Goodstart Early Learning St Leonards - Christie Street

I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to complete my first placement as a student at Goodstart. The environment here is incredibly... I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to complete my first placement as a student at Goodstart. The environment here is incredibly inclusive and supportive, making me feel welcomed and valued every day. Director Lucy and my mentor Maya have both been amazing. They are always ready to answer my questions, provide guidance, and offer encouragement. Their approachability and genuine care make a real difference in my learning journey. Read more

Kun WANG

May, 2025

I’m an early childhood teaching student who genuinely loves working with young children—that’s why I chose this career path with so much passion... I’m an early childhood teaching student who genuinely loves working with young children—that’s why I chose this career path with so much passion and excitement. However, I’m deeply disappointed by how I was treated by this centre during my very first placement experience. When I first reached out, the director of St Leonards agreed to host my placement without hesitation. After I completed all the necessary steps with my university, including official confirmation, the school sent a placement confirmation email to the centre. But after that, all communication from the centre stopped. In just two weeks, I made five phone calls—sometimes no one answered, and other times staff told me the director wasn’t in or that they couldn’t check emails. I also sent four follow-up emails with no response at all. As placement students, we work full 7-hour days for free, and the university even pays the centre a mentor fee. Despite this, I was completely ignored after doing everything I was supposed to. I understand if the centre could no longer take a student—things change. But simply ghosting someone who had gone through the official process and was excited to start is incredibly disheartening and unprofessional. This centre is part of a national chain, and my classmates in Canberra and Melbourne had respectful and smooth experiences at other branches. I don’t know why I was treated like this. I expected at least basic courtesy, especially from an organisation that plays such a crucial role in early childhood education. UPDATE I received the reply from this centre, explaining that they haven't received the necessary documents from my uni. But that's impossible, since I've asked the uni to re-sent the confirmation twice, and they also cc me. I just can't understand why a good fame chain ECT centre would be so many lies and fake truth. If you've got enough students from other uni, or just don't want me here, you can simply tell me. But not just instead, ingored and ghosted my 8 calls and emails. Does anyone know how struggling I'm processing these all the two weeks? I asked the uni team to cancel the placement and re-seeking another centre. Which each step took long time to response and may lead to horrible consequences. Why you can't just tell the truth and show our students at least some respect? Read more

Michelle Cui

May, 2025