C&K childcare brand takes top two positions for the Far North’s top-rated centres
One childcare centre has jumped 102 spots to be crowned the best in FNQ in 2023. Search our interactive to see how your childcare fared.
Cairns
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A Port Douglas childcare centre has jumped 102 spots from its rating last year to be crowned the best facility in the region in 2023.
New data shows C&K Port Douglas is the best childcare centre across Far North Queensland, having been rated 102 in 2022.
Cubby Care Early Learning Centre in Mooroobool also launched itself into the top 10, jumping up 25 spots from 2022.
Now, at equal fourth, the centre joins C&K Balaclava to make Mooroobool the most represented suburb inside the top 10, and the centre’s staff are delighted their efforts have reaped the recognition.
“Our main focus is being involved with our families – recognising what they want and incorporating that into our service,” Ashlee Simmons, Cubby Care’s area manager, said.
“We do a lot of work with our educators and making sure values, particularly kindness, are aligned.
“This is amazing for us. It’s a really nice feeling that we’ve made this difference in the community.”
Ms Simmons said her centre has begun introducing special programs into the curriculum.
“We’ve begun introducing swimming lessons to take that load off families,” she said.
“We’ve got an open-door policy. Prospective parents can come down to have a look and we’ll make them feel part of the family straight away.”
To sort FNQ’s centres, the Cairns Post uses the KindiCare rating system, which itself is an aggregate of current and historic assessments and ratings under the National Quality Standard framework, as well as market reviews and opinions of early learning centres by families.
Below are the top 10 centres in Far North Queensland.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to find an interactive table that ranks all centres in FNQ.
C&K Port Douglas Community Kindergarten
2023 position: 1
2022 position: 103
Location: 4 Endeavour St, Port Douglas
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Age group: 3 to 5-year-olds
Fee per day: $99, plus a one-off enrolment fee of $100
KindiCare rating: 9.3
C&K Balaclava Community Kindergarten
2023 position: 2
2022 position: 2
Location: 277 Mccoombe St, Cairns City
Opening hours: 8.12am to 2.20pm
Age group: kindergarten
Fee per day: $47.20 for kindergarten
KindiCare rating: 9.2
Mount Sheridan Early Education Centre
2023 position 3
2022 position: 3
Location: 2-4 Kangaroo St, Bentley Park
Opening hours: 6.30am to 6.30pm
Age group: nursery to kindergarten
Fee per day: $127 to $129
KindiCare rating: 8.9
Cubby Care Early Learning Centre Mooroobool
2023 position: 4
2022 position: 29
Location: 100 Callum St, Mooroobool
Opening hours: 6.30am to 6.30pm
Age group: nursery to kindergarten
Fee per day: up to $127
KindiCare rating: 8.9
First Grammar Freshwater
2023 position: 5
2022 position: 8
Location: Cnr Kamerunga Rd and Lavis Rd, Freshwater
Opening hours: 6.30am to 6.30pm
Age group: nursery to kindergarten
Fee per day: $130 to $136
KindiCare rating: 8.9
Goodstart Early Learning Kanimbla
2023 position: 6
2022 position: 4
Location: 54 Beatrice St, Kanimbla
Opening hours: 6.30am to 6.30pm
Age group: nursery to 6-year-olds
Fee per day: up to $136.50
KindiCare rating: 8.9
PCYC Mareeba School Age Care
2023 position: 7
2022 position: 10
Location: 136 Walsh St, Mareeba
Opening hours: 6.45am to 8.45am before school, 3pm to 6pm after school
Services offered: outside school hours care, vacation care
Fee per day: up to $26.50 for outside school hours care
KindiCare rating: 8.9
Holy Cross – Smithfield Outside of School Hours Care
2023 position: 8
2022 position: 26
Location: Reed Rd, Trinity Park
Opening hours: 7am to 8.30am
Services offered: outside school hours care for children up to 13 years of age
Fee per day: datum not available
KindiCare rating: 8.9
Goodstart Early Learning Cairns
2023 position: 9
2022 position: 12
Location: 365 Sheridan St, Cairns City
Opening hours: 6.30am to 6pm
Age group: nursery to 6-year-olds
Fee per day: up to $129 per day
KindiCare rating: 8.9
C&K Edmonton Community Kindergarten
2023 position: 10
2022 position: 11
Location: 19 Hartill St, Edmonton
Opening hours: 8.30am to 2.40pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; 8am to 3.45pm Thursday and Friday
Age group: kindergarten
Fee per day: up to $40
KindiCare rating: 8.8
Note: our top centre from 2022, TAS Early Learning Centre in White Rock, has undergone a restructure of its services and was therefore unable to be rated by KindiCare for 2023 as it is awaiting assessment by government.
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