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Welcome to St Ives

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Guardian Childcare St Ives

Google Reviews

(26)
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  • Keeping children safe always comes first. All of our team are committed to uphold the highest standards of child safety. Read more about our approach to child safety.
  • A state-of-the-art Centre with six beautiful, light-filled learning spaces and three architecturally designed outdoor areas the children love!
  • Every day is unique in our newly renovated centre with modern resources from nursery to our leading 2-year preschool program. You don't want to miss out!
  • Meet our dedicated team and discover how we lead the way in your child's development, where keeping you connected with regular communication about their progress is a top priority.

6 Eastern Arterial Rd St Ives, NSW, 2075


Enter via Hunter Avenue

Mon to Fri 7:00am to 6:00pm

Limited Spaces Available

Premium St Ives Childcare Centre

St Ives Centre Manager Image

Meet our Centre Manager Shaoli

"Our Centre Managers are the heart of our Centres. Leading our Teachers and Educators to deliver the highest quality care and education to all children."

Daily Fees

Value for quality care. See our daily fees and your CCS-reduced cost

View Daily Fees

When your child joins us at Guardian St Ives, you become part of our family. Our long day care centre offers quality care and education, from our Nursery through to our government-subsidised 2-year Flying Start to School preschool program.

At our leading childcare in St Ives your family will love our:

• Six beautiful indoor spaces filled with quality, age-appropriate resources.
• Three spacious outdoor areas, complete with a bike track, sandpit, cubby house and veggie garden.
• Our To BE Me learning programs meeting each child where they are, supporting their individual development. Our team understands and encourages your child at every stage

Families quickly discover a welcoming community with a shared commitment to every child’s wellbeing and safety. We’re proud of our early learning centre – join the leading childcare provider in the area!

We Care More. The Guardian Difference.

A new era in early learning.

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Premium Learning Spaces

Inspiring environments for curious minds.

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Where care meets peace of mind.

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Building lifelong healthy habits with every bite.

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2 year Preschool / Kinder program for school readiness.

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Partnership with families & community

Stay connected, every step of the way.

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What Learning Looks Like at Different Ages

To Be Me

A new era in early learning. To BE Me is our exclusive learning program designed for each age & stage of a child’s first years, tailored to their age, interests & strengths. Their pathway is personalised, with every milestone captured to makes the link between play & learning clear & memorable.

Google Reviews

(26)
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Jacky W.
Excellent teachers!
Ignacia S.
We absolutely love this centre. It’s big, open, and has fantastic facilities that create a really welcoming and stimulating environment for the children. The educators are amazing, caring, attentive, and genuinely invested in the kids. Most importantly, our son Ezra loves going there, which gives us so much peace of mind. We couldn’t be happier with our experience and highly recommend the Guardian St Ives
Vicky A.
My son Matteo has absolutely thrived at this childcare. The whole team is so loving and caring, especially Gloria and Sandy, who have been incredible with him from day one. They always make him feel safe, supported, and happy, and we’ve seen so much growth in him since he started—he’s learned so much during their care!

Shaoli and Ishini have also been wonderful, always welcoming us with a smile and creating such a positive environment for the kids. We’re truly grateful for everything they do. Highly recommend this centre to any parent looking for a place where their child will be genuinely cared for and encouraged to grow.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Vicky! We’re so happy to hear how much Matteo has thrived and that you feel supported by the team. Gloria, Sandy, Shaoli, and Ishini will be delighted to know their care has made such a difference. Your recommendation means the world to us!
H Z
Response from the owner:Thank you, H, for your 5-star rating! We truly appreciate your support and are so glad you’ve had a positive experience!
Leo L.
We’ve had such a lovely experience at Guardian! The educators are so kind and caring, really appreciate all the love and support from the team!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Leo, for sharing your experience. We’re delighted to hear you’ve had such a positive journey and that the educators’ care and kindness have made a difference. Your appreciation means a lot to us!
Joanne L.
I am extremely pleased … The staff is caring, attentive, and goes above and beyond to ensure a positive experience for the children.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words Joanne! We’re so pleased to hear that you’ve had such a positive experience and that our team’s care and attentiveness have stood out. Going above and beyond to support children and families is something we’re passionate about, so it’s lovely to know that’s come through in your time with us. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and look forward to continuing this journey with your family.
Tiffany L.
St Ives campus is very nice. The room is large and bright. The educator and manager are very friendly and helpful. My child Ellie very loves educator Gloria,Sandy and Tenzin. They are so nice.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much Tiffany, for your lovely feedback. We’re really glad to hear you’ve had such a positive experience with us! It’s great to know you’ve found the rooms bright and spacious, and that our team has made you feel welcome and supported. Gloria, Sandy and Tenzin will be thrilled to hear how much Ellie enjoys spending time with them, they love what they do and it clearly shows though their strong bond with Ellie. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. It means the world to us!
Vita F.
We’ve been so fortunate to have both our children attend Guardian St Ives for almost two years, and it’s been an incredibly positive experience from start to finish. The educators are kind, professional, and always supportive. They truly care about the kids, and it shows in everything they do.
The centre is spacious with lots of room for the kids to explore. There are multiple indoor and outdoor play areas, which gives them plenty of opportunities to stay active and engaged. It's a great environment for learning and play.
We highly recommend Guardian St Ives for anyone looking for a caring, professional, and well-equipped childcare centre. Thank you to all the educators for making it such a positive experience for our family!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words and recommendation Vita! We’re truly grateful to have had the opportunity to support both your children over the past two years. It’s wonderful to hear that our educators’ kindness, professionalism, and genuine care have made such a positive impact on your family. We’re also glad the spacious environment and variety of play areas have helped keep your little ones engaged and thriving. Creating a space where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn is what we strive for every day. Thank you again for your trust and support. It means so much to our entire team!
Kenneth O.
Have got two of kids here in nursery and preschool, my elder kid has been here since toddler. The educators in the rooms have been great and although in recent year or so there has been some uncertainty in management approach due to changes in management staff, recently with Ishini and Shaoli coming in it seems to have brought some features of the guardian we first signed our elder one up to with some extra activities and events planned off and on . The space in the childcare is great with really nice outdoor areas and also an indoor area for wet days which the kids love. The educators in nursery like sandy and Gloria have been great to our younger one and in preschoolers room, Sara, Kim, Dwi and Yina
have been great for our child
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us Kenneth! It’s wonderful to hear that both your children have had such positive journeys at our centre, from nursery through to preschool. We’re especially grateful for your kind words about our educators Sandy, Gloria, Sara, Kim, Dwi, and Yina, they are truly passionate about creating a nurturing and engaging environment for every child. It’s great to know that the added activities and events have brought back the spirit you first experienced with us. Our indoor and outdoor spaces are designed to support play and learning in all weather, and we’re so glad your children enjoy them. Thank you again for your continued support and trust. It means the world to our team.
Jignesh K.
Our child has been attending this center for over a year. While the educators have consistently been loving and caring, the management was inconsistent until about three months ago. Since Ishini and Shaoli joined the management team, we have seen significant positive changes. The educators now provide proper feedback, greet parents with a smile, and offer detailed information on meals and sleeping. We appreciate you taking our feedback to heart and implementing these positive changes. However, we believe the management team should also consider adjusting the fees to be more in line with area standards, as the current rate is approximately 10% higher than the local market average.
Response from the owner:Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts! We really appreciate being a part of your child's journey. It’s lovely to know our educators have consistently made your family feel supported and cared for. We’re also thrilled that the recent changes in management have made a real difference. Ishini and Shaoli have brought a fresh energy to the team, and it’s great to hear that things like communication, daily updates, and those friendly greetings are standing out. Thanks again for your kind words and constructive feedback—it helps us grow and improve.
Lance W.
The new management team Ishini and Shaoli at this childcare center is exceptional—professional, responsive, and genuinely caring. Together with other good educators in the center, they ensure a safe, nurturing environment and maintain excellent communication with parents. Their dedication to high standards and child development is truly commendable. I feel confident and at ease knowing my child is in such capable hands.
Response from the owner:We’re incredibly grateful for your kind words about Ishini and Shaoli, and we’re thrilled to hear that their professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine care have made such a positive impact. Together with our passionate educators, we strive every day to create a safe and nurturing environment where children can thrive. Your recognition of our commitment to high standards and child development means a lot to us. Maintaining open and effective communication with families is a top priority, and we’re so glad that you feel confident and at ease knowing your child is in capable hands. Thank you Lance!
Shruti S.
Y K
Love the educators here, Joy, Varshali, Charlie, Pauleen, Yina, Gloria, Sandy, Eva, Eileen, Belle, Kim, and new educators which I don’t remember your name (sorry). They are so caring and I feel comfortable to leave my 2 years old daughter in here with their care. Thanks so much!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your great review for our centre in St Ives. We are so happy to hear that we are meeting your expectations. We will continue to provide the best possible care for our families and children 😊 ​
Theresa T.
We love St Ives Guardian. Our son is very happy here and is thriving with his speech, learning and motor skills. Staff have been supportive and caring
Response from the owner:Thank you for your feedback about our center in St Ives! We are so happy to hear such good things about you and your little one’s experience with us. At Guardian, we’re all about partnering with our families to deliver the best quality outcome for our children and really appreciate your review.
Sue May X.
Educators are always friendly, caring and attentive. The centre has nice set out and spacious indoor and outdoor play area for children. Can’t recommend more.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your feedback about our center in St Ives! We are so happy to hear such good things about you and your little one’s experience with us. At Guardian, we’re all about partnering with our families to deliver the best quality outcome for our children and really appreciate your review.
Laura L.
Michaela A.
Great staff, facilities, parking, onsite cooking, daily updates, and community events
Response from the owner:• Thanks for the awesome review, Michaela! We work hard to meet expectations like yours, and always strive to find ways to improve our centres. Glad to you hear you have had such a great experience!
JMJ
Karl F.
I am over the moon that I finally found a daycare in st Ives that I actually love, guardian is the 3rd daycare we have tried and I can honestly say it’s definitely the best. They have clear goals on what they are working on and have a in-depth understanding of your child and what your goals are for your child and they really support you in achieving this. The team are great and truly care about my son and this shows in his connections to the educators at Guardian.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your positive feedback we really appreciate your kind words. We always strive as a team to implement programs based on the the individual child and support them into developing and achieving their goals. From the team at Guardian St Ives thank you.😍
Bernalee B.
Luanzhi Z.
Jefelin Grace F.
My son attended Guardian St Ives and he loves every minute of it. All the Educators are lovely and pleasant. They make sure that all the kids will join the activities and they are quite observant on what my son loves to do. They have cooking, painting, water activities and so much more. The facility is new and great as well. I have decided to transfer my son full time in this childcare.
C M.
We’ve been with Guardian ELC since my eldest was 6months old and always been happy with their care and curriculum. St Ives blew our minds when we viewed the centre before it opened, such a huge space both indoor and outdoor for children to run around, beautifully decorated and educators have also been amazing. It’s been a smooth transition from previous centre and both girls are loving spending time here and they don’t want to come home!
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Rhythm of the Day

We know children and families like routine, so you will always receive a warm welcome each morning and an invitation to stay for breakfast. At the end of the day, a smooth transition is assured with your child’s belongings ready for you after a day that fulfils your child's interests and curiosity. In between, the day is filled with new and exciting experiences to engage young minds as part of their early childhood education. Here’s a glimpse of what a day of play-based learning at our childcare centre often looks like.

Morning

Breakfast time provides a great chance for you to share what is important and how your baby’s night at home was.

Mid-Morning

Your baby will enjoy engaging in both our indoor and outdoor nursery environments with planned experiences like songs and story time, followed by morning tea.

Middle of the Day

Your baby’s lunch times will suit their needs, and with our open-door policy, families are welcome to enjoy lunch/bottle time with your baby. When your baby is ready, they are gently settled for sleep and rest.

Mid-Afternoon

Our planned indoor and outdoor nursery experiences continue with the chance for movement, games and more books and songs, with an afternoon snack provided.

End of Day

The Nursery team are eager to share information about your baby’s day and their learning, preparing you and your baby for a smooth transition to your evening.

Frequently asked questions

What we do to keep children safe

Create Safe Spaces & Practices

  • Nappy change areas are designed to have visibility windows and are set up for maximum supervision
  • Our policies also cater for team members being in sight or sound of another team member at all times.
  • Safety embedded in daily programs – by conducting daily checklists, comprehensive risk assessments, and more
  • personal phones or devices are not allowed in learning spaces.

Safe People Who Follow Safe Policies

  • Working With Children Checks for all team members. Automatic alerts if a WWCC is revoked and team member not eligible for shifts
  • Rigorous reference checks – must provide previous line managers for their past roles
  • Annual compulsory Suitability Declarations to confirm ongoing fitness to work with children
  • Mandatory reporting and speaking up – report concerns immediately and all concerns will be investigated fully
  • Ongoing mandatory training in child safety, including annual refreshers and leadership-specific modules

Controlling Access to our Centres

  • Multiple levels of security in all centres
  • All visitors must sign in and present photo ID before entry
  • All tradespeople must provide a WWCC & complete Guardian-specific induction.

Read more here

Daily Fee Information

Daily Rates

Our daily rates are all inclusive and have no additional charges for incursions / excursions or any of our learning programs. The rates shown are an estimate based on using Childcare Subsidy (CCS) subsidised hours. The CCS helps lower your out-of-pocket costs, with subsidy rates dependant on your individual family eligibility levels.

What You Might Pay After CCS
Age of Room Daily Rate 60% Subsidy 80% Subsidy
Nursery (0–2) $195.83 $104.10 $73.52
Toddler (2–3) $192.33 $100.60 $70.02
Preschool (3–5) $188.84 $97.11 $66.53

The New South Wales Government offers funding to provide families fee relief of up to $2174 per child aged three and above, and up to $515 per year for children aged three. This support is in addition to the Child Care Subsidy and can help to lower your out-of-pocket fees. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.

What do you provide?

Hat, wetbag and sunscreen

Hat, wetbag and sunscreen

5 meals per day

5 meals per day

All incursions and excursions

All incursions and excursions

Nappies, wipes and formula

Nappies and wipes

Storypark parenting app

Storypark parenting app

Long day care hours year around

Long day care hours year around

How will you share updates about my child’s day?

Great communication is vital in our collaborative partnerships with families at the Centre. We have a variety of different ways we communicate with you about your child’s learning and progress:


  1. Storypark app - Stay connected to your child's day with regular updates, including photos and learning insights

  2. Pick-up and drop-off updates – Our Educators will share highlights from their day, including experiences they enjoyed, mealtimes, and naps to support your evening routine.

  3. In-room learning exchange displays make our weekly learning plans easy to see so you know what your child will be learning.

  4. Centre Newsletters – Great for community connection and wider Centre and team updates.

  5. Development documentation and meetings for your individual child’s progress.


But remember our door is always open.

Our Learning Programs

Learning should be fun! Learning through play encourages children to explore and understand their world at their own pace. It helps build their knowledge, develop confidence, and embrace curiosity.

Learning should be fun! Learning through play allows children to build their knowledge, develop confidence, and embrace curiosity.

Preschool Program
Flying start to school

Our Flying Start to School preschool program is lead by degree qualified Teachers in a long day care setting. Our specialist two-year program is committed to supporting your child as they prepare for big school. We focus on nurturing their confidence, making friends and social emotional growth while also supporting their abilities in reading, writing, counting, and thinking skills. Whether it’s building with blocks, practicing their first letters, or learning to share with friends, every experience is carefully designed to support your child’s development.

Our Centre is a recipient of funding as part of the NSW Government’s Start Strong Program. Families can receive fee relief to reduce your out-of-pocket fees of up to $2174 per child aged 4 on or before 31 July 2025, and up to $515 per year for children aged 3 on or before 31 July 2025. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.

Out and about

Through excursions, children are supported to expand their world, to get to know their community, and have a sense of belonging. Their learning thrives when they feel safe, welcome, and that they belong.

Cooking

Cooking experiences teach numeracy by counting ingredients, and weighing and measuring quantities and volume, while managing these tasks supports independence and confidence.

Ella Language

Learning languages through Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) supports brain development and social skills and creates opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity.

Joy of Reading

Reading aloud to children each day inspires imagination and supports thinking. Books with rhythm, rhyme and word patterns make stories more playful and memorable.

Sustainability

From growing veggies and foraging in the garden for that day’s meal ingredients to learning about recycling, children learn about being part of a community, connecting to their environment and understanding their impact on the world.

Guardian Centres Nearby

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