Goodstart Cheltenham

Mindful programs that nurture children’s love for learning.

We play and learn on Bunurong land.

2 Jellicoe Street, CHELTENHAM, 3192, VIC

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7:00am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday

Open every weekday of the year, except public holidays

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Nursery
Toddler
Kindergarten

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About our centre

Welcome to Goodstart Cheltenham!

Our caring educators nurture children’s love for learning across five large, age-based indoor spaces and our well-resourced outdoor yards. We have two nurseries, two toddler rooms and a three- and four-year-old kinder classroom.

We invite you on a tour; our team would love to show you around. Our beautiful heritage-listed building is in hand location, walking distance from Cheltenham Primary School, Westfield Southland Shopping Centre, and Southland Train Station. 

Here are some of the reasons you’ll want to enrol with us:

Longstanding team with 10-15+ years of experience
Two kindergarten teachers with bachelor’s degrees leading programming
Homely indoor feel and nature-inspired outdoor environments
Mindful movement studio with yoga mats and holistic children’s resources
Three renovated, well-resourced outdoor nature playgrounds
Bengali, Spanish, Greek, French, Indian, Mandarin and Sri Lankan speakers
Cover the cost of all meals and snacks, nappies, wipes, hats, and sunscreen.

When you come for your tour, you’ll find us in the heart of Cheltenham on a quiet tree-lined street with ample parking. We’re in a great location that’s easily accessible via public transport.

You’ll discover why families love our longstanding team and culture, welcoming, homely feel, quality, approved learning programs, and focus on building and maintaining relationships with families.

All educators have a high qualification standard, and many have been with Goodstart for over a decade. They provide a comfortable and safe learning environment with endless opportunities for children.

From nursery to kindergarten, our teacher-led programs are based on the Victorian Early Years Framework. We adjust sensory and play-based learning plans around children’s interests while supporting their readiness to take that critical step to school.

We further enrich children’s experiences with us through community visits to the centre and excursions throughout the year.

These include art and music incursions for children to express their creativity freely, an annual onsite dentist, and visits to a community garden. Storytime at our local primary school also helps our kinder children have a smoother school transition.

Our environments are second to none. The centre has a warm, cosy, family feel, and everyone works and learns closely in our five large indoor learning spaces.

We also have an educator-run intentional space for mindful movement sessions. Here, the children practice yoga and meditation and access age-appropriate books about the body and emotions.

The nursery has an outdoor play area designed to be an adventurous and safe zone for younger children. Our other two playgrounds offer many messy play options and opportunities to embed sustainable practices, such as caring for veggie gardens and a worm farm.

Our nature spaces offer a sandpit, water feature, mud patch, bike tracks, water trough, an undercover veranda, and shade.

We can’t wait to show you the difference at Goodstart Cheltenham.

Learn more about Goodstart Cheltenham

At Goodstart Cheltenham, 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 Cheltenham 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 three and four-year-old kindergarten program, so children can be well on their way to excellent learning outcomes by the time they start school. 
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.

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Sarah Dobson

Centre Director

Welcome to Goodstart Early Learning Cheltenham! My name is Sarah, and I am the proud Director of this wonderful centre. With 18 years of experience in the early childhood education and care sector, I am deeply passionate about supporting children and families as they navigate the early stages of their educational journey.

Having grown up in the local area and attended Cheltenham Secondary College, I am familiar with the community we serve and am committed to providing a nurturing and inclusive environment for families. I am particularly passionate about supporting families who are returning to work and experiencing childcare for the first time, ensuring a smooth transition for both parents and children.

At the heart of my approach are two core values: humour and family. I believe in the power of laughter to bring joy to the everyday, so I enjoy sharing silliness and jokes with my team, families, and the children. It helps create a fun, relaxed atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and valued. I also hold family connections in the highest regard, and I respect families as the first and most important educators of their children. Building strong, open partnerships with families is essential to ensuring the best outcomes for the children in our care.

I strongly believe that the foundation of early learning is built upon warm, trusting connections between children and educators. At Goodstart Cheltenham, we prioritize creating these meaningful relationships, fostering a sense of security and belonging that allows children to thrive. I look forward to working with you and your child to create a positive, enriching experience that will lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning.