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Townsville teacher's tips on regional work and living
Early childhood teacher Kylie Ryan of Goodstart Kirwan Golf Links Drive shares her insights.
Goodstart Eltham
Welcome to Goodstart Eltham!
Tucked in leafy Eltham on Wurundjeri Country, we're your local, established early learning centre where families feel welcome, connected, and supported.
We're just a short walk from the Eltham Library, Alistair Knox Park and local schools, making drop-off and community connection easy.
With eight age-specific rooms from nursery to kindergarten, a dedicated team, and strong local roots, we offer a warm, established environment for children to grow and thrive.
Book a tour to discover why generations of families have trusted us with their child's early years.
What makes our centre special:
- A team of passionate educators with five to 30 years of service
- A 'big network, local heart' approach - quality care with strong local ties
- Enriching programs like Japanese, recycling, and fortnightly dance
- Kindergarten buddy programme with Eltham Primary School children
- Newly upgraded kindy yard with fresh turf, sandpit and play spaces
- Deep family partnerships and consistent, trusted relationships
- Approved kinder program led by qualified, experienced teachers
- Calm, creative learning in a suburb known for nature and the arts
We're proud of our place in the community and the continuity we offer families - many of our educators live locally and have helped raise generations. Families appreciate our lovely age range from young, energetic educators to caring and experienced 'nannas.' 
Our strong kindergarten program includes a buddy initiative with Eltham Primary, helping little learners feel confident and ready for school.
Four qualified early childhood teachers with bachelor's degrees run our play-based curriculum. Based on the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, they plan approved programming for toddlers through three- and four-year-old kindergarten children.
From toddlers to kinder, we support each child's growth with individual care, cultural connection and engaging learning experiences.
Drop in for a visit, book a tour online, or give us a call - we'd love to meet you.
Learn more about Goodstart Eltham
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At Goodstart Eltham, 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: 
- Holistic Development: Supporting cognitive, emotional, social, and physical growth through engaging and developmentally appropriate activities. 
- Family and Community Engagement: Building strong partnerships with families and the community to create a supportive network for each child. 
- Inclusive Environment: Celebrating diversity and ensuring that all children feel valued, respected, and included. 
- 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. 
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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.  
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At our Goodstart Eltham 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. 
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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
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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. 
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Click here to book your tour or call our Family Services team to find out more on 1800 222 543. 
Linda Hingston
Centre Director
Hi I’m Linda Hingston and I’m the Centre Director here at Goodstart Eltham. I have been the Centre Director at Goodstart Eltham since 2004.
I hold a Diploma of Community Services (Childcare) and take great joy and satisfaction in overseeing the educational programs and care at Goodstart Eltham. 
I have been in the Early Childhood industry for 30 years and as a Director for 20 years. I have worked in a range of early learning and care environments beginning with family day care, Government sessional Kindergarten, and not for profit working with children from birth to 6 years. 
My early learning values: 
I strongly believe in providing an early learning environment that is safe and nurturing, where children are seen as individuals and feel a true sense of belonging. I value play-based learning that encourages curiosity and creativity, in turn building a strong foundation for lifelong learning.  Working together with families to create a strong partnership with open communication where feedback is encouraged is vital to me.
What I love about our community: 
The people! As a local member of the Eltham community I love seeing families both current and previous, it is so wonderful to see how the children grow and remember their time at Goodstart Eltham. 
A little more about me:  
When I’m not in the centre, you’ll find me researching my family history and spending time with my family. I am the proud mother of three children and Nanna to nine beautiful grandchildren and two great-grandchildren!
Why your child should spend the day with me (and the amazing team at Goodstart Eltham): 
At Goodstart Eltham we strive to provide an environment that feels like a ‘home away from home’.
When you say goodbye to your child each day, we want your child to feel ready and excited for the day ahead, happy in the knowledge that they will have their friends, Educators, hugs if needed and lots of activities to engage and explore, both indoor and outdoor. It’s important to us that your child’s day is rewarding, and that you feel confident and safe entrusting their early learning and care to us.
I look forward to welcoming you and your family,
Government Funded Kindergarten Program
At Eltham, 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.
Government Funded Kindergarten Program
At Eltham, 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.
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6:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday
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6:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday
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