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Great Beginnings Gilles Plains Centre overview
Phone
(08) 8246 6216We are conveniently located for families in or commuting through Gilles Plains, Oakden, Windsor Gardens, Valley View, Holden Hill and surrounding suburbs.
Many of our Children go on to attend local schools such as Wandana Primary School, supporting a smooth transition to school.
We offer nurturing care and quality early education for children from 6 weeks to 6 years, with flexible hours (9, 10, 11, and 12-hour sessions) to suit busy families.
Our Learning Environments
Our children benefit from familiar faces as they grow, creating a sense of continuity:
- Nursery (0-2 years): A safe, nurturing environment for babies to explore with tailored sensory and social experiences.
- Toddler (2-3 years): Play-based learning encourages curiosity, confidence, and social skills.
- Preschool (3-6 years): A stimulating learning environment that prepares our children for school through our Enhanced Learning Program.
We’re proud to have qualified teachers and educators, supported by a team of national education experts, ensuring the highest quality childcare and early education.
Innovative Early Learning Programs
Our teachers deliver the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF or the national curriculum) through play-based learning that covers language, literacy, numeracy, STEM, social, and emotional development. Our program also includes:
- Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR), an evidence-based program developed by Queensland University of Technology to support children’s executive function and self-regulation.
- Environmental and social sustainability learning experiences.
- Personalised learning plans for each child.
- Local school connections.
We focus on strong family partnerships through regular learning and development conversations with your child’s lead educator, learning showcases, and in-centre family events. Our Xplor app provides real-time updates and learning summaries daily to keep you informed on your child’s journey.
Fees & Vacancies
Great Beginnings Gilles Plains Service features
See more (10)Great Beginnings Gilles Plains service include:
Book a live tour at this carefully curated childcare centre and embark on the journey for your child’s growth and development
Get to know us
Kindergarten/Preschool Programs

Kindergarten/Preschool Programs
Our centre offers the South Australian Government-approved Preschool Program, providing subsidy up to 15 hours per week for 40 weeks per year for 4-year-old children. Your child will benefit from our enhanced learning program in Preschool, combined with our play-based learning approach, supporting their development and school readiness.
Our Enhanced Learning Program for Preschool children focuses on:
- Numeracy & Literacy: Developing key skills for lifelong learning.
- Self-Regulation: Fostering emotional control and resilience.
- Social & Emotional Development: Supporting independence and building healthy relationships.
- Creativity & Problem-Solving: Encouraging curiosity and critical thinking.
With extended hours and a year-round program (excluding public holidays), our Preschool program is delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers committed to supporting your child’s individual development.
Additional Benefits Include:
- Government subsidy: Further reduces out-of-pocket Preschool fees in addition to your eligible Childcare Subsidy (CCS).
- Personalised Learning Plans: Tailored to your child’s unique needs.
- Rhythm and Resilience Program: Music and movement to improve emotional regulation.
- School Readiness: Preparing your child for a smooth transition to school.
We also engage with local schools and provide transition statements, ensuring your child feels confident and prepared for the next steps in their education journey. Stay connected with your child’s progress via our Xplor platform, which offers daily updates on their learning and development.
About the Curriculum

About the Curriculum
“Let the child be the scriptwriter, director and the actor in their own play” - Magda Gerber
Nursery Space: 6 weeks – 2 years
Learning starts from before birth, and our Educators have created a welcoming and nurturing nursery environment where each baby feels safe to explore and discover new things - through their senses, their communication and cues (body language, facial expression and sounds) and through experimentation. On any given day you can see the nursery children engaging in all types of play including sensory play, music time, story time and more. Every day provides a brand new, exciting adventure for our babies to support their development, learning and wellbeing.
Toddler Space: 2 - 3 years
Our teachers and educators encourage the children to learn through play to help enhance their sensory-motor development. This happens through carefully planned music, dance, games, role playing and reading experiences.
On any given day the Toddlers can be seen developing their numeracy by building a tower, sorting objects, pointing and identifying shapes and patterns and participating in counting songs and games.
Children in our toddler space are encouraged to participate in group play. Group play is important as it helps our toddlers develop important social skills such as, turn-taking, developing self-confidence and emotional self-regulation. Our skilled team helps children through talking, planning and role modelling.
Preschool Space: 3 – 6 years
Preschool is a unique time for learning with peers and developing skills for later learning including confidence and curiosity, important skills for starting school. Our play-based program has school readiness at its core, encouraging active engagement in learning and supporting a range of positive developmental outcomes including resilience, independence, critical thinking and creativity.
The oral language supports literacy learning and a child’s oral language ability is the best predictor for later success in learning to read and write. Hearing the sounds within a language is the first critical step for all literacy learning. Our team supports our Preschool children's literacy development by engaging in rich discussions, reading, storytelling, dramatic play and experimentation all of which introduce new vocabulary as part of everyday conversations.
Throughout the Preschool year, children use their language to share ideas, ask questions, express themselves, and connect with peers and adults in social settings.
Social-emotional skills, including the ability to self-regulate emotions, are supported through group learning experiences. Our team supports each child’s social and emotional development by labelling and talking about emotions and supporting appropriate responses as together, they engage in new and challenging situations. Our goal in the Preschool year is to prepare children and families for a smooth transition to primary school.
Morning
Jesse is 11 months old and enjoys sensory play outside in the sandpit with her friends. She sits near her educator who helps teach her how to scoop the sand into the bucket. Jesse is learning how to dig, carry, and move the sand. She is also exploring texture and learning what happens to the sand when she adds water!
Lunch
Jesse has finished her lunch and is preparing to take a nap. Her educator changes her nappy, prepares a bottle and reads Jesse a story before her afternoon sleep.
Afternoon
Jesse and some of her nursery friends enjoy some story time and songs outside in the shaded garden. They read ‘Peepo’ which is Jesse’s favourite book.
Morning
Nick is two and a half years old and loves to start his day at the centre outside on the climbing equipment. His friends join him, and together they pretend to be pirates on a ship looking for treasure. Through this exciting dramatic play, Nick is learning about himself and the world around him. Dramatic play is helping Nick identify his interests, abilities, likes and dislikes.
Lunch
Nick is watering the vegetables in the garden. By doing this, Nick is learning the importance of growing and caring for the veggies in the garden. Nick picks a tomato from the garden, which the Chef will use to help make Nick and his friend’s lunch - Spaghetti Bolognese!
Afternoon
Nick enjoys art, and today he is painting a beach scene from a recent family holiday. He adds the finishing touches and sets the painting aside to dry; so that he can take it home to share with his family.
While painting, Nick is learning how to express himself creatively and how to convey his ideas and emotions. Painting is also helping develop Nick’s hand eye coordination, finger, wrist and hand strength. Making marks on paper is important for self expression as well as later learning.
Morning
Daniela is almost five years old and can’t wait for today’s carpentry experience - she loves building things! Carpentry experiences allow Daniela and her friends to extend their learning through real-life experiences. While participating in carpentry, Daniela is learning to problem solve, experiment and predict. She is also improving her hand eye coordination, manipulative skills and muscular strength.
Lunch
Before Daniela sits down for lunch with her friends and educators, Daniela takes part in the centre’s sports program. Daniela loves sports. Sports helps Daniela improve her flexibility and strength (perfect for growing bodies!). Sports also allows her to practice different skills in a fun and engaging way.
Afternoon
Daniela is off to ‘big school’ next year and she can't wait to start! Daniela and her friends will be visiting the local primary school next week. In preparation for the visit, the class is creating a list of questions to ask the Principal and school children.
Health and Nutrition

Health and Nutrition
Our centre chef prepares and cooks nutritious meals daily, catering to the unique dietary requirements of every child. We believe that by encouraging active participation (such as growing their own fruit and vegetables, preparing, and finally cooking!) children learn to appreciate and understand the importance of healthy eating across a wide variety of food.
Our centre offers seasonal whole food-based menus – created to delight the fussiest eaters.
Meet the team

Meet the team
Hi my name is Ryan, and I am the Centre Manager here at Great Beginnings Gilles Plains. I began my career in early childhood education in 2002, and I started at Great Beginnings Gilles Plains in 2022. I have an Advanced Diploma Leadership Business Management and an Advanced Diploma Children’s Services.
I have worked with G8 Education for 11 years as ACM World of Learning Golden Grove, CM Community Kids Ashford, and Area Manager SA.
Early education was the first job I had following secondary school. Early education and care was a passion from a young age, studying TAFE accredited courses in Child Care and Child Studies in years 10, 11 and 12.
I believe each child deserves the opportunity to learn and grow in safe and secure environments that promote healthy relationships and a sense of identity. Supporting children to develop healthy relationships with themselves and other people is what inspired me to work in Early Childhood Education.
I have learnt through healthy and trusting relationships, children develop a strong sense of well-being to become confident and involved learners.
Children respond well to freedom within age-appropriate limits, therefore allowing them to make choices in their play and encouraging them to contribute and feel connected to their world.
All children are unique individual learners, and this is the primary influence of my pedagogical practice.
I am passionate about helping children on their learning and life journey. When children establish healthy relationships and connections to educators, their peers and care environments, it supports emotional well-being and influences them to become confident learners.
There are many learning benefits of attending a dedicated early childhood education and care centre compared to learning at home. It provides children with the opportunity to develop social skills away from home environments, which helps them form healthy relationships. Early childhood education settings support children to become aware of social behaviours, listen to others, communicate their ideas, develop emotional resilience, and become independent.
My mission for Great Beginnings Gilles Plains is to recruit, lead and develop a team dedicated to implementing standards and practices that exceed the National Quality Framework.
Our approach to relationships with children and partnerships with families is based on the Circle of Security model, with a team member allocated as your Primary Carer on confirmation of enrolment. Primary carers develop responsive and respectful relationships with new families, become informed of individual routines and interests throughout the orientation process and act as a safe base throughout the transition into the education and care environment. In addition, primary carers will support children in developing relationships with other children and educators, encouraging families’ engagement with service, and partner with them in planning individual and group learning experiences.

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11/17 Burman AvenueGilles Plains, SA, 5086

Centre Reviews

Kabir loved going to Great Beginnings, His school starting in july so today was last day at childcare, He is so confident... Kabir loved going to Great Beginnings, His school starting in july so today was last day at childcare, He is so confident while transition visit to school, I am very thankful to all the staff.Best childcare where you can feel your child is safe, secure, loved. Thanks Rinki 🙏 Read more
Hi Gurpreet, Thank you for the glowing 5-star review! We’re overjoyed that you are thankful for the staff and find us to be the best childcare centre. Knowing that our efforts are appreciated truly inspires us to keep striving for excellence. Kind regards, The Great Beginnings Team
We have two boys that go to GB Gilles Plains. Our eldest started there just after they opened and he is now about... We have two boys that go to GB Gilles Plains. Our eldest started there just after they opened and he is now about to start school. We are so grateful to all the GB team. We have loved our experience there from the excursions to the food to the day to day running of the centre. The calm sounds and senses make pick ups and drops offs a pleasure. GB will always have a special place in our hearts and we would definitely recommend the centre Read more
My daughter has just started at great beginnings Gillis plains. I am so unbelievably happy with the service so far we are two... My daughter has just started at great beginnings Gillis plains. I am so unbelievably happy with the service so far we are two weeks in. All the staff are amazing and friendly. Jess and Ryan are extremely helpful and responsive to any questions. It was hard for me to send my daughter to childcare so soon, everyday I pick her up she is so happy and I can tell she had a fantastic day. Staff keep you updated through an app so you can see how your child is going. 10/10 experience so far. If you are looking for the perfect centre for your little one I couldn't recommend this one enough. Read more
Hello Jacquie, Thank you for your fantastic 5-star review! We’re thrilled that you are so unbelievably happy with the service. Your positive feedback is invaluable to us and motivates our entire team to keep delivering excellence. Best regards, The Great Beginnings Team