The Top 3 Childcare Centres in Preston, VIC (3072)

Guardian Childcare & Education Preston West at 391 Murray Road holds an Exceeding NQS rating issued December 2024 by Starting Blocks (ACECQA). This represents a significant improvement from their previous Meeting NQS rating (June 2019), reflecting substantial quality improvement over five years. The centre is operated by Guardian Childcare & Education, approved at this location since 30 May 2018.

With 141 licensed places, Guardian Preston West is the largest centre among the top 3, offering a rich community environment with diverse peer groups, specialist rooms, and extensive resources. The centre is set on Murray Road in Preston’s established residential north, with generous indoor and outdoor spaces designed around their bespoke To BE Me curriculum.

Guardian’s proprietary To BE Me program underpins the educational approach at Preston West: a structured curriculum focused on emotional intelligence, social development, and school readiness. The Flying Start to School program for 3 and 4-year-old children is delivered by University-qualified Early Childhood Teachers across 7 areas of learning. STEM activities, arts and music programs, outdoor exploration and nature play are embedded in daily practice.

The daily fee of $206.36 includes afternoon tea, breakfast, education programs, excursions and incursions, lunch, morning tea, nappies and other meals, confirmed on Starting Blocks. The November 2024 regulatory visit found zero conditions and zero enforcement actions. Casual and permanent vacancies are currently available.

Guardian Childcare & Education Preston West ranks #1 in postcode 3072. The most recently assessed Exceeding NQS long day care centre (December 2024), with a 4.8/5 parent rating (41 reviews), consistently strong parent-review scores, zero enforcement actions, a November 2024 regulatory clearance, and the largest capacity (141 places) among the top 3. The improvement from Meeting to Exceeding NQS reflects genuine quality gains. Casual and permanent vacancies are currently available. Contact the centre directly on 03 9069 0545.

Nara Community Early Learning Centre at 77-91 St Georges Road holds an Exceeding NQS rating issued June 2023 by Starting Blocks (ACECQA), and critically, also held Exceeding NQS at their previous assessment in April 2017. This consecutive Exceeding performance across two assessments spanning more than six years demonstrates sustained, consistent quality, not a one-off result. Nara is a not-for-profit community centre established in 1989.

With 68 licensed places, Nara is a mid-sized, intentionally community-focused centre: large enough to offer a rich peer environment, small enough to ensure every child and family is genuinely known. ‘Nara’ is a Woiwurrung word meaning ‘companion’, reflecting the centre’s deep commitment to community connection and belonging. The centre is set on St Georges Road in Preston, with four dedicated group rooms: Joeys (6 months to 2 years), Possums (2 to 3 years), Koalas (3 to 4 years) and Wombats (4 to 5 years), each with their own indoor and outdoor spaces.

A community-led, play-based approach underpins everything at Nara, overseen by a committee of management drawn from the parent community. The educational program is responsive to children’s interests and developmental stages, with strong emphasis on belonging, wellbeing and connection. The 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten program is integrated within long day care hours, with qualified educators delivering a play-based program focused on school readiness, social development and early literacy and numeracy.

The daily fee of $150.00 includes afternoon tea, breakfast, education programs, excursions and incursions, lunch and morning tea, confirmed on Starting Blocks. This is the lower of the two Exceeding NQS centre fees. No current vacancies. Contact the centre directly on 03 9471 9914 to join the waitlist.

Nara Community Early Learning Centre ranks #2 in postcode 3072. Consecutive Exceeding NQS assessments in April 2017 and June 2023 demonstrate sustained quality over more than six years, a record that distinguishes Nara from centres achieving Exceeding for the first time. The lowest daily fee among Exceeding NQS centres ($150.00/day), a 5.0/5 parent rating (7 reviews), consistently strong parent-review scores, full inclusions confirmed on Starting Blocks (including excursions and incursions), not-for-profit community governance, and 35+ years of operation in Preston. No current vacancies. Contact the centre directly on 03 9471 9914 to join the waitlist.

Guardian Childcare & Education Preston at 418 Murray Road holds a Meeting NQS rating issued May 2026 by Starting Blocks (ACECQA), a step down from the Exceeding result recorded in September 2022. All seven quality areas are now rated Meeting. A September 2024 regulatory visit confirmed zero conditions and zero enforcement actions. The centre is operated by Guardian Community Early Learning Centres, operating this service since April 2014. The centre is a proud winner of the Family Choice Award 2026.

Guardian’s proprietary To BE Me program underpins the educational approach: a structured curriculum focused on emotional intelligence, social development, and school readiness. The Flying Start to School program for 3 and 4-year-old children is delivered by University-qualified Early Childhood Teachers across 7 areas of learning. STEM activities, arts and music programs, outdoor exploration and nature play are embedded in daily practice. Families stay connected through digital parent communication, daily updates and learning journey documentation.

The daily fee of $198.75 includes afternoon tea, breakfast, education programs, lunch, morning tea and nappies, confirmed on Starting Blocks. The September 2024 regulatory visit found zero conditions and zero enforcement actions. Contact the centre directly on 03 9471 1115 to confirm current vacancy status.

Guardian Childcare & Education Preston ranks #3 in postcode 3072. The May 2026 assessment lowered its overall result to Meeting, with every quality area now at that level, and families weighing this centre should read that as the current regulatory picture rather than the September 2022 result. Against that, it retains a September 2024 regulatory clearance with zero conditions, a 4.8/5 parent rating, full inclusions confirmed on Starting Blocks, University-qualified Early Childhood Teachers delivering the structured To BE Me curriculum, and the Family Choice Award 2026. It sits behind Guardian Preston West and Nara Community, both of which currently hold Exceeding. Contact the centre directly on 03 9471 1115 to confirm current vacancy status.