Goodstart Deer Park

Exceeding-rated early learning for every child on Wurundjeri land

Quality care from nursery to kinder with longstanding educators.

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799 Ballarat Road, DEER PARK, 3023, VIC

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

Nursery, Toddler, Kindergarten

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Welcome to Goodstart Deer Park!

We're your local not-for-profit early learning centre, built on Wurundjeri land. Our service is rated Exceeding in all seven areas of the NQS – we provide exceptional education and care.

Come and meet our dedicated educators, who create a safe, welcoming, inclusive environment where little learners can thrive. We're enrolling children aged six weeks to five years across our nursery, toddler, and kindergarten spaces.

Located on the corner of Ballarat Road and Station Road, just minutes from Deer Park Train Station and local schools, our centre is a hub for families who value strong relationships, cultural diversity and quality education.

With four age-specific rooms and a passionate team – many of whom have been here for 5–10 years – we offer stability, care and early learning experiences that prepare children for school and beyond.

We invite you to tour our service and discover the difference at Goodstart Deer Park firsthand.

What makes our centre special:

Exceeding-rated by ACECQA – so you know we're above the standard
Four age-based learning rooms from nursery to kinder, with smooth transitions
Dedicated, longstanding educators, with many staff here for 5–10 years
Seven qualified ECTs on staff, with two leading our kindergarten programs
Weekly Bush Kinder sessions for 3- and 4-year-old kindergarten children
Multicultural community and celebrations, respecting every family's culture
Diverse staff who speak languages including English, Hindi, Mandarin, Fijian, and Filipino
Inclusive menu catering to dietary needs, with Halal-certified meals (no pork or beef)
Key Educator Relationship approach fostering strong, trusted bonds with children, supporting positive outcomes
Varied program with regular incursions and excursions, from Teeth on Wheels dental visits to local community outings
Annual kinder Information nights, providing details and context to incoming families about their child's education

Our families appreciate the trust and consistency we establish thanks to our nurturing and longstanding team, and our centre's focus on relationships and cultural connection.

We support children through play-based learning, engaging environments, and programs that nurture curiosity and confidence.

Through additional activities like sports incursions, literacy-building experiences, and regular community engagement, children develop life skills and a love for learning.

See why so many families choose Goodstart Deer Park for their child's early learning. Book a tour today and experience our welcoming spaces, dedicated team and strong community connections.

We'd love to show you around and discuss how we can support your child's learning journey.

Learn more about Goodstart Deer Park

At Goodstart Deer Park, 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 Deer Park 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  
- 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.

We have a Bush Kinder Program!

Discover the benefits of Bush Kinder

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When every moment counts, make them Goodstart moments.

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Hi my name is Julie Blyth and I am the Centre Director at Goodstart Deer Park.

I have been working in the early childhood sector for over 16 years. All of which has been dedicated to Goodstart. During this time I have performed several roles from educator, senior educator, educational leader, assistant director to now Director.

I encourage children to learn and develop at their own level, so they will gain the confidence of self-importance. I believe in giving them guidance and understanding, so they will have the opportunity to explore their world in a safe and controlled environment. I also believe children learn through play, and that they appreciate a need for an established routine.

Communication is the key to building trusting and healthy relationships with families and I am looking forward to working with you all so that together we can meet the needs of your children. Strong family relationship is the backbone to a happy secure child and families are the foundation for the children to also learn.

I love the community we have built in our centre, with families, children and educators working together to ensure all children have the best quality of care. I love that care and passion all my team put in, including the amazing food our cook produces to fuel little tummies for their big adventures!

Every child serves quality care, and a nurturing space learn at their own pace. This is why we also offer inclusion support if needed.

I look forward to welcoming you and your family.

Government Funded Kindergarten Program

At Deer Park, you and your child can enjoy the best of both worlds. Our early learning centre offers a Government-funded kindergarten program and long day care under the one roof. Our kindergarten 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

Kindergarten

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.