SDN Ngallia, Lidcombe

“SDN Ngallia has many diverse cultures and most of our educators can speak more than one language. This has such a positive impact on how we support families within our community.”

My qualifications and experience  

I have a Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching from New Zealand Tertiary College (2010). 

I began my journey at SDN Ngallia in 2013 as the Preschool Room Leader. During this time, I stepped into the Centre Director role while the director at the time was on leave. I had the amazing opportunity of becoming the full-time Centre Director in early 2014. 

Prior to moving to Australia, I worked across various roles in New Zealand since 2005 including holding a role as the Room Leader for Babies and Toddlers for about five years. 

What I'm most passionate about in my role  

As SDN Ngallia has many diverse cultures, I am passionate about learning new languages. I can speak fluent Cambodian and English, a little bit of Mandarin and understand some Thai. Most of the educators at SDN Ngallia can also speak 2 to 5 languages. 

Being able to speak multiple languages has such a positive impact on how we interact and support families within our community. It also allows me to effectively work alongside my team who are from different cultures and speak different languages as well. 

What I love about working with SDN 

What I love about working at SDN Ngallia is the community and the support I have receive from my team and my manager.  

No one day is the same. The challenges through COVID over the past few years has been hard on children, families, educators and myself. I couldn’t have done it without their encouragement. 

We really bring out the best in each other and push on another to be more creative.

A little bit more about me  

Outside of work, I love fruits carving, knitting, and quilting. I enjoy carving roses out of watermelon, making fruit platters and arranging dessert tables. 

I am adventurous and my dream is to travel and live on the road around Australia with my family in our caravan for at least one year. This will allow me to truly explore all the remote areas around the country, learn about the local cultures, try new food, spend time in nature and get to meet new people. 

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.

Our infant program nurtures your child's rapid growth, enriching relationships and boosting brain development.

Our toddler program inspires curiosity, helping your child master their emerging skills and independence. 

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 and celebrating their milestones. 

Read more about our practice with children here.

Get more than school-ready, get life-ready 

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:

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 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.

SDN acknowledges the Wangal and Deerubbin people as the traditional owners of the area now known as Lidcombe.

SDN Ngallia opened on 23 June 1997 after SDN successfully submitted an expression of interest to the University of Sydney to manage the child care and education centre on its Cumberland campus. Ngallia means ‘the meeting place of the children’ in the local Aboriginal Dharruk language.

In 2000, SDN Ngallia temporarily closed because of the Sydney Olympics, and children were sent to other SDN centres for the duration of the games.

Since its beginnings, SDN Ngallia has undergone many changes, always maintaining and reflecting a strong connection with families in this vibrant and diverse university community.

Read more about SDN Ngallia's history here.

From 1 July 2025, our fees will be $182 per day for children under three years old and $165 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.

Until January 2026, families must meet an activity test to qualify for government childcare subsidies (CCS). If you’re thinking of starting care in 2025, you can get more information on what qualifies as an eligible activity under the activity test here.

From January 2026, the activity test will be removed. From this point forward, all families who meet the general eligibility criteria will be entitled to at least 72 hours of subsidised early learning per fortnight.

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 also calculate what your out-of-pocket child care costs will be on the government’s Starting Blocks Child Care Subsidy Calculator.

2025 NSW Start Strong funding - Additional Preschool Fee Relief

On top of any CCS you may receive, the NSW Government is providing additional fee relief:

• If your child turns 4 years old or before 31 July 2024, is enrolled in a preschool program at an eligible long day care service and doesn’t receive preschool relief (also called start strong funding) from another preschool, you will receive up to $2,110 in fee relief.
• If your child is 3 years old and not yet 4 years old on, or before 31 July in 2024, is enrolled at an eligible long day care service and doesn’t receive preschool relief (also called start strong funding) from another preschool, you will receive up to $500 in fee relief.

Find more information about the Start Strong program here. 

If you’ve read this information and you’re still unsure about what you’ll pay, please call us on 1300 831 445 or book a centre tour. We’re happy to answer your questions.

0-2 Babies

• 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

• 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