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Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon

Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon is built upon
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Starfish Early Learning Centre rated Meeting National Quality Standard childcare logo.
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Two young children shaping playdough with wooden tools at a round table in a safe, age-appropriate classroom
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Essendon

Discover Essendon's premier state-of-the-art early learning centre – an inviting space designed to enhance your child’s development. Our newest early learning centre will offer your child unparalleled opportunities to learn, develop, grow, and experience.

Newest Starfish Centre

Starfish ELC Essendon is a well-designed centre offering seven rooms catering to children of various age groups. Each room is purposefully tailored to meet the unique developmental needs of the children within that age range. This design allows for age-appropriate activities, resources, and learning opportunities that foster holistic growth and development.

Outdoor play areas

The children have access to three outdoor yards – level 1, level 2 and level 3, each specifically designated for various age groups. Our dedicated spaces offer exploration and play, fostering age-appropriate interactions and physical activities. Our days are filled with indoor and outdoor learning and playtime.

Sustainable practice teachings

The centre plans to establish vegetable gardens for hands-on learning, utilising worm farms to teach composting and reduce food waste. We plan on embracing the local environment, with weekly nature walks along Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Five Mile Creek. Of course this will be optional for all families and your enrollment pack will contain more information.

Our Essendon Early Learning Centre gives your child the freedom to explore, discover, and grow.

Located on Melfort Ave, our Essendon centre comprises seven rooms, specifically designed for each age group to provide safe and stimulating learning environments for children ages 6 weeks to kindergarten.

At Starfish ELC, we understand the profound impact that the early years have on a child’s future, and our commitment is reflected in the creation of safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environments.
Children engaging in early learning and reading activities at Starfish Early Learning Centre.
Toddler playing with colourful educational toys in a nursery classroom at Starfish Early Learning Centre

0 - 3 years program

We strive to provide a play-based curriculum that encourages learning in all developmental domains. Learning opportunities we provide include sensory experiences, construction, imaginative play, music and movement.

  • We offer extracurricular experiences with experts in physical education, arts, indigenous culture, and animals
  • Tailored for safety and developmental challenges, our facilities for babies and toddlers encourage appropriate risks while ensuring their well-being.

3-5 years funded kindergarten program

Our funded kindergarten program draws on multiple highly regarded early learning philosophies, combining them with incursions by experts in fields such as physical education, animals, dance and indigenous culture.

  • Our educators hold bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education, implement an approved educational program incorporating diverse approaches and theorists.
  • Starfish promotes child development through a relational approach, ensuring a safe, enjoyable, and enriching learning environment.
Children playing in a sandpit and riding toys in a childcare outdoor play area.

Ready for your child to join the Starfish Essendon Centre?

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Outdoor playground and climbing equipment at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Childcare classroom with learning tables, books and play materials supporting early learning and kindergarten activities.
Childcare dramatic play area with dolls, shelves and learning materials supporting imaginative early learning.
Outdoor childcare playground with wooden cubby structure, ride-on bikes and balance equipment for active early learning.
Large outdoor childcare playground with climbing ramps, balance beams and shaded play areas for active early learning.
Bright childcare classroom with round learning table, art materials and view of outdoor playground for early learning.
Outdoor childcare cubby house with garden beds and wheelbarrows supporting hands-on early learning play.
Childcare classroom learning tables with activity materials and view to outdoor early learning play area.
Secure childcare centre entrance at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Childcare learning resources and sensory play materials at Starfish ELC Essendon
Outdoor construction learning activity at Starfish ELC Essendon early learning centre
Outdoor sandpit and sensory play area at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Reading corner with children’s books at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Outdoor play area with wooden climbing equipment at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Creative learning room with open-ended resources at Starfish ELC Essendon
Play-based learning room at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon childcare centre
Family information displays and natural décor create a welcoming, community-focused environment at Starfish ELC Essendon.
Welcoming family area at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon childcare centre
Families are welcomed into a warm, organised reception area at Starfish ELC Essendon.
A clean, purpose-built kitchen supporting daily meals and care at Starfish ELC Essendon.
Outdoor sandpit and sensory play area at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Outdoor playground at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon with childcare centre signage
Dinosaur play activity in the indoor learning room at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon
Outdoor sandpit and play area at Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon childcare centre
Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon exterior signage and entrance at the childcare centre
Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon childcare interior with learning displays, wooden shelves and a circular play rug

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Starfish Early Learning Centre Essendon

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Meet the Team

Portrait of Tonii Tran, Managing Director of Starfish Early Learning Centre.
Tonii Tran
Managing Director
Portrait of Kera Degenhardt, General Manager at Starfish Early Learning Centre.
Kera Degenhardt
General Manager
Portrait of Samantha Jacobs, Essendon Centre Director at Starfish Early Learning Centre.
View Staff Bio
I am the Centre Director at Starfish ELC Essendon. I have worked in early childhood education and care for 19 years, and I have loved every moment of my journey—from working closely alongside children of all ages, to supporting operations in the kitchen, and later evolving into a director's leadership position. Each role has taught me something new and helped shape me into the educator I am today. My favourite part of the role is that every day is different. What I love most is witnessing children begin their learning journey with us—from orientation through to their first day—and seeing the strong connections among the children, families and our team.
Samantha Jacobs
Essendon Centre Director

Frequently Asked Questions

The centre is located next to Strathmore train station, making it a perfect choice for families that take public transport to work.

The Victorian Government provides funding to support children to access a kindergarten program in the year before they start school. The funding is a contribution towards meeting the cost of the kindergarten program and is based on the number of children enrolled in the program at Starfish Early Learning Centre. Each child is eligible to attend only one funded kindergarten for a single year.

Our Essendon Centre is open five days a week, Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6pm.

Our Essendon Centre features three outdoor yards, each specifically designed for different age groups, and an outdoor vegetable garden and worm farm, which children will participate in running to learn the value of sustainability.

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Contact our team to learn more or secure your child’s place at Starfish today!
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