Rated: all childcare centres in the Southern Highlands 2022 | Full list

With every childcare centre in the Southern Highlands rated on their performance, this is the ultimate guide to help parents decide which childcare centres are right for their family.

Adelaide Lang

7 min read

February 25, 2022 - 4:35PM

The Bowral News

The Bowral News

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As many parents will know, securing a place at a local childcare centre has become as rare as a pothole-free road in the Southern Highlands.

Anecdotally, many young parents are struggling to find the right centre to nurture and educate their young children as the push comes to head back to the office.

To help make a tough decision easier, The Bowral News has broken down the rankings of every childcare centre in the area.

Childcare centres are assessed by the NSW Department of Education on seven quality areas, such as educational programs and physical environment, and given their ratings.

While no Southern Highlands childcare centres were rated in the highest category of ‘Excellent’, eight local centres exceeded the National Quality Standards set by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

On the other end of the scale, four local centres were rated as ‘Working Towards’ the national standards.

These are all the rankings of all the childcare centres in the Southern Highlands, so you can choose the centre that’s best suited to your family.

Mittagong Preschool Kindergarten

Location: Mittagong

Mittagong Preschool Kindergarten on Waverly Parade is a unique preschool run by parents who volunteer their time. The preschool is a not-for-profit preschool focusing on a holistic approach to childcare in a community setting.

Director of Mittagong Preschool Kindergarten Pauline Iacono said the collaborative approach to childcare has been integral to the centre’s success.

“That community context is really important. We’re built on that,” she said.

After being the Director of the preschool for 16 years, Ms Iacono said she had learned the key to getting better is to constantly review practices and engage with those involved.

“I think quality service provision is very much based in critical reflection of programming and practices, and working towards continuous improvement,” she said.

The preschool aims to create an inclusive environment for kids to focus on “becoming, being and belonging”. For their efforts, Mittagong Preschool has been rewarded with a consistent ranking of exceeding national standards. Their achievements mean they are eligible for the highest rating available.

Up to 40 children can attend the preschool to be taught in the Australian animal-themed rooms. A monthly community newsletter keeps parents informed of the Preschool activities and news.

Bundanoon Community District Preschool

Location: Bundanoon

Bundanoon Community District Preschool has consistently been rated as one of the best childcare centres in the Southern Highlands, with a proven track record of exceeding industry standards.

With the biggest capacity on this list of top preschools, the centre offers 86 places to local children, but the volume doesn’t decrease the dedication to nurturing kids.

The preschool emphasises a child-centric approach to care and uses the benefits of the beautiful Southern Highlands environment for outdoor learning.

Although the centre is rated as exceeding standards, it meets the criteria to be ranked as ‘Excellent’ – the best rating available for a childcare centre in Australia.

Bambinos Kindergarten Bowral St

Location: Bowral

Bambinos Kindergarten Bowral Street, Bowral has put in a lot of time and effort to earn its rank as one of the best childcare centres in the Southern Highlands.

Bambinos was previously rated as ‘Working towards National Quality Standards’ which indicates there were numerous areas for improvement. However, the centre made the necessary changes and is now rated as exceeding the national standards in each of the seven categories. Like Mittagong Preschool and Bundanoon Community District Preschool, this marks Bambinos as eligible to apply for the cherished ‘excellent’ rating.

Bambinos has a capacity for 30 children, all of whom are fed with five meals a day which are prepared on site. The centre also has a vegetable garden for children to grow food for their meals.

NB: This centre is not to be confused with Bambinos Kindergarten Bowral, which is ranked as ‘Meeting the National Quality Standards’ across the board.

KU Donkin Memorial Preschool

Location: Moss Vale

KU Donkin Memorial Preschool has been involved with the local community for more than 50 years. The preschool focuses on a program of play-based learning which caters for the individual strengths and needs of the kids.

Director of KU Donkin Memorial Preschool, Meredith Gibson, said the centre provides a solid base to allow children to become independent.

“We really focus on the child and them having a voice that is valued and respected,” she said.

“We aim for them to have their autonomy and make selections for themselves within a program that has a certain amount of structure.”

As well as fostering interactions, Ms Gibson said the preschool is centred on a philosophy of respect.

“It’s a very nurturing environment with staff that are facilitators to their learning,” she said.

“It’s about the child now and enjoying the moment, and that sense of belonging to this community and participating in it.”

KU Donkin is able to host 40 children and staff work with children to grow food and plant seeds to connect the kids with their natural surroundings. The preschool is currently working on a sustainability program to integrate environmentally-friendly practices.

“Hopefully what they learn, they take home,” Ms Gibson said.

The preschool also participates in the NSW Government Start Strong program to make preschool affordable for all families, essentially making two day participation free for eligible children.

Robertson Community Preschool

Location: Robertson

Robertson Community Preschool has continuously been rated one of the best childcare centres in the Southern Highlands. It may have something to do with the ducks and chickens who grow alongside the kids, or it may be the award-winning produce they grow and harvest.

The preschool uses the natural environment to introduce children to sustainability and environmental issues. There are 31 places for children at the centre, with an emphasis on catering to the individual needs of the children.

The preschool has strong ties with the community, with previous students enrolling their own children.

Explorers Learning Academy

Location: Mittagong

Explorers Learning Academy in Mittagong knows exactly what rural kids want from a childcare centre: chickens. The academy aims to create a nurturing and stimulating environment to encourage curiosity and learning.

There are 53 places for children at the academy, which interacts with local community groups to enrich children’s learning experience.

Centre Manager Tina Brown believes the people and the relationships they foster are what makes Explorers so beloved.

“It’s the people that make us great. (People) who promote kindness, who promote respect, who protect children, and who inspire learning,” she said.

“It comes from the top right down to the bottom.”

Ms Brown said the whole team works tirelessly together to reinforce a philosophy of respect and inclusivity.

“There’s a lot of diversity. They all come to us with different abilities, needs, feelings and backgrounds,” she said.

“You need to be responsive to each child as you find them.”

The academy has worked hard to earn its coveted status, having previously been ranked as meeting the quality standards. Since 2018, the centre has been ranked highly and has even opened another local childcare centre in February this year.

NB: This childcare centre is not to be confused with the new Explorers Learning Academy Mittagong West, which is rated as ‘Working towards NQS’, indicating improvement is needed.

KU Moss Vale Children’s Centre

Location: Moss Vale

KU Moss Vale Children’s Centre is one of the best childcare centres in the Southern Highlands.

KU Moss Vale Children’s Centre in the middle of Moss Vale encourages children’s curiosity and imagination. Through a wide range of activities like music and gardening, the centre makes children “active participants in their own learning”.

The centre specifically focused on being a safe “homelike” haven for children, to assist kids in transitioning into a social environment. The centre can accommodate 52 children,

As well as being consistently rated as exceeding national standards, the children’s centre has won an award for its daycare services. In 2017, KU Moss Vale was presented with the Most Outstanding Childcare Service Award at the Local Business Awards.

Gumnut Bowral Memorial Preschool

Location: Bowral

Gumnut Bowral Memorial Preschool is nestled right in the heart of Bowral on Wingecarribee Street. The centre has a capacity of 40 children, with two classes of 20 per day in the Snugglepot and Cuddlepie rooms.

Gumnut is a not-for-profit centre aiming to educate children before they start school. The centre emphasises community involvement, even electing parents to the Management Committee.

Director of Gumnut Bowral Memorial Preschool, Meredith Wakeman, said the relationships formed are so strong that she is almost teaching the grandchildren of former students.

“We foster strong relationships with our families and children, who value the opportunities we offer for developing friendships and experiencing the joy of play,” she said.

“Our practices are underpinned by a strong belief in the significance of Aboriginal cultures and histories and sustaining the natural environment in which we play and learn.”

As one of the oldest childcare centres on the list, it has been operating in some form since the second world war and has been located in the same building since 1970.

“We have a long tradition of providing excellence in preschool education in a welcoming and inclusive environment,” Ms Wakeman said.