Guardian Childcare & Education East Ivanhoe

  • Keeping children safe always comes first. All of our team are committed to uphold the highest standards of child safety. Read our approach here
  • Take a tour with us, and you’ll see why so many families love us. A sense of belonging to our strong community, quality learning and the best experience each day for your child – we have got it all.
  • Our team of skilled Educators creates a nurturing space where children can flourish and feel supported every day.
  • Discover our centre that feels like home and where each day is exciting, from our nurturing nursery to our leading 2 year Kindergarten program. Your child deserves the best

Book a tour today to see what makes our Centre special & have all your questions answered

East Ivanhoe NQS Rated Exceeding by ACECQA

Our centre has been recognised as ‘Exceeding’ the National Quality Standard. This is the highest rating you can receive from a regulatory authority assessment and we are proud to deliver an exceptional service to the children and families who attend our centre.

East Ivanhoe Map Image

HOURS

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

ADDRESS

71 Lower Heidelberg Road Ivanhoe, VIC, 3079

SPACES AVAILABLE NOW ACROSS ROOMS

Check out our fantastic indoor and outdoor learning spaces your child will enjoy

Welcome to our Centre

At Guardian East Ivanhoe, we have created a home away from home where your family is part of our strong community. Our recently refurbished early learning centre is proud to be rated ‘Exceeding’, offering exceptional care from our nursery through to our government-funded Flying Start to School kindergarten program.

At our leading childcare in East Ivanhoe, your child will enjoy:

• Our recently refurbished, bright indoor spaces with quality, age-appropriate resources that engage and inspire.
• An extensive outdoor area with a covered deck, vegetable gardens, and a worm farm for children to explore.
• Our To BE Me learning programs meet 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 daycare centre – your child will never want to leave! Join the leading childcare provider in the area!

East Ivanhoe Centre Manager Image

Meet our Centre Manager Michelle and team

"We enjoy supporting children’s learning and school readiness from an early age to provide them with lifelong skills of knowledge to support them for their future aspirations and goals."

Daily Fees

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

View Daily Fees

Our Flying Start to School program provides a specialised 2-year curriculum for children aged 3 to 5. Our unique program has two stages - Becoming Me for 3 year olds and Being Me for 4 year olds. Using developmental milestones and continuous monitoring of your child's progress, this program is designed to make sure your child gets a flying start to school. Read more HERE

Flying start to school

Where children are supported to be brave, curious, and bold in their learning, for the best possible start to life.

Reviews from Google

4.4
(16)
ashley S.
ashley S.
06:24 06 Sep 24
My son has been at tge centre for a year and educators are fantastic in supporting my childs needs, they are very warm welcoming and their learning programs are of quality and get updates daily about what's happening in the room. The rooms are great and lots of room outdoors for burning off all his energy. Centre management are great. Highly recommend this centre.
Linda A.
Linda A.
05:54 28 May 24
Phil & Lauren L.
Phil & Lauren L.
05:34 14 May 24
The Ivanhoe East centre is really cute, with terrific areas for the kids to learn & engage.Love the outdoor space, great activities that encourage play in a communal way across all the rooms.The staff from the Centre Managers (Michelle & Colleen) , Sally the chef & all the educators are wonderful, friendly & super professional. We are treated like family/friends & you know your child is in safe care & can feel at ease here.Our son enjoys it, he loves the educators & never wants to leave during pick up time.Do go check it out & go on a tour, this is a popular Guardian centre that's in demand, its a true reflection on how amazing the staff are!We were on a waitlist for over 6 months & now so glad we chose to wait & enrol here!
Michelle H.
Michelle H.
23:36 11 Mar 24
This is a fantastic centre. My grandson attends the centre and has been supported so much and enjoys his day. I have also been here for over 5 years and have a fantastic team who are supprtive, caring and provide quality and required care and welcome all families.
Edith K.
Edith K.
08:15 21 Dec 23
We got lucky when I returned to work and this was the only daycare with days available. The centre is fantastic and our child loves the shared play spaces. The meals are healthy, delicious and lovingly prepared and the fruit tray left every afternoon is a hit with our toddler (and a saviour on the ride home).The staff are just wonderful. Everyone is so welcoming, attentive and caring. We receive regular communication and updates on our child’s development. We cannot recommend this daycare enough.
Akshita U.
Akshita U.
02:30 18 Dec 23
Sarah T.
Sarah T.
21:02 14 Dec 23
Our daughter loves going to childcare and bonded with her fantastic carers very quickly. Very accommodation to your baby’s needs to make the transition easy. All of the staff are very friendly and go above and beyond.
Lauren P.
Lauren P.
18:08 14 Dec 23
A fantastic centre. My daughter loves going here and the staff are so friendly and thoughtful. They always take the time to make sure my child is happy and feels secure. She has made great friends and we have been very impressed with the commitment of the staff to make us feel welcome and valued.
Akriti B.
Akriti B.
10:04 14 Dec 23
My son is in fantastic hands at this centre from last 4 years. The carers are lovely and attentive; there is a lot of variety in the curriculum and he has learnt so much as a result and find big helping hand in making him ready for school next year , He always feels welcomed and excited to attend…Highly recommend to all my family and friends
Serrah E.
Serrah E.
00:41 10 Jun 23
Sharan Kumar R.
Sharan Kumar R.
12:17 02 Aug 22
Samantha S.
Samantha S.
11:29 24 Jan 19
Fantastic staff especially the leadership team. Great indoor and outdoor spaces. Very impressive menu!
Michaela B.
Michaela B.
06:05 28 May 18
My son is in fantastic hands at this centre. The carers are lovely and attentive; there is a lot of variety in the curriculum and he has learnt so much as a result. They love the kids and that's what's most important. Highly recommend.
Natasha H.
Natasha H.
00:05 15 Dec 23
This is a great service, over this past year in the 3 yr old kinder class, my son has thrived. With the care and guidance of his caring educators, he has grown more confident in his social skills, building great friendships and has lots of fun while learning 😊.
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Rhythm of the Day

We know children (and families) like routine. Whilst no two days of learning are ever the same - here's what a day at Guardian might look like.

Morning

Our friendly Nursery team of familiar educators will be there to greet you and support your baby to settle in for the day.  Breakfast time is available & families are welcome to stay and enjoy with the children. This is also a great chance for conversation to share what is important and how your baby’s night at home was.

Mid-Morning

Our nursery learning environments are set up indoors and outdoors for your baby to engage with a variety of planned experiences while they interact with our team such as exploring picture books, singing songs together. We also offer morning tea.

Middle of the Day

Dependent on the needs of every baby, we time lunch to suit the children. Team members will support your child to eat and/or have a bottle, and when they are ready, are gently settled for sleep or rest. With an open-door policy, families can enjoy lunch/bottle time with your baby if you wish.

Mid-Afternoon

Our nursery planned experiences (both indoor and outdoor) continue and there are opportunities for movement, playing games, more books and songs, or sensory exploration. Afternoon snack is provided.

End of Day

We’ll have your baby’s belongings ready for you at pick up time. The Nursery team will share information about your baby’s day and their learning, preparing you and your child for a smooth transition to your evening. Please grab a piece of fruit or snack on the way out!

What's included in the Guardian Experience

From nutritious meals and engaging learning programs —it’s all covered in your daily rate. No hidden extras, just peace of mind for you and a great day for your child.

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

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) $198.66 $106.93 $76.35
Toddler (2–3) $198.66 $106.93 $76.35
Kinder (3–5) $190.74 $99.01 $68.43

The Victorian Government offers funding to provide families up to 15 hours of Free Kindergarten a week, in addition to the Childcare Subsidy. The funding offsets the fees for three and four-year-old children that are part of the centre’s long day care Kindergarten program. Families will save up to $2,101 a year for children aged three-years-old and above in eligible long day cares in 2025. Ask for more details when you tour the centre.

What should I bring, and what do you provide?

What we Provide

  • Nappies and wipes
  • Bed linen
  • Guardian hat
  • SPF 50+ sunscreen
  • All nutritious meals and snacks

What to Bring

  • Water bottle
  • Spare change of clothing, labelled
  • Soft toy or comfort blanket for nap time
  • Baby's bottles for formula or breastmilk

Who are the team that will be looking after my child?

East Ivanhoe Centre Manager Image

Michelle and team

Our Centre team, led by our experienced Centre Manager Michelle, prides themselves on creating a great sense of community for all families.

Each role in the Centre is designed to work together to help create a nurturing environment for every child in each of our learning spaces.

In our Nursery Room, the dedicated team has a special role in creating secure attachments, routines, and strong relationships. Unique to Guardian nurseries is our Baby Ambassador, who is your go-to person for you and your baby’s first 12 months with us. They will know every detail about your baby: how breast or bottle milk is managed, how they like to eat, their sleeping routines, the nappies they wear, and more. With babies as young as six weeks in the Centre, it’s the Baby Ambassador’s job to work with families and Educators to help make our Nursery feel just like home.

Our Educators across the age groups work together to create fun, stimulating, and age-appropriate experiences for every child in their care. They are dedicated, experienced professionals who are allocated to a specific room so they can get to know each child individually and support their learning and development.

As part of our 2-year Flying Start to School program, we have degree-qualified Teachers who use the latest teaching practices to help your child build essential practical and social skills, ensuring they’re ready for their next big adventure—school!

Each room has a Lead Educator or Teacher who is responsible for planning and implementing an effective ongoing cycle of planning, documentation, and evaluation of the room’s learning program.

At the core of the Centre is our Cook—make sure you check out their daily menu when you visit. They help make food part of the learning journey and love seeing how children respond to new and exciting flavours.

The team is supported by a strong Leadership Team, including an Assistant Centre Manager and an Educational Leader.

Every role at the Centre is as important as the next.

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.

What are the main features of this Centre

  • Our Centre is rated ‘Exceeding’ in the National Quality Standards, and we are proud of our world-class learning programs and safe, secure environments.
  • A spacious outdoor area, a covered deck, natural play structures, vegetables gardens and a worm farm.
  • Included programs such as Joy of Reading, Cooking, Outdoor Learning, Out & About Community Excursions, and Sustainability, with daily hands-on learning experiences.
  • On-site Chef who cooks fresh, nutritious meals daily in our fully equipped kitchen.
  • All nappies, SPF 50+ sunscreen, high quality and bed linen is provided.

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.

Kindergarten Program

No state fee relief information available.

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.

STEM

Children discover the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through age-appropriate activities that are designed to foster curiosity and develop foundational skills like problem-solving and creativity.

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.

What our families say about the centre

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Guardian Centres Nearby

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