A big hello to all families and children!

I graduated from what was then Mitchell College of Advanced Education, now Charles Sturt Bathurst, back in 1988, with a Diploma with Distinction in Early Childhood Teaching.  I have worked with a number of Early Childhood services, including a Government Preschool, before starting with SDN in late 1996.

Being a centre Director is an extremely rewarding career. Always varied and challenging, it enables so many exciting opportunities. It is a huge privilege to work with so many families and children and with so many talented individual team members over the years.  

I believe it is very important to be open to new learning and I continue to be inspired by the learning opportunities around me, including not only professional training, but the inspiration that comes from working with children, families and an amazing team. My personal values are closely aligned with those of SDN’s and I really appreciate being able to make a small difference in someone’s life. An interesting fact is that many years ago I once worked with Sunanda, a former Director of Ultimo, and I have also worked with Tina, who was also my Centre Administrator at the former SDN Petersham!

I am passionate about the natural world and acknowledge children as custodians of their world & as active participants within it.  Relatively new to SDN Ultimo, I look forward to working with such an exciting and diverse team and especially to meeting all of you and your wonderful children!

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.

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 Ultimo area are the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.

SDN Ultimo has been operating within the Ultimo TAFE grounds since 2002 after a successful tender in 2001 to manage two TAFE child care centres at the Ultimo and Petersham campuses.

In 2010 SDN Ultimo was proud to be one of 20 centres across Australia to participate in the first trial to test the workability of the new National Quality Standards.

Since its beginnings, SDN Ultimo has undergone many changes and has always reflected a strong connection with the families in this vibrant and diverse educational community.

Read more about SDN Ultimo's history here.