Nutrition and Mealtimes
We provide children with a variety of healthy foods, and cater for children with allergies and intolerances.
SDN Chippendale is a cosy centre with a welcoming and home-like atmosphere that offers early childhood education and child care for 36 children from birth to school age.
Nutritious meals are provided to SDN Chippendale's children by a highly qualified cook, and there are tree-covered outdoor play spaces for them to enjoy.
The dedicated SDN Chippendale team is here to help your child thrive. Our educators work in partnership with families to identify each child’s strengths and interests, choose teaching strategies, and work alongside your child in SDN Chippendale's engaging yet safe indoor and outdoor learning environments.
When you arrive at SDN Chippendale, you'd never guess that you were in the heart of an inner city suburb. Situated on a quiet, naturally shaded street with a home-like entrance with plenty of parks within walking distance, SDN Chippendale provides a welcoming and nurturing environment.
"I have a particular interest in setting up inviting environments and getting the children involved in their environment."
My qualifications and experience
I have a Diploma in Children's Services. I started as a casual at SDN in 2000, then went on to work part-time as a Senior Educator, then to Room Leader, and now as Centre Director.
What I'm most passionate about in my role
I have a particular interest in setting up inviting environments and getting the children involved in their environment. I love gardening with the children and watching the excitement as they see their plants sprout.
What I love about working with SDN
I have been working with SDN for 23 years I love working with my team and the camaraderie we share. Working here has also provided me with a great opportunity to step up as Centre Director.
A little bit more about me
In my spare time, I usually enjoy some retail therapy. I also love spending time with my nieces and nephews, so I’m always around children.
I had always dreamed of being a doctor, but I just can’t see the sight of blood without getting woozy and ready to faint!
I can speak Arabic/Lebanese.
Growing bodies need movement and exercise. Growing minds need stimulus and exploration. Growing hearts need opportunities to play and mix with others.
At SDN we know that the best thing we can do for your infant or toddler is to support them to grow and develop in safe, unhurried, nurturing and challenging environments.
Because infants and toddlers are naturally curious, our centres have well-equipped indoor and outdoor areas that will keep your child moving and give them daily opportunities to explore their limits and grow their abilities.
Your child is unique and so we will devise a learning and development program within our curriculum pillars, based on what we know about your child’s interests, learning and development. Because they will always be changing and growing, we consistently review the program to ensure we are keeping up with your child’s development, providing them with the best learning opportunities.
Read more about our practice with children here.
Getting school-ready is a journey. It begins with your child’s very first day at our welcoming early education and care centres and continues with our dedicated preschool program.
Developed by university-trained early childhood teachers, our preschool program focuses on the whole child. Children learn to make friends and work together, while gaining the skills and independence they need to thrive through the big transition to school.
Our preschool program follows an evidence-backed, play-based learning approach. Children have fun and follow their curiosity, while we weave in vital skills and learning outcomes.
SDN uses Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework to explore a diverse curriculum from science to social justice. Our days are predictable but flexible, blending structured and spontaneous learning, free play, movement and quiet time.
Our curriculum pillars are:
Relationship and social skills
Critical thinking and problem solving
Early literacy and numeracy
Health, wellbeing and movement
Science, technology, construction and design
Nature play and sustainability
Creative arts
Equity and social justice
Our centres have a transition to school program where our teachers and educators work together with local schools to prepare your child for a smooth transition, and support families through the process.
Read more about our preschool program here.
Families in our urban based centres often call our outdoor areas their “green oasis”.
SDN's outdoor spaces provide opportunities for children to enjoy themselves and have adventures. They’re safe environments for children to run, jump and yell, make mud cakes, and use their energy.
Outdoor spaces provide more than physical benefits. Even though you may think that children only play outside to have fun, they're also improving their thinking, social, and emotional skills. When they’re playing outside, they’re inventing games, learning about the world at their own pace, and figuring out social customs like turn-taking.
These are just some of the reasons SDN invests in developing new, award-winning outdoor spaces with natural designs that inspire children’s curiosity, physical play, and social play.
SDN has a long and fruitful relationship with the City of Sydney, leasing from the Council the premises for several of our long-standing centres: SDN Surry Hills, SDN Lois Barker at Waterloo and SDN Pyrmont from them. As of January 2020 we took over the operations of the Chippendale Child Care Centre.
Read more about SDN Chippendale's history here.
The majority of families in our centres do not pay the full daily fee because they receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from the government.
The subsidy you may receive through the CCS will depend on:
Your child will need to meet immunisation requirements and you will need to meet residency requirements to be eligible to receive the CCS.
Try our CCS estimator tool here.
You can also calculate what your out of pocket child care costs will be on the government’s child care subsidy calculator.
Additional Preschool fee relief
In addition, the NSW Government is providing up to $2110 in fee relief for preschool aged children who are enrolled in the preschool program at SDN Children’s Services from 2023.
If your child will be 4 on or before 31 July 2023, this additional funding could mean up to $40 a week in fee relief to your family, on top of the existing child care subsidy.
Read more about the NSW early years commitment.
If you’ve read this information and you’re still unsure about what you’ll pay, please call us or book a centre tour. We’re happy to answer your questions.
0-2 Babies
2-3 Toddlers
3-5 Preschoolers