Goodstart Carlton

Heritage-listed centre with heart in a multicultural community

Exceeding-rated, inclusive early learning from nursery to preschool.

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1-3 Planthurst Road, CARLTON, 2218, NSW

7:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday
Open every weekday of the year, except public holidays

Nursery, Toddler, Preschool

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Welcome to Goodstart Carlton!

We're your local early learning and long day care centre, nestled in a beautiful heritage-listed building at the heart of a thriving, multicultural community.

Our centre combines a cosy, homelike feel with high-quality child care and education from nursery to preschool. For over 20 years, we've been a trusted place where children feel safe, nurtured, and inspired to learn. 

Why not take a tour? We're just minutes from Allawah Station and local schools, perfectly placed for busy families in Carlton, Allawah, and Ramsgate Beach.

Why choose Goodstart Carlton:

Exceeding-rated child care centre, so you know we’re above the standard
Beautiful heritage-listed building with inspiring learning spaces
Outdoor play areas featuring veggie gardens, worm farms and a pet turtle
Longstanding, passionate educators who truly know and support each child
Weekly community excursions and fun family events throughout the year
Bilingual support for multicultural families: our staff speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek, Tagalog, and Indian dialects, as well as English
Teacher-led early learning curricula and play-based programs with a hands-on approach from nursery to preschool using the EYLF
Flexible fees, session lengths and financial support options available
There is street parking, a dedicated drop-off and pick-up zone, and a bus stop right outside.

At Goodstart Carlton, we know that confident learners come from connected beginnings. That's why we nurture each child through strong educator relationships, rich sensory environments, and a curriculum that builds resilience, curiosity and emotional wellbeing.

Families are at the centre of what we do, and we stay in close communication to ensure that each child's needs and interests are recognised and supported.

Our warm, diverse team speaks several community languages, making our centre more inclusive and accessible.

Whether your child is growing veggies, reading in the sun or preparing for big school, we're here to help them thrive every step of the way.

See the difference for yourself. Book a tour today to meet our dedicated educators and learn how we can support your early learning journey!

Learn more about Goodstart Carlton

At Goodstart Carlton, our philosophy centres around the belief that every child is a unique individual with their own interests and strengths. We embrace a play-based learning approach that nurtures curiosity and creativity, allowing children to explore their world in meaningful ways. 
We prioritise: 
1. Holistic Development: Supporting cognitive, emotional, social, and physical growth through engaging and developmentally appropriate activities. 
2. Family and Community Engagement: Building strong partnerships with families and the community to create a supportive network for each child. 
3. Inclusive Environment: Celebrating diversity and ensuring that all children feel valued, respected, and included. 
4. Lifelong Learning: Instilling a love of learning by encouraging exploration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. 
Through our philosophy, we aim to create a safe, nurturing environment where children can thrive and become confident, capable learners. 
 
Children need to feel safe and supported to learn and grow, so we promote key educator relationships between our educators and children. Your child will have at least one educator (their key educator) who takes them under their wing and really gets to know them. 
Our Key Educator relationships help children form secure attachments. Educators work closely with smaller groups and individual children to better understand each child. These relationships lead to improved outcomes for children as we foster more communication between families and educators. 
We inform families regularly about their child's progress and welcome family involvement in our centre events and activities.  
At our Carlton centre, we're proud to inspire your child's love of learning with the support of our passionate and qualified early childhood experts. Teachers with bachelor's degrees run our preschool program, so children can be well on their way to excellent learning outcomes by the time they start reception. 
At Goodstart, we believe all children deserve the best possible start in life, which includes access to high-quality early childhood education and care. We offer:
- Discounts on multiple days
- All day sessions
- Discounted shorter sessions
- Fee assistance programs for families that need support
We work closely with parents to ensure the individual needs, interests and strengths of children are considered, and our learning goals reflect them. Using Storypark, a wonderful communication platform, we stay in close touch with families and ensure you're well informed about your child's development and achievements. 
Click here to book your tour or call our Family Services team to find out more on 1800 222 543.

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When every moment counts, make them Goodstart moments.

Enquire now

Hi there! My name is Danielle and I am the Centre Director here at Goodstart Early Learning Child Care Centre Carlton.

I have been in the early learning and child care sector since 1995 and have worked at this centre for more than 20 years; the past 13 of which were as Centre Director.

I have a Bachelor of Teaching and I am passionate about providing a child care centre that is safe, hygienic and fosters learning for all children, families and educators.

For me, it is all about making sure every child has access to the highest standard in early learning, while ensuring families are supported throughout the process.

We are building the foundations of lifelong learning and that is best achieved through strong genuine relationships and an environment where everyone feels welcome, accepted and secure.

I am proud of the experienced and highly-qualified team I work with, and their commitment to providing early learning to an excellent standard.

We warmly welcome new families, so please stop by! We would love to explore how we can support you and your child on their pathway to lifelong learning.

Structured Preschool Program

At Carlton, you and your child can enjoy the best of both worlds. Our centre offers a preschool program and long day care under the one roof. Our preschool teachers are University qualified and provide a play-based learning program that will support your child in learning the skills for school and life.

Fees and inclusions

Nursery & Toddler

Preschool

Use our Calculator to see your real out-of-pocket cost

The above fees are effective from 7 July 2025 and are based on a 10 hour session, for attendance between 2 and 4 days per week. 5 day bookings receive a generous discount per day. Note that different combinations of sessions times and number of days can increase or decrease the daily rate.