You can call during business hours on 08 8358 1066.

Additionally, parents are invited to use the Xplor Home app to collaborate with our admin team and educators.

Xplor is the largest software supplier for the Early Learning sector, with trusted and innovative products used in thousands of centres across Australia.

Xplor Home is a free, easy-to-use app that keeps parents/guardians connected with their child’s day at Montessori Seacliff. Parents can use it to sign children in and out, receive photos and learning stories from educators, track their child’s day and manage enrolment or booking details. It also simplifies administration by allowing families to view fees, see statements, and view important announcements, making communication with the centre seamless and transparent.

There is no upfront or ongoing cost for parents/guardians to use the app.

The safety and wellbeing of your child is our primary concern at all times.

Our focus on stability and longevity within our team is the foundation of child safety. We rarely engage agency (temporary) staff, and rarely draw upon our own, dedicated casual relief pool. The educators caring for your child are familiar faces, and know the children well. This consistency in staffing allows us to build strong, meaningful relationships, notice small changes in behaviour or wellbeing, and respond quickly when a child needs support. If the sector is honest with itself, this depth of knowledge simply isn’t possible when staff change regularly. Our team is also more capable of performing their best when they have long-standing, trusted and deep relationships with their colleagues.

Next, we have strict access procedures to the centre at all times. Our team closely monitors people entering and exiting the building, ensuring only approved and registered individuals are permitted. These measures help create a controlled and predictable environment where children remain safe from the moment they arrive.

Our pickup and drop-off procedures are equally robust. Children will only be released to individuals listed on their enrolment records, and staff confirm identity through photo ID when needed. We follow strict protocols for changes to authorised pickups, so no child is ever collected by someone who has not been properly verified. This structured system ensures that transitions at the beginning and end of the day are handled with clarity, consistency and care.

All staff hold current Working With Children Checks and meet or exceed every requirement set out by South Australian and Federal legislation. We maintain rigorous compliance across all regulatory areas, including supervision, child protection obligations and mandatory training. This legal and ethical foundation gives families confidence that every adult involved in your child’s day is cleared, trustworthy and qualified to be there.

We undergo regular audits from government bodies to confirm our compliance with national and state law related to childcare, but also fire, emergency and other building safety considerations.

Finally, our educators are highly trained and experienced in early childhood practice, child development, supervision strategies and emergency procedures. Their professional expertise, combined with genuine warmth and attentiveness, creates an environment where children are not only physically safe but also emotionally secure. We pride ourselves on offering a centre where parents feel confident, informed, and reassured that their child is cared for by a team who truly knows them.

We are open Monday to Friday, from 7:00am to 5:30pm, every week of the year except two weeks over the New Year break. The dates of this closure changes each year.

Families work with the centre to develop a routine for drop offs and pickups that best support the child.

When a family enrols with the service, they setup accounts and authorisations for themselves (parents) and others, such as grandparents. These authorisations allow particular people to have certain approvals.

Parents choose who has pickup authority, which can be modified anytime in the Xplor Home app.

We design our menu to be flexible, nutritious, and respectful of each child’s individual needs.

Food is prepared fresh onsite daily in our commercial kitchen by "chef" Emily, our cook and food manager. She has a wide range of experience in food service spanning 10 years, and has even worked as a private nanny for 3 years.

Our meals are seasonal—lighter options in summer and hearty, warming dishes like soups and curries in winter—all prepared in-house in our commercial kitchen. Wherever possible, meals are cooked entirely from scratch using locally sourced, whole ingredients. We provide gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and plant-based alternatives, ensuring children with allergies or specific dietary requirements always have safe and satisfying options.

We are thoughtful and intentional about every ingredient we use. We avoid processed foods, seed oils, refined sugars, chemical additives and unnecessary shortcuts that compromise nutrition. Instead, we focus on whole, natural foods, high-quality produce, and careful preparation methods such as soaking legumes and incorporating extra nourishment into meals. Our aim is to cater to all dietary needs while gently exposing children to new flavours, supporting their preferences, and ensuring they always feel comfortable, confident and well-fed.

Each day, its important to include in the child's bag:

• A hat
• Full change of clothes (maybe two!), including all layers
• Nappies (if you prefer your own)
• Wipes (if you prefer your own)
• Additional layers of clothing
• Spare shoes (closed toe)

Things that you can bring that stay at the centre:

• Sunscreen (if you prefer your own)
• Drink bottle

You’re welcome to drop in and see your child or speak with an educator anytime.

You don’t need to call and tell us you are coming, you are welcome at any time. We’d love for you to come in and join our programs - your participation adds to every child's experience at Montessori Seacliff.

Yes, we're here to support your family's approach to toilet training.

You'll communicate closely with our team on a daily basis to understand your child's toileting routines, successes and accidents at the centre.

We recommend your child wears clothing that will allow them to access the toilet quickly and comfortably. Elastic waisted pants are most suitable, whilst jeans with buttons are not recommended.

That's totally up to you! We're open 7am until 5:30pm. Your child can attend any hours during that timeframe to best suit your family's schedule.

The Montessori approach to early education is built on the belief that children are naturally curious, capable, and eager to learn when given the right environment. Developed by Dr. Maria Montessori over a century ago, the philosophy focuses on fostering independence, self-discipline, and a love of learning from an early age. In a Montessori setting, children are encouraged to explore, make choices, and take an active role in their own learning, while being guided by educators who observe and support their individual needs.

At Montessori Early Learning Seacliff, our classrooms are carefully prepared with materials and activities that are designed to meet each stage of development. These materials are hands-on, self-correcting, and invite children to engage all their senses in learning. Instead of following a one-size-fits-all program, children move through activities at their own pace, developing confidence and a deep sense of responsibility for their learning. This method not only builds academic skills but also nurtures problem-solving, creativity, and respect for others.

The Montessori philosophy also places a strong emphasis on practical life skills and social-emotional development. Children learn to care for themselves, their environment, and each other, fostering a sense of community and cooperation. Our educators guide children to resolve conflicts respectfully, celebrate differences, and work collaboratively. By combining freedom with gentle structure, the Montessori approach prepares children not just for school, but for life — equipping them with the independence, resilience, and curiosity that will serve them for years to come.

While the Education and Care Services National Law only requires our centre to employ one qualified Early Childhood Teacher (ECT), we are proud to have three ECTs on staff. Teachers hold a university degree in early childhood education, giving them a deeper understanding of child development, curriculum design, and the learning needs of children from birth to school age. This level of training equips them to plan and deliver rich, intentional learning experiences that extend beyond routine care, ensuring children are not only safe and happy but also thriving in their learning.

By having three teachers instead of the minimum requirement, our program benefits from a higher level of professional knowledge and pedagogical skill across the centre. While Certificate III and Diploma-qualified educators are essential and highly valued for their hands-on care and practical expertise, teachers bring an added depth in areas like literacy, numeracy, assessment, and preparing children for school. This blend of skills means our centre combines the nurturing, relationship-focused approach of our educators with the advanced educational leadership of multiple teachers, creating a truly enriched early learning environment.

A Montessori classroom offers children a unique learning environment that is quite different from many traditional childcare or early learning settings. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach, Montessori education is based on the belief that each child is naturally curious and capable of directing their own learning when given the right tools and guidance. The classroom is carefully prepared with hands-on materials and child-sized furniture, creating a space where children can explore, move freely, and learn in ways that feel natural to them.

One of the biggest benefits of Montessori is the focus on independence and confidence. Children are encouraged to make choices about their work and take responsibility for their own activities. Simple things like pouring their own drink, choosing their own learning task, or tidying up after themselves may seem small, but they help build self-esteem and resilience. In contrast, many traditional classrooms rely heavily on teacher direction, which can limit opportunities for children to develop these lifelong skills.

Montessori also places strong emphasis on deep concentration and a love of learning. Children are given the time and space to focus on one activity for as long as they need, rather than being moved along by a set timetable. This encourages patience, persistence, and the ability to think critically—skills that are valuable not just in early childhood, but throughout school and beyond. In other environments, constant transitions and group-led activities can sometimes interrupt children’s natural flow of learning.

Another key difference is the way Montessori classrooms foster social and emotional growth. Mixed-age groups are a hallmark of the Montessori method, allowing younger children to learn from older peers and older children to develop leadership and empathy by helping those who are younger. This creates a strong sense of community and cooperation, compared to traditional models where children are usually grouped strictly by age and have fewer opportunities for this type of peer learning.

Finally, the Montessori approach helps children build practical life skills alongside academic knowledge. Activities like cooking, gardening, or caring for the classroom environment give children a sense of purpose and achievement. These skills are not always prioritised in other early learning settings, yet they play a vital role in preparing children for life outside the classroom. With Montessori, the goal is not just to teach children what to know, but to inspire who they can become—confident, capable, and compassionate individuals.

Integrated learning and children's participation in the food culture at Montessori will be a focus of the entire team, but in particular "Chef" Emily.  

She will be creating menus to include meals of international cuisines corresponding with term curriculum to enhance the children's experience learning.

We would like to start a program inviting families to bring produce from home to be incorporated into meals. Our idea is to accept any produce from families which needs to be used up quickly or that they have an excess of - the child should bring it to me in the kitchen in the morning and I will include it in that week's menu, making sure to specifically acknowledge how it's been used when serving the food.

Emily will also be offering the children the opportunity to engage in learning about food and cooking through "kitchen hand duties" such as food preparation, table setting and cleaning. 

These are the mandated minimum standards for our service:

• All Educators either hold, or are actively working towards a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• In addition to this, at least half of the team hold a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
• A single Early Childhood Teacher
• Dedicated Educational Leader to coach and mentor Educators in developing high quality educational programs
• Every person we employ has a current Working with Children Check

We exceed this minimum in several ways:

• Only a few of our Educators hold the Cert III only, most hold a Diploma or higher
• We have three Early Childhood Teachers on staff, even though we only need one
• Most of our team have completed Montessori Training

It's also important to know:

• Less than 1% of our staffing hours are completed by external "Agency" staff.
  • Children and parents can expect in-house, consistent and reliable Educators
• Our staff have a very low turn-over rate, with many having been at our centre for over 10 years
• We have a very experienced team, some with 30 years experience in early education
• Most of our staff are on permanent contracts with regular days
• We have a dedicated pool of casual staff that only work at our centre

You can start the enrolment process by booking a tour of the centre on our contact page. We'll then provide further instruction in person on the next steps.

We do not charge an enrolment fee.

We charge a bond of $150 per child, per day of enrolment. For example, a family with one child, who is attending Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be required to pay a bond of $450 to start their enrolment.

100% of the bond is returned to the family at the end of the enrolment after the final day of service has been provided and the family has a zero account balance.

We are open 50 weeks a year, Monday to Friday. Families have the option of booking between 2 and 5 days of service per week (we have a minimum of 2 days).

Let's say you enrol your child Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Your enrolment for these three days is live, billable and continuous until you advise us otherwise. These are your "normal days of care".

• You are billed 50 weeks a year for your normal days of care (no fees for 2 week closure)
• This continues until you cancel, and four weeks notice is required for cancellation or downgrades
• If your enrolled day falls on a public holiday, we provide a 50% discount
• If you're ill, on holidays or otherwise unable to attend for any reason on your normal day of enrolment, then you still pay fees. In most cases, CCS will still pay their share for up to 42 days of absences per year, for any type of absence.
• If you want to book a casual day, this can be done in addition to your normal days
• We do not permit swapping of days or requesting a pause to your enrolment
  

There may come a time during your enrolment with us that you want to increase or decrease the number of normal days of care you do with us.

If its a once-off, simply book a casual day (subject to availaiblity).

If you need a permanent change, for example due to a change in the families work commitments or other support your family relies upon, then get in touch with our team to plan the transition. It's best to reach out ASAP if you're wanting to add days, because we'll need to check availability.

If you're removing days, please remember:

• We have a 2 day minimum
• You need to give us 4 weeks notice, otherwise feels apply for that day until four weeks have lapsed

Please contact us to discuss your child's enrolment. To advise you on availability, we'll need to know:

• Your child's age
• Which days per week you need
• When you'd like to start

After we have this information, we can give you availability specific to your needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please contact us to discuss your child's potential enrolment. To advise you on availability, we'll need to know:

• Your child's age
• Which days per week you need
• When you'd like to start

After we have this information, we can give you availability specific to your needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you'd like to enroll your child with Montessori Seacliff, depending on a range of factors, it's probably a good idea to support their transition into our program by participating in some orientation days.

Orientation involves a parent/guardian spending time at the center with the child during the morning routine. The child has the opportunity to explore the room, meet other children, and spend time with their educators - all with the support of a loved-one nearby.

A family may choose to do a single, or multiple orientation days. We'll explain more about this process during your tour or enrolment process.

Whilst other services charge a full fee day on Public Holidays, we provide a 50% discount.

Families will be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for public holidays if they have not exceeded allowable yearly absences.

With a 50% discount applied to a daily fee of $153, a family with a 80% CCS will only pay $15.3 on the Public Holiday (ignoring the withholding % that may apply).

The standard fee still applies if your child is unable to attend due to sickness. This is regardless of how much notice you provide, or whether you have a doctors certificate.

Your enrolment (the days you attend each week), continues throughout the year, except for the two week Christmas / New Year break. This means you're obliged to pay standard fees for every day of enrolment, regardless of sickness, or other absences.

Under the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), families are allowed 42 absence days per child, per financial year. These can be taken for any reason, including public holidays and when children are sick, without the need for families to provide documentation.

Absences should only be claimed when care would have been provided if the child was not absent, and the family has been charged a fee for the session of care. CCS is only payable for absences submitted before a child has started at a service, or after a child’s final day of actual attendance at a service, under limited circumstances.

We have a single type of fee, which is currently $153 per day before subsidy (CCS). This fee was last updated 24 Nov 2025.

This fee includes service from 7:00am until 5:30pm.

A family that receives an 80% child care subsidy can expect to pay a gap of $30.6 out of the $153 fee (ignoring the withholding percentage which is explained elsewhere in our FAQs).

We have a 20% discount for Holiday Absence Days (conditions apply), and a 50% discount if your normal enrolment day falls on a public holiday (SA). There are no fees for our two-week end of year closure.

We do not have any other discount programs/offers.

To support families that are booking a holiday in advance, we provide a 20% discount subject to these conditions:

• 14 days advanced notice is required. No discount applies if this advanced notice can't be provided.
• Families are eligible to receive 3 days at the discounted rate, per day of enrolment. For example, a child that is enrolled 2 days receives 6 days at the reduced rate, whereas a child enrolled 5 days receives 15 days
• This entitlement resets 1 July each year, and does not "roll over"
• This program can be withdrawn by the centre, and families will be given 4 weeks notice

Our daily fee includes:

• Attendance for your preferred duration, between 7am and 5:30pm
• Food service, prepared fresh daily onsite
• Consumables such as nappies, wipes and sunscreen
• Incursions (such as our music teacher!) and excursions (conditions apply)

There's no other fees that families need to worry about - it's all built into the one fee.

Fees are paid via direct debit from a bank account or credit card. Once a direct debit agreement is completed, payments are automatically processed on a Thursday, for care provided in the previous week (Monday to Friday). This means your Xplor Home app and Account Statements always reflect what's actually happened.

Direct debits only occur after we've been paid CCS by the federal government, so that the fee we charge you is accurate.

Other centres bill in advance (predicting future attendance and CCS) however this creates a paperwork trail that's difficult for everyone to understand!

Yes. Montessori Early Learning Seacliff holds an active approval by the Australian Government to obtain Child Care Subsidy to reduce fees on your behalf.

We only collect a "gap" fee from families, and the Government pays us your subsidy directly.