Questions parents ask

In a Montessori room, children choose their own work from a prepared set of hands-on materials and work in uninterrupted blocks, with educators observing and guiding rather than directing. Traditional long day care usually runs educator-led, play-based group activities. Both operate under the National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework; the difference is who leads the activity.

Montessori materials are unique, hands-on learning tools that help children understand abstract concepts through concrete experiences. Each material is designed to teach a specific skill and allows children to self-correct and learn independently.

Yes. Montessori is designed to support children of all abilities, backgrounds and learning styles. The approach is flexible and inclusive, allowing every child to thrive.

Children from 6 weeks to 6 years, at both campuses. Programs are Babies and Nursery (6 weeks to 2 years), Toddlers (2 to 3 years) and Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten (3 to 6 years), so a child can stay with the same philosophy and community through to school.

Yes. Both campuses deliver Kinder Tick approved, Victorian Government funded 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten inside the long day care day, led by qualified early childhood teachers. Your child stays in the same room with the same educators from drop-off to pick-up.

Our fee is $154.42 per day for every age group, before Child Care Subsidy, effective 3 August 2026. It includes the full Montessori program, five chef-prepared meals, nappies, wipes and sunscreen. Full-time attendance is $146.70 a day, siblings get 5% off, and a 35% holiday discount applies for up to four weeks a year. We are approved for CCS and ACCS. See fees and subsidies.

Two things change in 2026. From January 2026 the Child Care Subsidy activity test is removed: under the 3 Day Guarantee, every family earning under $533,280 a year receives at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight (three days a week), and families who meet the activity requirements, or who care for a First Nations child, receive 100 hours. Separately, our 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten programs are part of Victorian Free Kinder, which provides an offset of up to $2,101 per child for the year for a 15-hour program. CCS is applied to our $154.42 daily fee first, then the Free Kinder offset is applied to your invoice each week, shown as "Victorian Government Free Kinder offset". We will walk you through the numbers on your tour, or see fees and subsidies.

6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday, 52 weeks a year, at both campuses. We close on Victorian public holidays. Sessions are 9, 10 or 12 hours, so you can match the session to your CCS hours.

We provide all five meals, prepared on site by our chef: breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack. We have seasonal menus (summer/spring and winter/autumn) and are an allergy-aware centre, catering to all dietary needs.

Our integrated kinder program runs within our long day care setting, offering continuous learning throughout the day. Sessional kinder has fixed, shorter hours. Our integrated approach gives families flexibility and children a consistent learning environment.

We offer fortnightly excursions and monthly incursions to enrich your child's learning, in addition to our Bush Kinder program.

Buffalo Campus is at 1-5 Buffalo Crescent, Manor Lakes, about 300 m from Wyndham Vale station (03 9999 7944) and is approved for 106 places. Ballan Campus is at 13 Hirata Boulevard, Wyndham Vale, near Manor Lakes Shopping Centre (03 9087 3977) and is approved for 130 places. Both serve families from Wyndham Vale, Manor Lakes, Werribee, Tarneit and Hoppers Crossing.

Book a tour (Monday to Friday, mornings and late afternoons, by appointment), then complete the online enrolment form to secure your child's place, or join the waiting list if your preferred start date is not yet available. Before the first day we arrange free orientation sessions so your child can meet their educators and explore the room. See how to enrol.

Developed by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, from 1907, it is an approach built on self-directed activity, hands-on materials and an educator who observes and guides rather than instructs. It is used in early childhood and school settings around the world.

A work cycle is a long, uninterrupted period, two to three hours in the 3 to 6 room and shorter for toddlers, in which children choose their own materials, work with them for as long as they like and return them to the shelf. Educators give short individual presentations during the cycle but do not interrupt a child who is concentrating.

Montessori daycare, or Montessori long day care, is a childcare centre that runs the Montessori program within normal care hours and is regulated and subsidised like any other centre. A Montessori school applies the same method to primary and secondary years. Our centre covers 6 weeks to 6 years, including the funded kindergarten years.

Not at our centre. Our daily fee is the same for every age group, the Child Care Subsidy applies in the usual way, and the 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten programs are Victorian Government funded. See fees and subsidies.

Rather than formal tests or grades, educators use their observations to record each child's progress through the Montessori sequence and against the Early Years Learning Framework, covering academic, social and practical skills.

Families who want a teacher-led, timetabled program with set lessons, children attending only one day a week, and families who do not want to encourage the same independence at home. Most children, including children with additional needs, settle well; the best test is to watch a work cycle on a tour.

Yes. Children leave our 3 to 6 room able to concentrate for extended periods, manage their own belongings, dress and feed themselves, and with early reading and number skills built from concrete materials. Our 4-year-old kindergarten program is Victorian Government approved and funded, and it includes the transition-to-school work every Victorian kinder provides.

It is an approach that respects each child's natural development and curiosity. We create a calm, safe and engaging environment where babies can explore, move freely and learn at their own pace, while educators gently guide them as they discover the world through their senses and early movement.

Babies can start at Wyndham Vale Montessori Centre from as early as 6 weeks old. The program runs to 2 years of age and provides a nurturing, stimulating environment from the very beginning.

Montessori resources for babies are simple, natural and purposeful: wooden grasping toys, object permanence boxes, stacking rings, sensory balls and treasure baskets. They encourage hands-on exploration, develop fine and gross motor skills, and support concentration and independence.

The program supports every area of growth: physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive. Through gentle routines, age-appropriate activities and caring relationships, babies build confidence, independence and a love of learning.

Yes. We run government-approved 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten programs at both campuses, delivered by qualified early childhood teachers and integrated into our full-day Montessori program.

Our kindergarten places an emphasis on independence. Children take initiative in their learning and engage collaboratively, while teachers observe and guide each child, providing support and encouragement as they progress at their own pace.

Rather than formal tests or grades, teachers use observation to understand each child's needs, documenting progress in academic, social and practical skills.

We offer fortnightly excursions and monthly incursions, in addition to our Bush Kinder program.

It fosters a child's natural sense of rhythm, melody and expression through hands-on, self-directed activities. Children explore instruments, sounds and songs at their own pace, building creativity and confidence while music becomes part of their daily learning.

The program is designed for children from toddlers to kindergarten age, with sessions that grow with them. Younger children focus on simple rhythm and movement, while older children explore more complex melodies and group performances.

Sessions are planned alongside each room's learning program, so songs and activities reinforce what children are exploring in the classroom, from counting and letters to colours and cultures.

Create a home environment with simple instruments such as shakers or bells, play a wide variety of music and join in sing-alongs. Observe your child's interests and let them lead, just as we do in Montessori. We are happy to share tips during a tour.

Start by booking a tour of our Buffalo Campus or Ballan Campus. After your tour, complete the enrolment form to secure your child's place. We then arrange orientation sessions before your child's first day.

We welcome children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age at both campuses. Programs are tailored to each developmental stage and follow authentic Montessori philosophy.

Our daily fee covers your child's Montessori program, nutritious meals and essential care items such as nappies, wipes and sunscreen. We are approved for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS). See fees and subsidies.

Our educators are qualified, experienced and passionate about Montessori education. Each classroom is led by educators trained in the Montessori method, with bachelor-qualified early childhood teachers overseeing our kindergarten programs. All staff hold Working with Children Checks and take part in ongoing professional development.

Both campuses are open 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday, 52 weeks a year. We are closed on Victorian public holidays.

We charge one daily rate for every booked day, the same for all age groups. Discounts apply for full-time attendance, siblings and holidays, and your Child Care Subsidy is deducted from the fee.

Yes. Fees are charged for all booked days, including absences due to illness, holidays or personal reasons. This is standard practice across the sector.

The CCS is an Australian Government payment that helps families with the cost of approved childcare. The amount you receive depends on your family income, your activity hours and the type of service.

Use the free, independent CCS Checker calculator with our daily fee of $154.42 and the session length you plan to book (9, 10 or 12 hours). It gives an estimate only; Services Australia determines your actual subsidy.

Apply through your myGov account under Centrelink services. You will need to provide the required documents and confirm your child's enrolment before CCS can start.

The Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) supports families experiencing hardship or particular circumstances. Families approved for ACCS may have reduced out-of-pocket fees.

Yes. We offer a 5% sibling discount, a 35% holiday discount for up to 4 weeks per financial year, and a 5% discount for full-time attendance.

Families are responsible for paying the full fee until CCS or ACCS is approved or reinstated. Any backdated subsidy is applied once it has been processed by Centrelink.

Fees are billed weekly, every Monday, and are paid one week in advance. Direct debit is the preferred payment method.

Please contact the centre straight away. We encourage open communication so we can work with you before the account becomes overdue.

Yes. Public holidays are charged because your child's place is held for them and staffing costs still apply.

All outstanding fees must be paid before the final day. CCS cannot be applied to absences after the last day your child physically attends.

Yes, depending on availability. Four weeks' written notice is required for changes or cancellations.

We offer 9, 10 and 12-hour sessions. The 9-hour session suits families who receive 72 hours of CCS per fortnight and attend 4 days a week; the 12-hour session covers our full day from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Talk to the campus team about which session best matches your CCS hours.

We always make sure the attendance we submit to Centrelink aligns with your CCS-eligible hours. A half-hour allowance is included in the 9 and 10-hour sessions, so if your child stays a little longer it is still covered and will not affect your CCS.