55 km from Melbourne CBD in the Shire of Cardinia. 4,515 children under five.
More about Pakenham →
We ranked Pakenham YMCA Early Learning Centre, Goodstart Early Learning Pakenham and Great Beginnings Pakenham, all three rated Exceeding NQS, as the top three for 2026.
Postcode 3810Shire of Cardinia✓ Verified October 2026
How we chose: we weigh five things together: NQS rating and how recently it was issued, parent reviews, program and environment, fees and inclusions, and practical fit including hours and Free Kinder access. We do not accept payment from any centre to appear on this list, and we do not rank by who owns a centre. Read how we rank.What an Exceeding NQS rating actually means →
Three Exceeding centres, ordered by date
Pakenham YMCA (March 2026) and Great Beginnings (July 2023) hold Exceeding in all seven quality areas; Goodstart Pakenham (August 2024) holds it in five. Nationally, 16% of long day care services hold Exceeding, per the ACECQA Q2 2026 NQF Snapshot.
No.1 PICK
Pakenham YMCA Early Learning Centre
9 Gateway Avenue, Pakenham VIC 3810
Exceeding NQS · March 2026★ Google 4.3/5 · 27 reviews
Google reviews, captured 22 October 2026
All 7 quality areas: Exceeding
Regulatory detail and operational conditions
Exceeding NQS issued March 2026 in all seven quality areas; previous rating issued December 2022.
Regulatory visit March 2026: No conditions on approval and no enforcement actions in the past two years. Source: Starting Blocks, read 22 October 2026; approved places from the ACECQA national register, 22 October 2026.
Daily fee
$155.50
Hours
Monday to Friday, 6:30am to 6:00pm
Ages
6 weeks to school age
CCS approved
Yes
Free Kinder
Yes, integrated
Capacity
104 children
Pakenham YMCA Early Learning Centre is on Gateway Avenue, approved for 104 places and open 6:30am to 6:00pm on weekdays. The YMCA's own page sets out a nursery from six weeks, a toddler room, and integrated and sessional kindergarten for three- and four-year-olds led by Bachelor-qualified teachers, with Free Kinder.
Its March 2026 assessment returned Exceeding in all seven quality areas. Its approval carries no conditions, and the register shows no enforcement action.
The fee is $155.50 a day at every age, with six inclusions listed on Starting Blocks. Google shows 4.3 from 27 reviews.
Our take
The YMCA leads Pakenham on the date of its rating. All three ranked centres hold Exceeding, and its March 2026 result is 19 months newer than Goodstart's, a gap that decides the order at the same level under our method. It also charges the least of the three, $155.50 a day. Two things to weigh: it closes at 6:00pm, half an hour before the other two, and its Google figure, 4.3 from 27, is the lowest of the three.
Best for: Families who want the newest Exceeding result in Pakenham, a not-for-profit operator and the lowest daily rate of the three.
Exceeding NQS · August 2024★ Google 4.6/5 · 34 reviews
Google reviews, captured 22 October 2026
Children's health and safety: Meeting · Physical environment: Meeting · 5 areas Exceeding
Regulatory detail and operational conditions
Exceeding NQS issued August 2024, with Exceeding in five of seven quality areas; previous rating issued March 2020.
Regulatory visit September 2026: No conditions on approval and no enforcement actions in the past two years. Source: Starting Blocks, read 22 October 2026; approved places from the ACECQA national register, 22 October 2026.
Daily fee
$167.85
Hours
Monday to Friday, 6:30am to 6:30pm
Ages
6 weeks to school age
CCS approved
Yes
Free Kinder
Yes, integrated
Capacity
91 children
Goodstart Early Learning Pakenham is on Portobello Road, approved for 91 places and open 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays. Goodstart lists nursery, toddler and kindergarten rooms from six weeks, a government-funded kindergarten program and bush kinder.
Its August 2024 assessment returned Exceeding, above the standard in educational program and practice, staffing, relationships with children, family partnerships, and governance and leadership. A regulatory visit took place in September 2026, and the approval is condition-free.
The fee is $167.85 a day up to 35 months and $161.10 from 36 months, with five inclusions listed. Google shows 4.6 from 34 reviews.
Our take
Goodstart sits between two Exceeding centres on rating date: 19 months behind the YMCA and 13 months ahead of Great Beginnings, so each pairing is settled at that step. It holds Exceeding in five quality areas rather than all seven, and charges $12.35 more than the YMCA up to 35 months, while its hours run half an hour later in the evening.
Best for: Parents who need a 6:30am to 6:30pm day and a funded kindergarten, at a rate that drops once a child turns three.
Exceeding NQS · July 2023★ Google 4.8/5 · 91 reviews
Google reviews, captured 22 October 2026
All 7 quality areas: Exceeding
Regulatory detail and operational conditions
Exceeding in all 7 quality areas. Previous NQS: Meeting (June 2019). The current operator has run the service since July 2016, before both ratings.
Regulatory visit April 2026: No conditions on approval and no enforcement actions in the past two years (Starting Blocks, read 22 October 2026).
Daily fee
$178.35
Hours
Monday to Friday, 6:30am to 6:30pm
Ages
6 weeks to 6 years
CCS approved
Yes
Free Kinder
Yes, integrated
Capacity
160 children
Great Beginnings Pakenham at 84 Toomuc Valley Road holds an Exceeding NQS rating issued July 2023 across all seven quality areas, following a Meeting rating in June 2019. Its operator has run the service since July 2016, before both ratings. Google shows 4.8 from 91 reviews.
The centre is a purpose-built facility serving children from 6 weeks to 6 years, with outdoor play areas featuring spacious, natural environments including bike tracks, forts, climbing equipment and veggie gardens. Large indoor rooms include interactive whiteboards, Apple programs on iPads and plenty of natural resources. Every Thursday and Friday, 3 and 4-year-olds go on bush walks and community excursions, a genuine point of difference for older children.
The centre is led by Melissa, Centre Manager, who began working in early childhood education in 1999 and joined Great Beginnings Pakenham in 2014. She has worked across every leadership role at the centre: Lead Educator, Educational Leader, Assistant Centre Manager and now Centre Manager. Her philosophy is built on respect for each child as a unique individual. She leads a long-standing team that consistently delivers quality care.
As part of the daily fee, children enjoy weekly sign language, Hey Dee Ho music sessions and yoga classes, included at no extra cost. An on-site chef prepares fresh meals daily. Nappies and wipes are provided. The centre advertises flexible session options of 9, 10, 11 and 12 hours. The Victorian Government-approved kindergarten program is delivered by Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teachers, integrated within long day care hours. Families stay connected through the Xplor parent communication app.
What parents say
“Your efforts do not go unnoticed and are deeply appreciated. My eldest progressed with you from nursery through to kinder and is now flourishing in Grade 1. My youngest is currently in Junior Kinder 2 and is thriving. Throughout these years, we've witnessed firsthand the positive impact you've had on their growth and happiness. You've been a constant source of support and guidance in our family's life. Thank you for everything you do.”Brooke Hammond
“What a beautiful space for my child to continue their development. Management was welcoming the moment we walked through the door, explaining each process in simple easy steps. When we walked into the room for the first time, to be greeted with smiles put this anxious mother's mind to rest. Couldn't recommend this centre enough to my family, friends and community.”Daisy Boo via Google
“The learning environments are stimulating and always changing. My child learns so much and enjoys every day.”Parent review via Centre website
Our take
Great Beginnings is third on the age of its rating, not its result. It holds Exceeding in all seven quality areas, but its July 2023 assessment is 13 months older than Goodstart's, enough to decide the pair at the same level. It is the largest of the three at 160 places, lists the most inclusions at eight, and has the deepest review base, 4.8 from 91, though at $178.35 it is also the dearest.
Best for: Families wanting the largest of the three, 160 places, with sign language, music and yoga sessions inside the daily fee.
Full-day rates from Starting Blocks, read 22 October 2026, shown up to 35 months. Average across these three centres: $167.23/day before CCS up to 35 months and $164.98 from 36 months. All three centres are CCS approved.
Childcare fees vary by age group. The rates shown may reflect different age bands at different centres, so confirm the rate for your child's age directly with each centre.
Pakenham is a fast-growing suburb in Melbourne's outer south-east, located within the Shire of Cardinia approximately 55 kilometres from the CBD. The suburb serves as a major residential and commercial hub at the eastern end of the South-East Growth Corridor, with Pakenham station providing commuter access to the CBD. Young families are drawn to the area by its relative affordability, new housing developments and growing community infrastructure.
Twenty-one long day care services operate in Pakenham. Four hold Exceeding NQS, and three of those are ranked here; the fourth, Little Beacons at Beaconhills College, enrols through the college's admissions process and is listed among the other services.
We checked each service against Starting Blocks and ACECQA on 22 October 2026 and took Google scores the same day. With three Exceeding centres available, the order here is set by how recent each rating is.
Looking wider? Our South-East Growth Corridor guide lists every suburb we rank across the area, with each one's top centres.
Pakenham sits within the Shire of Cardinia, approximately 55 km south-east of Melbourne's CBD. Four of its 21 long day care services hold Exceeding NQS; three are ranked here.
Three Exceeding centres
Pakenham YMCA (March 2026), Goodstart Pakenham (August 2024) and Great Beginnings (July 2023) all hold Exceeding. Exceeding is the highest rating awarded through standard assessment; the separate Excellent designation is awarded by ACECQA on application and held by fewer than 1% of services.
Fees
Pakenham YMCA charges $155.50 per full day, Goodstart $167.85 up to 35 months and $161.10 from 36 months, and Great Beginnings $178.35 (Starting Blocks, read 22 October 2026). All fees are before the Child Care Subsidy, which is worth up to 90% of the fee depending on household income and activity.
Free Kinder
Victoria's government-funded kindergarten program provides up to 15 hours per week for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds. All three ranked centres describe a funded kindergarten program on their own pages.
Beaconhills College. Exceeding NQS (October 2023), 235 approved places (a figure that includes outside school hours and vacation care). Not ranked: enrolment runs through the college's admissions process, with an application fee, waitlist, interview and values check, so it is not open to every family on the same terms (rule 16).
Ryan Road Childcare and Swim School
1 Ryan Road. Meeting NQS (March 2026, down from Exceeding in November 2022), 168 approved places, $169.00 a day. Ranked second on the previous version of this page. At Meeting it sits below all three Exceeding centres.
Community Kids Pakenham Early Education Centre
95 Army Road. Meeting NQS (May 2023), 100 approved places, $163.65 a day. Ranked third on the previous version of this page. At Meeting it sits below all three Exceeding centres.
Cardinia Lakes Early Learning Centre
3 Atlantic Drive. Meeting NQS (May 2026), 120 approved places, $146.00 a day with eight inclusions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best childcare centre in Pakenham VIC?
On our published criteria, Pakenham YMCA Early Learning Centre on Gateway Avenue ranks first. It holds Exceeding NQS in all seven quality areas, issued March 2026, the most recent Exceeding result in Pakenham, and charges $155.50 a day. Goodstart Pakenham (Exceeding, August 2024) is second and Great Beginnings Pakenham (Exceeding, July 2023) third.
How much does childcare cost in Pakenham?
On Starting Blocks, read 22 October 2026: Pakenham YMCA $155.50 per full day, Goodstart $167.85 up to 35 months and $161.10 from 36 months, and Great Beginnings $178.35. These are before the Child Care Subsidy.
Are there any Exceeding NQS childcare centres in Pakenham?
Yes, four. Pakenham YMCA, Goodstart Pakenham and Great Beginnings Pakenham are ranked here. Little Beacons at Beaconhills College also holds Exceeding but enrols through the college's admissions process, so it is listed among the other services rather than ranked.
Is there a government-funded kindergarten program in Pakenham childcare centres?
Yes. Victoria's Free Kinder program provides government-funded kindergarten hours for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds. All three ranked centres describe a funded kindergarten program within long day care; confirm hours with each centre.
Why is Ryan Road no longer ranked?
Ryan Road Childcare and Swim School was rated Meeting in March 2026, down from Exceeding. Three Pakenham centres hold Exceeding, and under our method a higher rating level places a centre above any Meeting-rated one.
Are all three centres CCS approved?
Yes. Pakenham YMCA, Goodstart Pakenham and Great Beginnings Pakenham are all approved to receive the Australian Government's Child Care Subsidy.
Data sources: ACECQA (NQS ratings and approved places), Starting Blocks (Fees and vacancies), Google Reviews (Ratings). Information on this page was last verified October 2026. top3elc.com.au does not receive referral fees.