Childcare & Preschool in Highgate

“As the director of Leaps and Bounds Preschool, I’m dedicated to creating a warm and inspiring environment where every child feels valued and excited to learn. Bringing my Brazilian heritage into our preschool, I blend cultural experiences to help build a diverse and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong. Strong relationships with families and the community are central to what we do. We know that when parents and educators team up, children benefit the most. That’s why we regularly host family events and community gatherings to strengthen these connections and support each child’s growth. I believe in keeping things transparent and communicating openly. By staying connected and working together, we create a positive space where children can thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually. At Leaps and Bounds Preschool, my goal is to consider every child, family, and educator can growth, with an emphasis on the heart, hands, and mind.”

Over my many years of working with children I have been lucky to enough to spend time with, and gain experience in all age groups ranging from 0-5. In the past I have led both toddler and kindy rooms, through these opportunities I garnered a real passion for children’s holistic learning which I am now able to share as Educational Leader. My personal philosophy is greatly influenced by John Bowlby, I really value and seek to build close relationships with all the children and families in my care as I believe that trust and open communication is the key for a secure foundation. My pedagogy style is based around providing opportunities, responsibility and choices in an enriching and stimulating environment, through this I can support each individual child and cater to their needs. I aim to bring a bubbly and warm presence every day and love getting my hands messy alongside the children, when children play, I am able to learn about each personality and all of the uniqueness that comes along with it.

“I believe that creating strong partnerships with children and families are formed through reciprocal and respectful relationships and provide the children with a sense of belonging. Our daily practice is inclusive and respectful of our multicultural society and we acknowledge the uniqueness of each child in our care. We believe that children thrive when encouraged to explore and discover in an active learning environment. We endeavor to achieve this through hands-on learning, projects, themes and individual learning to engage and activate students’ learning.”

With over three years of experience working at L&B, I have found my true passion in nurturing and educating young minds. During this time, I have successfully completed my Certificate III and Diploma while working alongside my dedicated team at Leaps & Bounds Preschool. This journey has been incredibly inspiring and has only deepened my commitment to this field. One of the core philosophies that resonates with me is the approach of Lev Vygotsky. I firmly believe that social interaction is a crucial vehicle for child development across linguistic, social, and cognitive domains. Children learn best when they engage with someone more capable, whether it be teachers or parents. By fostering positive and meaningful relationships between educators and parents, we can help children reach their full potential. As a Malaysian, I bring a rich cultural background to my role, incorporating diverse cultural perspectives into curriculum planning. I strive to help each child appreciate and embrace their own cultural heritage. To me, being a good educator means treating each child as if they were my own, ensuring they feel trusted and supported. I aim to be a reliable figure in their lives, akin to a second parent, fostering a safe and nurturing environment for their growth.

My name is Reji. I began my early childhood education journey in 2022. I am passionate about creating high-quality learning environments that offer a safe, nurturing, and welcoming space for children to develop life skills and engage in meaningful, play-based learning. As an early childhood teacher, I believe in nurturing each child’s unique strengths and interests by fostering a supportive, inquiry-based learning environment. I promote teamwork and the exchange of ideas, helping children collaborate and deepen their understanding. My goal as a teacher is to create a safe and inclusive environment in early childhood education and care, where children feel a sense of belonging while embracing diversity.

My name is Sheridan, but you can call me Sheri. I began my early childhood education journey in 2017, Completing my Certificate III before going on to achieve my Diploma in 2019. My personal philosophy is centred around the belief that all children can thrive in a loving, supportive and inclusive environment, which is what I strive to provide for every child in my care.

I am passionate about observing and supporting children’s learning across all developmental areas, and helping guide them through their individual learning journeys is my top priority. In 2021, I further expanded my knowledge by completing a Certificate IV in Education Support, which has strengthened my understanding of how children learn and how best to support their diverse needs.

I then took a meaningful break to welcome my son, Charlie, and am now excited to return to Leaps and Bounds. I look forward to building strong relationships with families and educators, and working collaboratively to support each child in reaching their full potential.

My name is Sheree, and I am excited to be joining Leaps and Bounds as an educator. I’ve been working with children for nearly ten years, and I’m passionate about creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment where children feel confident to explore, learn, and grow. I believe children learn best through play and meaningful experiences. My goal is to support each child’s individuality, spark their curiosity, and build strong, respectful relationships with both children and families.

I’ve been working for Leaps and Bounds for over three years. I’m truly passionate about teaching children. I believe all children should learn in a warm, safe and nurturing environment and I am dedicated to giving children the very best start in life, that’s why I believe in the importance of supporting children not just academically but socially and emotionally. Learning should be a fun experience that children look forward to. I want to spend my time creating this positive experience for children to help support their development into happy confident individuals.

My name is Katie, and I’m very excited to be joining the Kangaroo Room and to be a part of your child’s learning experience as well as my own as a childcare educator.  I originally come from Esperance, WA, where I grew up around beautiful beaches and nature. I absolutely love spending time at the beach, especially swimming and relaxing by the ocean. I’m passionate about creating a fun, safe and caring environment where children feel happy, supported and encouraged to be confident and proud.

My name is Maria, and I am excited to join L&B and support your child’s learning journey. I am from Brazil and am currently completing my Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

I am passionate about supporting children’s growth and development in a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment. I believe that children learn best through play, exploration, and meaningful connections.

My goal is to provide opportunities for each child to develop socially, emotionally, and intellectually while feeling valued and supported. I also look forward to building strong partnerships with families and working together to ensure your child has a positive and joyful experience at our centre!”

Hello, my name’s Rebecca and I’m from Melbourne. I am currently completing my Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care with Gateway Academy.

I have a background in Biology and a year of experience tutoring years 6 to 12 as a science tutor. I also have a wonderful niece and nephew who I’ve had the pleasure of seeing grow and develop and through this I’ve learnt the value of education particularly in the early years as I believe this is a crucial and foundation building stage in the child’s life.

In practice, I embrace intentional teaching, scaffolding children’s learning using play-based and inquiry-driven activities that are tailored to the individual learning needs of each child. By offering opportunities for exploration and experimentation, I aim to challenge their thinking while supporting their natural curiosity, allowing them to build their understanding through real-life experiences

As someone with a passion for the environment I also place importance on children experiencing the natural world. Through sustainable practices, embedding nature into the curriculum and teaching children STEM related concepts I believe that children can be empowered to feel a sense of respect for the environment and connectedness to the world around them

“Cooking for my family and community is my true passion! I am truly passionate about teaching healthy eating habits early on in life as it has positive effects on little minds. I love to role model a variety of nutritious meals and explore cultural ingredients for children to enjoy.”

“I’ve always believed that every child can contribute greatness to the world. Therefore, each child must be given plenty of opportunities to create, to be themselves, to be different and to be someone who they want to be. Early childhood being an important stage for children to develop abilities and potential, I am committed to dedicate my time and effort to create an environment where children can freely express themselves, learn and explore in the most enjoyable way. I believe that quality time, physical presence, communication and emotional support is an important factor that frames good connection, strong relationship and strong foundation for children’s learning and development.”