Woodland Early Learning Centre to close leaving St Thomas More Primary School families in limbo
A shock move to shut down a Mt Eliza kindergarten has left dozens of families scrambling to find alternative places after missing council enrolment deadlines.
A popular Mornington Peninsula primary school has been rocked by a shock decision to close an early learning centre relied on by at least 75 families.
Parents at St Thomas More Primary School were told over the weekend that Woodland Early Learning Centre would not continue operating in 2026 as planned.
Instead the Mt Eliza site would be transformed into a childcare centre.
St Thomas More principal Martine Verhagen wrote to parents “with a heavy heart” explaining the parish, which owns the early centre buildings, planned to engage a third party to design and deliver an upgraded long day care centre.
“This change is aimed at ensuring the service meets contemporary standards and the evolving needs of local families,” Ms Verhagen wrote.
The school had believed Woodland’s kinder service was to be taken over by MACSEYE a subsidiary of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, established to provide early childhood education and school aged care programs.
However, the Herald Sun has been told the parish overruled the change.
“This news has come as a considerable shock,” Ms Verhagen wrote.
She extended her “heartfelt apologies” to families who enrolled at Woodlands in good faith.
“We understand how disappointing and unsettling this news is for many in our community, and as a school we share your disappointment at this sudden and unexpected decision.”
Ms Verhagen encouraged families to direct any further questions about the change to Rev Patrick Bradford at St Thomas More Parish.
The school informed families of the change partly to allow them to seek an alternative place at a Mornington Peninsula council kinder.
Registrations for a place at one of the shire’s kinder programs closed on July 2.
Late applications will not be considered until September.
There are three council run centres in Mount Eliza including Mt Eliza Preschool, Kunyung Preschool and Walkers Road Preschool
St Thomas More Parish and Mornington Peninsula Shire have been contacted for comment.