About Us

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Children First – nurturing wellbeing, belonging and a love of lifelong learning

Welcome to Gunning Early Learning Centre, a small community-based early learning service with a big heart.

Located in the heart of the Gunning community, our centre provides high-quality early childhood education and care for children from birth to school age. We are proud to offer a warm, welcoming environment where children are known, valued and supported to grow into confident, capable and curious learners.

At GELC, we believe that children learn best when they feel safe, secure, connected and genuinely cared for. Strong relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Our educators take the time to know each child — their interests, strengths, personality, family, culture and individual way of learning — and use this knowledge to create meaningful experiences that build on what matters to them.

Small centre, big heart

Being a smaller service allows us to create a strong sense of belonging and community. Children and families become familiar faces, educators know the children across the whole service, and genuine relationships develop over time.

Our three learning environments provide children with opportunities to learn, explore and develop at their own pace, while our smaller group experiences allow educators to provide individual attention and intentionally extend children's learning.

We value the things that make childhood special — messy play, big questions, imaginative adventures, friendships, outdoor exploration, stories, music, creativity and the simple joy of discovering something new.

Learning through play, relationships and discovery

Our curriculum is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework and is thoughtfully designed around children's interests, strengths and individual learning goals.

We see play as a powerful way for children to make sense of their world. Educators intentionally join children's play, ask questions, introduce new ideas and resources, and provide challenges that extend children's thinking — while ensuring children remain active participants in their own learning.

Everyday moments are learning opportunities too. Mealtimes, routines, conversations, caring for our environment, helping others and simply being together provide valuable opportunities for children to develop independence, confidence, communication and social skills.

We encourage children to be curious, take appropriate risks, make decisions, solve problems and have a voice in their learning.

Our educators

Our dedicated team is at the heart of GELC. We are proud of our highly experienced and qualified educators, with a strong commitment to ongoing professional learning and reflective practice.

Our educators work collaboratively to create an environment where children feel secure, respected and encouraged to be themselves. We believe that great early learning is built on educators who genuinely enjoy being with children, understand how children learn and are committed to making a difference in their early years.

Connected to our community

We are proud to be part of the Gunning community and recognise the important role that families, community connections and local experiences play in children's learning.

Children are encouraged to explore and understand the world around them, including our local environment, community and connection to Country. We value the knowledge and experiences children bring from home and encourage families to share their stories, traditions, interests and expertise with us.

We believe that families are an important part of the learning community, and we welcome family contributions, communication and involvement in centre life.

More than a place to learn

For us, GELC is more than somewhere children spend their day.

It is a place where friendships are formed, confidence grows, questions are encouraged, muddy hands are celebrated, discoveries are shared and children know they belong.

We want every child who comes through our doors to leave with a strong sense of who they are, that they matter and that they are capable of making a difference in their world.

Children First. Relationships. Quality. Community. Education.

This is what makes Gunning Early Learning Centre a special place to grow.