St Mary’s Children Centre
Where education has roots, and every child has a future.
About Us
St Mary’s Children Centre is a not-for-profit community-based childcare centre in Kensington, Victoria, Australia. We intentionally place relationships, belonging and knowing each child at the heart of what we do.
We offer long day care and integrated funded kindergarten, to children aged 6 months to 5 years. There is only a maximum of 45 approved places at the childcare centre.
We offer exciting play-based programs, while embedding Christian values that enable children to develop an understanding of the richness of life through the saving grace and love of Jesus Christ.
Our curriculum and learning programs are designed by experts, and follow the highest quality guidelines to support children through integrated learning, high safety standards, and collaborative practice. Our Childcare Centre follows the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), the Victorian Early Years Learning & Development Framework (VEYLDF), and the National Quality Standard (NQS), underpinning excellent play-based learning experiences that children immensely enjoy.
Address: 5-11 Epsom Road Kensington VIC 3031
Operating hours: Monday to Friday, 7am to 6:30pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DWWCUoFUy/
Our Physical Environment
A Unique Environment for Children to Learn, Play & Grow
Space to explore. Places to belong.
At St Mary’s Children Centre, our purpose-designed environment gives children opportunities to experience early learning in different ways throughout their day.
Our multi-level childcare centre features three large learning rooms and three distinct outdoor spaces, including ground level, Level 1 and our secure rooftop outdoor area. Each space offers something different, giving educators the flexibility to create varied experiences, projects and areas for children to explore, play, imagine and learn.
From active outdoor play and gardening to quieter moments of discovery, the different environments provide opportunities for children to move, investigate, create, socialise or simply find a peaceful place to pause.
The different levels also give children changing perspectives and views of their surroundings, encouraging curiosity and imagination while helping them develop a growing understanding of the world around them.
Convenient, secure access for families.
Our location also makes arriving and leaving simple and convenient. The Ridgeway is a no-through road, helping to minimise passing traffic and congestion around the Centre.
Families also have access to secure underground parking via a side lane, keeping vehicles away from the main entrance and providing a safer, more convenient arrival and collection experience.
One Centre. Many possibilities.
With multiple learning environments and outdoor spaces, children aren't limited to one setting or one type of experience.
There is room to run, room to wonder, room to create, and room to simply be.
At St Mary’s Children Centre, Kensington | Victoria, our environment is designed to support children to feel safe, comfortable and connected while having the freedom to explore, learn and grow.
Where Our Story Begins
Education with roots. Childhood with purpose.
At St Mary’s Children Centre, we believe education is about more than preparing a child for the next stage of life.
It is about helping a child discover who they are, develop their gifts, learn to care for others, seek knowledge, build character and grow with a sense of purpose.
This belief has deep roots.
Our Christian heritage reaches back to the ancient Church of Alexandria, founded by St Mark the Apostle in the 1st century AD. Alexandria became one of the earliest and most influential centres of Christian learning, where faith, learning, reason and moral formation were brought together.
The Catechetical School of Alexandria became renowned for this tradition, with teachers such as Pantaenus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Didymus the Blind contributing to Christian learning and thought that would influence generations around the world.
We are not recreating an ancient school.
We are carrying forward a principle: education should form the whole person.
For centuries, the Christian tradition of faith, learning, service and formation has been carried forward through the Coptic Orthodox Church.
That tradition took root in Melbourne more than half a century ago. In 1972, the Coptic community purchased an Anglican church in Kensington, establishing St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church, the first permanent Coptic Orthodox parish in Victoria.
For more than five decades, St Mary’s Church has been part of the life of Kensington and the wider Melbourne community. Through worship, pastoral care, children's programs, youth ministry, education, family activities, community gatherings and service to others, the Church has worked continuously to create a community where people can belong, learn, grow and serve.
A tradition of education
The Church's commitment to nurturing the next generation has also extended beyond the early years. In 1991, St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College was officially opened by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. Beginning as a primary school with 51 students in rented premises in Clifton Hill, the College grew over time into a highly successful Foundation–Year 12 school.
This commitment reflects a long-held belief: education is not simply about knowledge, but about forming the whole person, developing character, integrity, compassion, responsibility and a desire to use one's gifts in service of others.
Bringing the tradition into early childhood
St Mary’s Children Centre was established by St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church to extend this same commitment to the earliest years of a child's life.
Here, the journey begins with the foundations that matter most: belonging, curiosity, relationships, character, confidence, learning and a sense of purpose.
From the Church's long-standing service in Kensington, to its commitment to education, St Mary’s Children Centre is part of a continuing story, one that places children, families, learning and service at its heart.
At St Mary’s Children Centre, learning happens through play, relationships, exploration, intentional teaching and discovery. Children are encouraged to develop confidence, curiosity, independence, communication, problem-solving and a love of learning.
But we believe there is something more.
Children are also developing their character.
They are learning kindness, respect, responsibility, compassion, forgiveness, courage and how to live as part of a community.
Our Christian foundation gives this education a deeper sense of purpose. We see every child as uniquely created, gifted and worthy of love, dignity and respect.
Rooted in Christian faith. Open to every family.
This is why St Mary’s Children Centre is more than a childcare centre to care for children.
It is a place to begin an education.
A place where children can be safe enough to explore, loved enough to belong, challenged enough to grow and supported enough to discover their God-given potential.
From Alexandria to Kensington, the world has changed enormously.
But one belief remains:
The formation of a child matters.
And we believe it matters from the very beginning.
Rooms / Age Groups
Every age has a different journey.
Babies: 6 months to 24 months
Our babies are cared for by experienced, nurturing and responsive educators who take the time to understand each child as an individual. Their safety, wellbeing, relationships and unique needs are at the heart of everything we do.
We provide a warm, secure and stimulating environment where babies can build trusting relationships, develop confidence and explore the world at their own pace. Through responsive interactions, play, sensory experiences, movement, music and age-appropriate learning opportunities, we support each child’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive development.
We recognise that every baby is unique. We work closely with families to understand each child’s routines, interests, cues, culture and individual needs, creating consistency between home and the Centre.
Our goal is simple: for every baby to feel safe, loved, settled and a strong sense of belonging, while developing the confidence and curiosity to explore, learn and thrive.
Pre-kinder: 2 years to 3.5 years
The toddler years are an exciting time of discovery, growing independence, energy and joyful connection. Children are developing rapidly as they explore their world, express themselves and build relationships with those around them.
We provide a rich and stimulating environment where children can explore, experiment, ask questions and learn through play and inquiry. Our educators intentionally support the development of communication and social skills, emotional regulation, confidence, problem-solving and early thinking skills.
Through active play and hands-on experiences, children are also supported to develop their strength, coordination, balance and physical confidence.
We celebrate each child's individuality while helping them develop a strong sense of belonging, respect for diversity and curiosity about the world around them. Above all, we want toddlers to feel secure, valued and confident to explore, discover and learn.
Kinder: 3 years and older
The preschool years are a time when children become increasingly confident, capable and independent learners. They develop their ability to express ideas, communicate with others, solve problems, negotiate, make decisions and take greater responsibility for themselves and those around them.
At St Mary’s Children Centre, we encourage children to dream big, explore their interests and imagine the possibilities of who they can become. Whether they are building, creating, investigating, designing, performing, caring or leading, every experience provides an opportunity to discover new strengths and develop a love of learning.
Our educators thoughtfully scaffold each child's learning through play, intentional teaching, inquiry, meaningful projects and real-world experiences. We provide a strong foundation for school readiness, developing the communication, early literacy and numeracy, social-emotional, self-help, executive functioning and learning skills children need to confidently transition to school and participate successfully in classroom life.
Most importantly, we want children to leave this stage feeling capable, curious and excited about their future, knowing that their ideas matter, their gifts are valued and they are well prepared for their next step in learning.
NQS Rating
Provisional – Not Yet Assessed
What does “Provisional – Not Yet Assessed” mean for St Mary’s Children Centre?
You may have seen the term “Provisional – Not Yet Assessed” associated with our service and wondered what it means.
The good news is that “Provisional” does not mean that St Mary’s has received a poor rating.
It simply means that our first formal Assessment and Rating (A&R) under the National Quality Framework has not yet taken place.
Every approved early childhood service is assessed against the 7 Quality Areas of the National Quality Standard. Once that assessment takes place, a service receives an overall rating such as Meeting the National Quality Standard, Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Working Towards the National Quality Standard.
Until a service has undergone its first assessment, ACECQA describes its status as “Provisional – Not Yet Assessed.” We have not received our first assessment because we have only recently opened. Usually, the first assessment occurs within 1-2 years of commencing operations.
🌱 But we don't wait for assessment to focus on quality.
At St Mary’s Children Centre, we are already:
continuously reviewing our educational programs
strengthening children's learning, development, health and wellbeing
supporting our educators to grow professionally
building strong partnerships with families
reviewing our policies and practices
monitoring our performance against the National Quality Standard
actively implementing our Quality Improvement Plan
Our philosophy is simple:
Quality isn't something we prepare for when an assessor arrives. Quality is something we work on every day.
Our first A&R will provide an independent assessment of our service against the National Quality Standard. Until then, “Provisional – Not Yet Assessed” simply means that our formal assessment is still to come.
We are proud of the work already underway and remain committed to continually improving the quality of care, education and experiences we provide for every child.
