Northcote Childcare & Kindergarten

Reviews from Google

Only About Children Northcote

4.4Stars -25Reviews

Katherine Su1739521761

Amazing childcare centre with amazing educators and a great environment for the children. 100/5 stars

steve Tempel1723764123

We joined the Oac Community last year and are very happy about the care and education which giving by the hardworking educators.
Also they had this year some leadership changes in the centre and Kinder Room . But all the Changes were really positiv and ensure a even better quality.

Blair Fisher1723759020

Our son has attended OAC Northcote for over a year now starting in Nursery 1, then Nursery 2 and he is starting in Nursery 3. The educators in each room have been amazing and are very caring.
We have had great relationships with all of them and their communication is fantastic - sending us daily stories and lots of photos to show us how much fun the children are having.
We appreciate the focus on early education the centre has and the effort the educators make in ensuring the children are always learning, being supported emotionally and of course having fun!

We couldn’t be happier with the progress our toddler has made since he started at OAC and are very grateful for the care he receives when he’s there. Can’t recommend highly enough!

Monika Presser1723680986

What can I say about OAC Northcote?! After having 2 children go through the centre starting in the nursery, I can honestly say that all of the staff and educators felt like family. Everyone was so warm and inviting, and made a difficult drop off that much easier. When we had to leave due to moving house, it was one of the saddest days!

Their communication was always excellent, their facilities are great and they treated my children like their own. I will never forget the educators and the fact that it felt like our community, they really helped us as we started our own journey into parenthood. Would highly recommend.

Grace Halim1722645941

Our daughter adores going to OAC Northcote - she started at 4 months old and settled right in. A lot of the educators (even those not in her room) know her now and she loves her friend who started around the same time as her. She's had consistency in educators in the rooms that she's been in.

Most of all, we love the educators at OAC - they are warm, creative, and responsive. She gets really excited when we mention her educators' names and when we ask if she's looking forward to seeing them after a weekend or a holiday. The educators will give her extra attention and cuddles if she's having a rough day from teething etc

Our child loves the different activities that she gets to do, loves the food that's cooked and given to her (eats better at daycare than at home to be honest), and the outdoor free play that she gets to enjoy - she especially loves the sandpit judging from the daily pictures and the sand she brings home in her shoes 😅

Another plus is it's been really easy to add casual days on a needs basis. We recommend OAC to our friends in the area and a few have since joined. Our daughter has been able to thrive in the daycare environment - we can't thank the OAC educators and staff enough for this.

Elise Eade1722562332

Excellent facilities, communication and level of care from the educators. My experience with the nursery room has been great so far, my daughter loves the educators and the daily updates and photos give us peace of mind knowing she is being well looked after.

Emily F1722474785

We have had a wonderful experience at Only About Children Northcote. We have been part of the OAC community for 3 years now and our children have absolutely loved their time here. Our daughter started in Nursery 1 and has progressed right through to the Kinder program.

The educators are kind and caring and have created lovely bonds with our kids. Our 3.5 year old daughter has formed some really special friendships over the years here which is so gorgeous to watch and I'm sure this will be the same for our 1 year old son. We've also made some lovely new 'family friends' which is a bonus.

They are constantly thinking of fun, new activities to challenge the children and help them learn and develop in a fun way through play.

Whenever we have been working on a new skill (i.e. toilet training or adjusting naps) at home, we communicate this to the educators and they are great at supporting us and our child with encouraging the same routine/development at OAC.

There has also been great continuity and tenure amongst the educators and many of them have been there for the whole few years we've been there and as such we have lovely relationships with them. The many familiar faces is a testament to the good team culture at the centre.

We have recommended this centre to lots of friends in the area and they have also had great experiences at OAC Northcote campus.

Olga Kościuczyk1722404103

OAC Northcote has exceeded our expectations in every way. Our son loves going to daycare.

The educators at OAC are truly dedicated, professional, warm, and enthusiastic. Our son absolutely adores them, and the consistency in staff with no turnover means he builds lasting, trusting relationships. It’s clear that the educators are passionate about their work and invested in the well-being and development of each child.

The facilities are spacious, sun-lit, and purpose-built to foster both play and learning. The educational toys and expansive outdoor space provide endless opportunities for exploration and growth. Our son loves the variety of activities and the rich curriculum that the educators prepare with such care and enthusiasm. The chef-cooked meals are another highlight, featuring a diverse, multi-cultural cuisine made from fresh produce.

Last but not least communication with parents is fantastic. We appreciate the daily photos and diaries that keep us informed about what our son is doing and learning. It’s reassuring to see how much fun he’s having and the progress he’s making.

Jessica Jackson1722305360

We love the team at OAC Northcote, they take such amazing care of our children and ensure every day is filled with fun, which is so important for little people.

T G1721784508

We have been very impressed with the openness and communication at OAC over the past 12 mths. There has been some shifts in leadership this year but this has been well communicated. Many of the educators have been there for many years and we have been fortunate to have them care for both of our children. It is clear that the learning experiences are well planned, engaging and responsive to the learners.

Abi Sequeira1704185849

We love the staff at OAC Northcote! They’ve been warm and inviting from day 1. Our little one loves the chefs daily creations and enjoys spending time learning from the wonderful educators. She has grown and learnt an abundance and I credit not only us, but the fabulous team at OAC.

Irene Briggs1702604916

very caring staff, excellent learning centre for my gtandson.

Stacey Kujawa1697424144

We have been very happy with the care at OAC Northcote. The educators offer a diverse curriculum with engaging activities and always show warmth and kindness to all the children. The management is always finding ways to continue to grow a sense of community with families and communicate well with parents. It is wonderful to know that our child will have a day full of stimulating learning experiences and that they'll spend their day playing and engaging with other kids.

Michaela Johns1692584584

My daughter thrives at OAC Northcote! She’s developing well, has a great time every day she’s there, is well looked after and is fed a wide variety of different foods. Would highly recommend

Hannah Neskovski1689911910

OAC Northcote has an Exceptional Team who are warm and welcoming. They provide the most caring environment for my son and all the kids they look after. Great communication, honest reporting, brilliant new additions to the facilities and most of all I feel confident to leave my son in the care of the kind and caring educators. Thank you OAC 😁

Anna Siassios1688618060

The team at Northcote OAC have become like family to us. They take the time to understand my concerns and actually take the time to understand how we are as parents.

Every single educator, Director, Assistant Director even the Chef make our experience as parents so much easier and it's such a nice campus to come and pick up my kids.

I love that the team work on adding little touches to improve our experience, take home meals for the kids, activity ideas to do when the kids aren't feeling well and you're trying to work from home.

Another key differentiator of this campus is there are male educators who bring a nice balance and set a wonderful example for the children.

Most of all as a parent we feel listened to. I can't recommend this campus enough.

Lucy Bell1681689054

We have been sending our two kids here for years and have had a wonderful experience. The staff and educators are excellent and do such an amazing job to go above and beyond for the kids and our families. Highly recommend!

Nerissa Imeri1645245998

Staff were experienced, kind and we received regular feedback on how our child was progressing. It took our child some time to get used to going to child care but staff were always encouraging, understanding and gave plenty of advice to us and support to our child during this process. The facilities were modern with plenty of outside play area and the food provided was always high quality. Our child gained a sense of independence during their time at OAC, while learning to play and socialise with other children. There were regular updates during the day with the Storypark app including the routines function, where we could see live when and how much our child ate, when they slept and when they toileted., which we appreciated.

Nausikaa S1601266993

Friendly staff excellent service

Campus Overview

With a large outdoor play area, including dedicated spaces for our Nursery, Toddler and Kinder children, there is plenty of space for adventure, exploration and self-lead play at Only About Children Northcote. Built around a beautiful gumtree, our outdoor area includes a bike track, a worm farm and an undercover sandpit. Our Northcote childcare centre has six indoor age-based spaces, specifically designed to encourage children to learn and grow with a focus on safety and natural elements.

Children at our Northcote campus enjoy –

Our expansive, dedicated outdoor play spaces, including sandpits and climbing equipment and plenty of space for children to explore, create and lead their own play.
Our age-based indoor spaces that have been specifically created to encourage children in their learning and growth, with a focus on safety and natural elements.
Getting out into our local community through planned excursions and community activities that build on our educational curriculum and the children’s interests. These include regular trips to our local shops and parks.

Passionate educators and allied health specialists who are focused on creating a learning space where families and children can learn and grow together.
A leading nutrition, health and wellbeing offering which includes a Dietitian designed seasonal menu and fresh meals prepared daily in-house by our campus cooks
All-inclusive offering including our daily app diary updates, nappies, formula, bedding, sunscreen and more.

At Only About Children Northcote, we offer More Than Childcare. Our unique approach to early years learning goes beyond education to encompass the health, social development and wellbeing of every child in our care. We call it The OAC Way.

Our innovative play-based Grow Curriculum gives Nursery, Toddler and Kindergarten children the best opportunity to develop their growing minds during their early years. It includes:

Left Brain Logic – Literacy & Language, Exploration & STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math) and Sustainability
Right Brain Creativity – Music, Dramatic Play and Art
Health and Wellbeing – Physical Activity and Nutrition
Social Development – Trust, Respect & Relationship and Resilience & Mindfulness

Our Grow curriculum is delivered via intentional teaching in dynamic small group learning environments where children’s successes, skills and challenges are monitored on an ongoing basis.

OAC Flexi (occasional care) is available at our Northcote Campus. This option is for families wishing to utilise occasional or back up childcare at short notice. OAC Flexi is available in 2 sessions, full day or part day and is available for children aged 12 weeks – 5 years old.

Huge, dedicated outdoor play space

Our expansive, dedicated outdoor play spaces, including sandpits and bike track and plenty of space for children to explore, create and lead their own play.

Shaded outdoor play space

Our expansive, dedicated outdoor play spaces, including sandpits and bike track and plenty of space for children to explore, create and lead their own play.

Shaded outdoor play space

At Only About Children we see ourselves as More Than Childcare. Our unique approach to childcare goes beyond education to encompass the health and total wellbeing of every child.

Indoor Learning Spaces

Our unique approach to childcare goes beyond education to encompass the health and total wellbeing of every child.

Kitchen

Children enjoy meals in the spacious dining hall which is next to our open kitchen so that children can watch our much loved cook prepare meals as well as participate in cooking activities.

Northcote Childcare & Kindergarten

Our unique approach to early learning focuses on education, health & wellbeing and is specially designed to give your child the best start to life

Indoor Learning Spaces

Our unique approach to childcare goes beyond education to encompass the health and total wellbeing of every child.

Where to find us

Our purpose-built two-level Campus is located on the corner of Victoria Road and Separation Street and a 15-18-minute walk from either Dennis Station or Fairfield Station. We have bus stops right outside and a variety of local schools nearby. We are a 5-10-minute walk from our local parks, McDonell Park and Rubie Thomson Reserve, and a 15-minute walk from All Nations Park. We have underground parking available, so families can enjoy a smooth drop off and pick up every visit

Interested in learning more? The best place to start is with a tour or call us today on 138 622.

Northcote Nursery (6 weeks – 2 years)

At Only About Children Northcote Nursery, our passionate educators focus on laying a foundation for enduring curiosity, confidence and a love of learning. Our Northcote Nursery caters to the care and development needs of infants aged 6 weeks -2 years.

The Northcote Nursery focuses on safe sleep practices developed by qualified Family Health Nurses and Consultants. Our nursery is a safe and stimulating environment that encourages your child to explore and play and implements both structure and a nurturing environment with our exceptional caregiving and play routines.

Our Northcote Nursery Program includes:

Age 6 weeks -2 years appropriate indoor/outdoor learning environments.
Sleeping rooms with a focus on positive sleep practices.
Dietitian designed baby menus with all meals and snacks included.
Baby essentials such as nappies, cots, linen, and sunscreen.
Balanced structured and unstructured play-based learning – Grow curriculum

For more information, download the Only About Children Nursery Room Guide

OAC Nursery Room Guide

Northcote Toddlers (2-3 years)

Our Only About Children Northcote campus is focused on giving your child a calm and welcoming environment that balances play, exploration, and learning. Our Toddler rooms are led by passionate educators who create play-based learning activities designed to provide toddler-aged children with nurturing experiences that encourage growth and development.

Our Toddler rooms are safe, supportive spaces that facilitate creative exploration. Each space is expertly designed to encourage younger children to explore, solve problems, create, construct and interact with peers.

Our Northcote Toddler program includes:

Age 2-3 years of appropriate learning and playing environments.
Balanced structured and unstructured play-based learning – Grow curriculum
Small group learning activities.
Dietitian designed menus with all meals and snacks included.
Calm sleeping and resting rooms.

For more information, download the Only About Children Toddler Room Guide

OAC Toddler Room Guide

Northcote Kindergarten (3-5 years)

Only About Children Northcote Kindergarten is focused on creating quality experiences that place your child in the best position to begin school. Our nurturing kindergarten educators give special emphasis on building school-ready skills, such as Literacy & Language, Exploration & STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math), Sustainability, Music, Dramatic Play and Art. We aim to make your child’s transition to school as smooth as possible by providing balanced, small group learning activities that build independence and resilience along with academic skills.

Our team of highly-skilled educators and health specialists work together to create an integrated journey that enhances your child’s learning and development. Individual learning plans are created to empower each child with skills that will help them reach their full academic and social potential.

We use the Kinder Tick at Only About Children Northcote because we’re an approved provider of a Victorian Government funded kindergarten program. That means our service delivers a play-based learning program, led by a qualified early childhood teacher.

Northcote Kindergarten program

Provides an innovative curriculum focused on left brain logic and right brain creativity
Includes both structured and unstructured play-based learning that considers the child’s individual interests and development
Provides an ‘Individual Learning and Development Plan’ for every child with 6 monthly check-ins with families
A learning focus from 9am to 3pm to prepare children for typical school hours and routine whilst providing the flexibility of long hours for social development and play
Is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS) for childcare.
Includes Health and Social Development support in preparation for school, including complementary Vision Screening

For more information, download the Only About Children Kindergarten Room Guide

OAC Kindergarten Room Guide

Helpful Info

Northcote Campus Educators

Tammy Zhou

Campus Director

Introducing Tammy, our passionate Campus Director. Tammy has been in early childhood education for over nine years, following a career change from accounting after the birth of her daughter. Driven by her long-standing passion for working with children, she made the switch and has never looked back.

As a Campus Director, Tammy’s greatest joy is watching children grow, learn, and smile. Their curiosity and creativity inspire her every day. Tammy also loves supporting her team, ensuring they feel valued and confident in their roles. She’s dedicated to creating a warm and nurturing environment where both children and staff can thrive.

Tammy’s educational philosophy is rooted in the ‘rights of the child,’ encouraging active engagement, fostering curiosity, and inspiring a lifelong love of learning. She believes in a collaborative approach, working closely with families to ensure children feel a strong sense of belonging and joy.

Outside of work, Tammy enjoys going to the gym, nature walks, photography, video making, and spending quality time with her family.

Feel free to pop by and say hello to Tammy!

Childcare Subsidy

For more information, visit our Childcare Subsidy Information (CCS)