I have 29 years of experience in education and child care, including 22 years as a director in two different centres. I’ve only ever worked for SDN because I feel SDN’s values align closely with mine. We’re not only about providing quality education and care, we’re about making a difference in the lives of children, families and communities.

No two days working in early education and child care are ever the same and every day working with children and families is a different adventure.

As the field of early childhood grows and develops SDN has encouraged me to keep learning. In 2016 I spent a year as Senior Practice Leader with SDN’s in-house Professional Learning and Development team. I learned a lot from this role and am using everything I’ve learned to benefit the children and families at SDN Marrickville.

I love the daily conversations I get to have with children and families. I also enjoy sharing my stories about my family and feel that my family have become the catalyst for building relationships with the children and families.

Marrickville is a unique community with a blend of many cultures, diverse families and a strong sense of community. It’s the sense of belonging that makes SDN Marrickville unique. Children and families form friendships outside of the Centre, friendships that often go on even after the children have left for school. It is not uncommon for children and families to drop into the centre to say hello when they are at primary and high school.

A lot of the staff at SDN Marrickville have been with us for a long time, including one staff member who has been at SDN for 40 years and is SDN’s longest-serving staff member.

Our outdoor play spaces give the centre a special feeling and are lush, green calming environments for children to explore.

The highlight of our year is our end of year social event. This is a great opportunity to reflect on all of the wonderful achievements the staff, children and families have made over the year.

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 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 Child-led Educational program here.

Developed by university-trained early childhood teachers, our preschool program focuses on the whole child, building healthy bodies, caring hearts and curious minds.

We will draw on your child’s interests, strengths, needs and culture to plan and implement a program that best meets their learning and developmental needs.

The program is flexible and will give your child a voice in their learning and development. Your child will be our co-planner, sharing ideas and questions that drive their learning. Our preschool teachers will plan experiences for your child that focus on specific skills in an engaging and meaningful way to support their growing skills and knowledge.

We will immerse your child in a language-rich environment and support them to develop the skills and mindset they need for a successful start to school. Through planned play and learning experiences your child will develop the listening and social skills as well as a passion for learning with curiosity, enthusiasm, persistence, cooperation and focused attention they will need when they transition to school.

Our centres have a transition to school program where our educators work together with local kindergarten teachers and our preschool teachers attend transition to school meetings with local schools.

Read more about our Child-led Educational 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.

From 1 January 2021, our fees will be $157 per day for children under three years old and $137 per day for children three years and over. 

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 combined family income
• The number of hours you work, study or participate in recognised volunteer work. This is called the ‘activity test’. If your child is in the year before school, if you are on a very low income, or if you are on parental leave, you will not have to pass the activity test to receive some CCS.

Your child will need to meet immunisation requirements and you will need to meet residency requirements to be eligible to receive the CCS.

You can calculate what your out of pocket child care costs will be on the government’s child care subsidy calculator.

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

• Nappies
• Change of clothes x2
• Hat – sun safe  
• Shoes and Socks
• Warm clothes / Jacket (for outside play)
• Shoes and Socks
• Comforter – soft toy/ blanket / dummy
• Bottles and milk formula / breast milk
• Blanket / Cot sheets

2-3 Toddlers

• Nappies / spare underwear
• Change of clothes
• Hat – sun safe
• Shoes and Socks
• Warm clothes / Jacket (for outside play)
• Drink Bottle
• Comforter – for rest time
• Blankets

3-5 Preschoolers  

• Spare underwear
• Change of clothes
• Hat – sun safe
• Shoes and Socks
• Warm clothes / Jacket (for outside play)
• Drink Bottle
• Blankets

The traditional owners of the Marrickville area are the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.

SDN Marrickville opened in 1944, providing nursery school education in a long daycare setting. Women workers were favoured by many of Marrickville's early manufacturing industries, and their role in the workforce had created a need for long daycare. The purpose-built centre on Illawara Road also answered a growing demand for early years education in the 1940s.

The holistic care of children at SDN Marrickville was a priority. The guiding principle was that, in order to fulfil their potential, children needed nourishing food, proper rest and a program of exercise with free and guided play by trained staff. More than 70 years later, SDN Marrickville continues to provide quality child care and education for local children.

Since its beginnings, SDN Marrickville has reflected a strong connection with local families in a diverse, vibrant and multicultural community, and has supported SDN's vision and commitment to enhance the wellbeing and development of all children.

Read more about SDN Marrickville's history here.