Winners and finalists revealed in best kindergarten or childcare centre in regional Victoria competition
Drumroll... the time has come to announce which kindergarten/childcare centre has been named the best in regional Victoria. Find out who the winner was and who the finalists were.
Leader
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Dozens of kindergartens and childcare centres were put forward into the competition to name regional Victoria's best.
Which early learning education institution have you taken your children to that you have been satisfied with?
Out of 4720 childcare centres in Victoria, 4.8 per cent — or 225 childcare centres — were rated ‘outstanding’.
It comes as the Herald Sun named the cutest kindergarteners of 2023.
And now the big news flash is here — where the winner has been crowned and the finalists of the competition have been revealed.
See the results below.
FINALISTS
COUNTRY WAY EARLY LEARNING: MILDURA
The team at Country Way Early Learning in Mildura — which first opened in 2017 — is like a close family.
Samantha Burns, who nominated the centre in the competition, said in her entry that Country Way has a quality of services, food and variety of activities for the kids.
Centre owner Stephanie Dowsley said it took years of experience to run a childcare business.
"Myself and the other owner (Tahlee) — we've been in childcare for 15 years now so we progressed up to owning and operating our own centre," Ms Dowsley said.
She said the highlights of working in the childcare industry were the focus on working with the families to try to help their day-to-day life get easier for them.
Ms Dowsley said one of the challenges was trying to get enough staff in childcare.
"Trying to spark a bit more interest from new people to join the industry would be great," she said.
"We've have quite a good family group up here so we're very well supported."
HAPPY TURTLE CHILDCARE: MILDURA
Another Mildura business that made the finalist list was Happy Turtle Childcare.
Centre assistant director Rebecca said a successful Early Childhood setting started from the very top.
"Happy Turtle Childcare has some amazing owners (Frank and Cathy Marziano) who are family orientated, caring, empathetic and friendly," she said.
"The management team consists of people who are also approachable and great listeners.
"Our amazing team of Early Childhood Educators are nurturing, friendly and are here for the children, they provide inviting play spaces and have wonderful interactions with each and every child."
Rebecca added seeing children learn and succeed in the educational environment was what the team at Happy Turtle Childcare love the most.
JOURNEY EARLY LEARNING CENTRE: BALLARAT EAST
Journey Early Learning in Ballarat East received many votes from our readers, putting it in straight into the pool of finalists.
Children from ages six weeks to six years, are surrounded by stimulating learning environments and nurturing educators.
The centre is a place where children can make a positive start to a life of learning, development, growth and opportunity.
There are various Journey Early Learning Centres across Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory, making it a reputable business countrywide.
RUNNER UP
BLUEBIRD EARLY EDUCATION: COBRAM
Bluebird Early Education in Cobram was one of the top picks from our readers, giving the centre the runner up place in the competition.
The Goulburn Valley business has a successful management team— owner Adrian Fonseca, Bluebird Cobram Early Education centre manager Sarah Ventre and Bluebird Cobram Kindergarten centre manager Rebecca Clemson.
Ms Ventre and Ms Clemson said running an early education service thrived on creating a nurturing and stimulating environment where children felt safe, engaged and supported in their development.
"This includes a blend of experienced educators, an age-appropriate curriculum, ample opportunities for play and exploration, strong communication with families, and a focus on fostering social-emotional skills alongside academic growth," the pair said.
"Flexibility, individualised attention, and a commitment to continuous improvement are also key components in ensuring the success of any Early Education Service."
They added that working in the early education space was incredibly rewarding for many reasons.
"Firstly, witnessing the joy and wonder on children's faces as they learn and explore the world around them is truly heartwarming," Ms Ventre and Ms Clemson said.
"Secondly, being able to play a role in their growth and development, helping them build essential skills and confidence, is immensely fulfilling."
The women said the highlights were that every day brought new moments of discovery and connection, whether it was a child mastering a new skill or forming a special bond with their peers.
"These moments reaffirm the importance of the work we do and inspire us to continue making a positive impact on young lives," they said.
"We are also very lucky to have amazing staff retention, with many of our educators being with us for five to 30 years."
FIRST PLACE
AUSSIE KINDIES EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM: KYABRAM
The drumroll moment is here, and Aussie Kindies Early Learning Kyabram has taken home the gold.
The centre received the most votes from readers, getting just a few more votes than the Bluebird Cobram.
Aussie Kindies is part of a large company called Affinity Education Group that is based in Queensland, and a spokesperson said on behalf of the whole business they were "super stoked" with the competition.
Kyabram centre manager Holly Nelson said their long standing staff is what makes their centre so unique.
"The connections our educators have with the children and families is beautiful to watch," Ms Nelson said.
"The time, care and effort they put in day in and day out is inspiring."
Ms Nelson said watching the children learn and grow to reach their full potential was why she and the team came to work every day.
"Achieving our Affinity values is important to us which include: having serious fun, being completely connected, going above and beyond and outstanding professionalism are just a few," she said.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR NOMINATIONS & VOTES
Congratulations to all our finalists and winner of the competition.
Stay tuned for our upcoming comps.
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