TAFE NSW Narrandera Children’s Centre

Our well-loved Narrandera Children’s Centre is an important part of our small community and is the second oldest TAFE NSW Children’s Centre. We strongly value our connections with families and the community. We are a play-based centre with a flexible routine to adapt to the changing social needs of children.

If you're interested in joining our team of early childhood educators, see below.

Location:  A Block
54-68 Elwin Street,
Narrandera NSW 2700

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am – 5:30pm, open 48 weeks of the year

Ages: 6 weeks to 5 years

Number of children: Licensed to look after up to 22 children per day

Inclusions: Wet wipes, supplementary fruit and vegetables that are part of the educational program, such as carrots, cucumbers, mangoes and strawberries.

National Quality Standard (NQS) rating: Meeting

Deep community connections

Narrandera is a small, close-knit rural community of about three-and-a-half thousand people, and the TAFE NSW Children’s Centre at Narrandera is proud to nurture deep connections with the local community.

Children at our centre learn all about harvest time, and what’s grown in Narrandera and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. This includes farming education about wheat, cereal, oranges and stone fruit. The importance of farming and supporting the local community is kept front of mind.

There’s also a recycling centre where members of the community can donate clothes, toys, art and crafts materials and books. There’s even a large cubby house donated by the community that the children love playing in. Anything that can’t be used by us is, in turn, donated to local op-shops.

Strong family focus

The centre also enjoys a strong family focus. Some of our children who walk through our doors have parents who once toddled through those same doors when they were little!

After morning drop-off, there is family grouping for a second breakfast. This allows siblings and cousins of different age groups to spend time together. Babies and children new to the centre can be comforted by familiar faces as they adjust to their new routine.

Siblings, cousins and peers are encouraged to spend time together throughout the day, for example during ongoing lunch. This aids in children’s development as they learn positive behaviours not just from educators, but from peers and older children as well.

Exploring wonderful wildlife

TAFE NSW Narrandera Children’s Centre is set on beautiful natural grounds rich in wildlife. Children can spot geckos in the sandpit and walk in the yard to watch bearded dragons with their babies in trees. Bearded dragons can be quite shy, but they’ve come to enjoy the snacks of flies that our children catch and throw to them. And the children love watching the bearded dragons gobble up the flies. This helps create a wonderful connection to the environment.  

The centre grounds are also home to blue tongue lizards, frogs buried deep in the wet sand, and Bardee moths. Children love to investigate the wildlife, and receive wildlife education, as they observe and explore the environment with care and respect.

Play-based learning 

TAFE NSW Narrandera Children’s Centre is a play-based centre where children are encouraged to choose activities, toys and equipment as they play. This helps children to build confidence by expressing and exploring their ideas. They are given unhurried time to play in their own way. The centre follows a flexible routine to meet the social needs of children. 

Diverse environments to build connections with self and others 

Throughout the day, children have the opportunity to be in family groupings but also break out into different play rooms based on their age. This gives them the space and time to play and work, based on their abilities and interests.

What you will need to bring each day 

Babies will need pre-prepared baby’s bottles with formula or breast milk, a minimum of 4 nappies, and two full changes of clothes for your baby each day. 

Older children will need to bring a generous amount of food for lunch and afternoon tea, and some fruit or veggies to share for morning tea. They'll also need a sun hat, sunscreen, and two full changes of clothes. 

“Thanks for providing a centre where my child is free to explore and play whilst feeling loved like family!”

Parent of a toddler who previously attended the centre.

“Thankyou for the care and guidance you have all given , you provide such a relaxed, welcoming environment.”

Parent of a baby and a toddler.

We have a waitlist of families. If you’d like your child to be on the waiting list, please fill out the Application for Form and email it to us.

You will need to contact the centre after 12 months, if you'd like your child to stay on the waitlist. You’re welcome to give us a call on 02 7921 6702 to let us know you’d like your child to remain on the list.

To submit your application, you will need to provide:

• Birth certificate

• Medicare card

• Health care/Pension card (if you have one)

• Immunisation record (must be through Medicare, blue books are not accepted).

Please note: Children must meet government immunisation requirements or have an approved exemption to be eligible for Child Care Subsidy (CCS). 

There are five steps to complete enrolment:

1. Apply for Child Care Subsidy (if eligible) – Parents/guardians submit a claim to Centrelink.

2. Agree on care arrangements – To be confirmed between the Early Childhood Director (ECD) and parents/guardians.

3. Submit enrolment – The ECD submits an enrolment notice to Centrelink via HubHello.

4. Confirm enrolment – The parents/guardians verify the enrolment with Centrelink.

5. Secure enrolment – If you accept an offer, we’ll send a formal letter detailing the next steps. This includes submitting a birth certificate, proof of immunisation and a security deposit to secure your childcare placement.

Once the enrolment is completed and approved your entitlements can be calculated, and payments made.

Under Family Assistance Law, all children attending an early learning centre must have an enrolment notice, regardless of Child Care Subsidy (CCS) eligibility. For eligible families, Centrelink/Services Australia can only process CCS claims once the correct enrolment is in place.

For any questions, please email us or call us on 02 7921 6702.

If you still have questions, please call us directly on 02 7921 6702 or email us below.

We look forward to welcoming your family to our Children’s Centre.