 14 educators to create quality learning experiences and build positive bonds with their families and children.

The brand-new Great Beginnings Yanchep early learning centre offers six safe and nurturing, resource-rich learning environments that have been purposefully designed for age-appropriate exploration, with each of the indoor learning rooms flowing directly onto an expansive outdoor environment.

Open from 6:30am to 6:30pm five days a week, the centre also offers a range of features and programs for children and families, including nappies and nutritious meals for children, breakfast for families, a family room, a centre-wide sustainability program, and an adventure playground.

“The need for quality early childhood education and care will grow into the future with our booming local population, and the Australian Early Development Census data also shows a need to support local children’s social, emotional and language development now.

“The first five years of life really set children up for their lifetime of learning, so having access to quality education and care is critical,” said Ms Becerra.

Great Beginnings Yanchep is part of G8 Education, one of Australia’s largest providers of early childhood education and care, dedicated to its purpose to create the foundations for learning for life.

If you like to learn more about Great Beginnings Yanchep visit the website, book a personalised tour or call 1800 517 086.

A former Antarctic explorer, a leading expert in early education for sustainability and one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded early learning professionals are just some of the impressive bios headlining G8 Education’s 2023 National Conference this week.

G8 Education has welcomed around 500 of its centre leaders and around centre support teams to the Gold Coast for its Belong, Inspire, Transform conference.

“I am delighted that we can once again bring together all of our centre leaders for this year’s conference,” said Pejman Okhovat, G8 Education CEO.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to learn alongside each other, to be inspired by amazing ideas and feel empowered as early learning professionals as we reflect on what it means to Belong, Inspire and Transform with G8 Education.”

The three-day conference will see G8’s leaders engage in collaborative sessions around leadership, inclusion, reconciliation and quality.

Arguably one of the most anticipated agenda items is a panel discussion on the updates to the Early Years Learning Framework hosted by G8 Education’s Head of Early Learning and Education Ali Evans.

Aunty Denise Proud of Reconciliation Queensland, Queensland University of Technology’s Dr Lyndal O’Gorman and Professor Julie Davis, Sarah Callinan from La Trobe University, and Belle Cusack, our Centre Manager of Kindy Patch Emma’s are expected to share their thoughts on how the changes will transform early learning in Australia.

Teams will also be inspired by the tales of Rachael Robertson, one of the youngest ever Australians to lead a scientific expedition to Antarctica, as she speaks of leadership, teamwork and resilience.

A keynote address will also be delivered by Toni Christie, Director of Childspace Early Childhood Institute in New Zealand.

This is a continuation of G8 Education’s partnership with Childspace after Toni and her team hosted a cohort of G8 Education team members on a study tour last year.

2022 Centre Manager Award winners were amongst the study tour participants and 2023 Award winners – to be announced at the conference – will also be offered the chance to join this year’s study tour.

G8 Education has celebrated its Centre Leaders at its annual Centre Manager Awards as part of the 2023 G8 National Conference.

Sabrina Syamando, Centre Manager of Creative Garden Mount Annan was amongst the award winners, awarded Centre Manager of the Year and the Environment and Sustainability Award.

“I come to work every day wanting to strive for excellence for my team, the children in our care and their families, and so it is truly humbling to be recognised in this way,” said Ms Syamando.

“I am so proud to lead the long-standing, talented team of educators and teachers at Creative Garden Mount Annan who deliver fun and engaging learning experiences for children day in, day out.”

The G8 Education award recognition follows the centre receiving “Exceeding” from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) in a recent assessment. 

“Though we have met our Exceeding rating target and I have been recognised as part of the G8 Centre Manager Awards, the progress doesn’t stop; we want to continue improving and creating a sustainable future for our community.”

For Ms Syamando and her team sustainability is something which is embedded in their practice and the children’s days.

From splitting out their meal leftovers into general waste, recycling and compost, to helping their educators with the vegetable garden upkeep, feeding their chickens and thinking of creative ways to reuse and recycle when crafting their own projects, sustainability is at the heart of it all.

“We promote children’s agency and independence by allowing them to actively participate in meeting our sustainability goals,” said Ms Syamando.

“We are educating the leaders of the future and so we want to build those leadership and innovation capabilities from an early age.”

G8 Education CEO Pejman Okhovat said he applauded all of the Centre Leaders recognised for their excellence.

“The dedication these leaders have for supporting the best outcomes for our children and teams every day is remarkable,” he said.

“I am so proud to stand alongside such amazing leaders and all of our team of educators and teachers because I know how important the work they do is in laying the foundations for children’s learning, development and wellbeing during the critical first five years of life.”

All the award winners will have the chance to go on an international study tour to New Zealand later this year, facilitated by Childspace Early Childhood Institute.

The 2023 G8 National Conference entitled Belong, Inspire, Transform was the 6th conference held by the provider, and saw more than 500 delegates travel from across the country for the three-day agenda.

If you’d like to learn more about G8 Education and the benefits for working for the national provider, you can visit the Careers website.

Centre Manager Award recipients:

• Transformation Award: Venita Rutley, Centre Manager at Community Kids Heatley QLD
• Rising Star Award: Hannah Jordan, Centre Manager at The Learning Sanctuary Mary Street QLD
• Business Award: Kimberley Fuller, Nurture One Wangaratta VIC
• Family and Community Award: Venita Rutley, Centre Manager at Community Kids Heatley QLD
• Safety Award: Amy McCormack, Centre Manager, Community Kids Narre Warren VIC
• Environment and Sustainability Award: Sabrina Syamando, Centre Manager at Creative Garden Mount Annan NSW
• Quality Practice Award: Pavithra De Alwis, Centre Manager at Kindy Patch Clarinda
• Culture and Team Engagement Award: Julie Turner, Centre Manager at Great Beginnings Kenwick WA
• Team Development Award: Sara McCulloch, Centre Manager at Aldinga Kinder Haven SA
• Centre Manager of the Year Award: Sabrina Syamando, Centre Manager at Creative Garden Mount Annan NSW
• Area Manager of the Year Award: Cassandra Black, Area Manager in Victoria