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Story House Early Learning Ferntree Gully
Let their story begin with Story House Early Learning
Welcome to Story House Early Learning Ferntree Gully
Located in the heart of Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Story House Early Learning Ferntree Gully offers a nurturing, community focused environment where children feel safe, supported, and inspired to learn and grow. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Dandenong Ranges, our service features spacious outdoor play areas and thoughtfully designed indoor learning spaces that create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. From gardening and cooking to creative arts, cultural celebrations, and mindfulness experiences, our programs enrich each child’s day. With our tailored STRONG Beginnings Curriculum, dedicated educators, and nutritious meals prepared fresh by our on-site chef, your child will thrive in confidence, curiosity, and wellbeing. Join our waitlist today and discover why Story House Ferntree Gully is the perfect place to start your child’s early learning journey.
Belinda, Our Service Manager
Belinda brings over 26 years of experience in the early childhood sector, including 18 years as a Service Manager. She holds a Diploma in Children’s Services and a Graduate Certificate in Social Science (Pre and Post Natal Support), reflecting her strong commitment to supporting children and families in a holistic and meaningful way.
Belinda is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments and supporting children with diverse learning needs. She values working closely with families to ensure every child feels capable, respected, and supported throughout their early learning journey. Her leadership approach focuses on building strong relationships with educators, families, and the wider community, while fostering a culture of collaboration, respect, and continuous improvement.
Outside of work, Belinda enjoys spending time with her family. She can often be found cheering on her daughters, Ava and Ruby, at their sports and activities, or renovating their home alongside her husband, embracing the busy and rewarding pace of family life.
Quality Early Education in the Heart of Ferntree Gully
What Families Can Expect at Story House Early Learning
At Story House Early Learning, families are welcomed into a nurturing, reassuring environment where transitions are supported with care and attention. Our services are known for their warm and relaxed atmosphere, where educators take the time to know each child personally and provide the small touches, like daily updates and friendly farewells, that help families feel confident and connected.
With bright, spacious facilities and thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor learning environments, children enjoy a space that feels safe, engaging, and inspiring. Families highlight our highly dedicated educators, many of whom have been part of our services long term, creating stability, strong bonds, and a genuine sense of belonging.
Our robust educational programs are inquiry driven and enriched through diverse experiences such as STEM, music, gardening, cooking, excursions, and school readiness activities. Children benefit from both structured learning and hands on discovery, supported by exceptional outdoor features like large play areas and veggie gardens. Even mealtimes become a learning opportunity, with our in-house chefs preparing nutritious meals and often involving children in cooking experiences.
Families consistently describe Story House Early Learning as a vibrant, home like community where children settle quickly, build confidence, and develop independence. Our approach balances play based and inquiry led learning with cultural and nature inspired integration, ensuring every child is supported to flourish.
Welcome to Story House Early Learning Ferntree Gully
Learning through STEM
Our STEM curriculum nurtures confident mathematical thinkers through hands-on, inquiry-based projects. Children explore topics like bees, coding BE-BOTS, and recycling with local council support. Tailored teaching inspires critical thinking, problem-solving, and strong social connections, encouraging cooperation and curiosity through engaging, real-world learning experiences.
Language and Literacy
Our Pathways to School curriculum fosters a love of reading and strong language skills through storytelling, vocabulary building, and phonological awareness. With personalised support, children develop critical thinking and communication skills. We nurture enthusiasm for language, believing strong foundations are essential for academic success and lifelong learning.
Arts Program
Our ARTS curriculum empowers children to be creative and persistent using real-world tools, open-ended materials, and imaginative play. Through music, movement, and drama, children retell stories, collaborate, and express themselves. These experiences build strong language, literacy, and creative skills both in the classroom and the wider community.
Wellbeing and Life Skills
Our program develops health bodies and brains through healthy choices and physical activities that promote problem-solving, communication, independence, and teamwork. With a strong focus on mental and physical wellbeing, children engage in mindfulness, healthy eating, and active play. These experiences lay a STRONG foundation for lifelong health, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
Healthy Choices and Physical Wellbeing
Our program builds life skills through daily routines that promote problem-solving, communication, independence, and teamwork. With a strong focus on mental and physical wellbeing, children engage in mindfulness, healthy eating, and active play. These experiences lay the foundation for lifelong health, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
Active and Involved Citizens
As active citizens, children engage with their community through intergenerational programs, online and community safety, and school connections. Our Story House curriculum fosters care for others and strong local ties, helping children feel confident, connected, and excited for their next step – transitioning to school with a sense of belonging and readiness.
Nature Play and Sustainability
Story House’s nature play program encourages children to explore the environment through sand, water, plants, and wildlife. This fosters sensory awareness, creativity, and problem-solving. Integrated into our Pathways to School curriculum, it builds curiosity and care for nature—supporting children to become strong, capable, independent, and thoughtful learners for life.
CHEF 'S COOKING PROGRAM
Healthy, Delicious Food at Caringbah
Just like any quality restaurant kitchen, ours is fully equipped and run to the highest standards with our chefs holding up-to-date food safety certifications to ensure every meal is prepared with care and compliance. All meals are thoughtfully planned to align with Australian nutrition guidelines, ensuring every bite supports healthy growth and development. Our skilled chef’s Oscar and Juanita lead interactive cooking classes tailored to each age group, encouraging children to discover new flavours and learn new skills. Children enjoy a variety of foods while gaining confidence in the kitchen. Popular dishes like Spaghetti Bolognese Pasta, Chicken Vegetable Curry with Rice and Chicken Hokkien Noodles with Vegetables, are amongst the children’s favourites, making each class a delicious adventure! As part of our commitment to fostering healthy habits and a love for fresh food, all Story House services have introduced the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program (SAKGP). This hands-on initiative connects children with growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing fresh, seasonal food. By getting involved in every step of the process, from garden to plate, children learn valuable life skills, develop respect for the environment, and build a deeper appreciation for nutritious food in a fun, practical way.
Read What Parents Say About Story House Early Learning
Our People – The Heart of Story House Early Learning
At Story House, we care about every person and their individual journey because it takes a committed, diverse and passionate team to nurture each child’s unique story.
When your path leads to Story House, you’ll find a place where the pieces just fit. Our people find meaning in their work, true support in their team, and opportunities to grow, thrive and shape lives……every day, in every moment. It’s like a puzzle coming together, step by step, with each Story House-er bringing something special.
We’re proud to be the only early learning provider certified three times as a Great Place to Work and named as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces. We’ve been recognised for our commitment to wellbeing, inclusion, and innovation because creating inspiring environments starts with creating an inspiring workplace.
We’re part of many different communities, supporting families from all walks of life. That’s why we believe our team should reflect that same rich diversity. Every Story House-er brings something unique and when all those different pieces connect, it creates something truly beautiful. And that’s the Story House difference.
Say hello to some of our amazing Story House-ers
Leanne
Taylor
Belinda
Integrity
Connectedness
Respect
Commitment
Safety
Innovation
Celebration
Essential Parent Information
No Bond or Enrolment Fee – Just Two Weeks' Fees in Advance
Story House Early Learning does not require families to pay a bond or enrolment fee when enrolling your child, however there is a requirement for childcare fees to remain two weeks in advance at all times.
Comprehensive, Inquiry-Based Curriculum
Our service offers a curriculum inspired by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), tailored to each age group. Programs include nature-based experiences, art activities, STEAM and a school readiness curriculum.
Positive Community Feedback
Families consistently praise our service for our nurturing environment, dedicated staff, and high quality care.
All Inclusive Daily Fee for Quality Care and Learning
Story House Early Learning’s daily fee includes meals, nappies, wipes, sunscreen, learning programs, extracurricular activities, digital updates, and supportive care essentials. Everything is designed to create a safe, engaging, and nurturing environment for your child’s growth.
Public Transport
The nearest bus stop appears to be the stop at Ashton Rd / Ferntree Gully Rd bus stop (serving buses 693, 732, 755).
Walking distance is 440 metres and a 7 minute walk.
Schools
The nearest school is Ferntree Gully VIC 3156, Australia is Mountain Gate Primary School, located on Adele Avenue in Ferntree Gully. It is 300m away and will take 2 minutes to drive.
Hospital
The nearest major hospital is Angliss Hospital, located at 39 Albert Street, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156. It is 3km away or a 7 minute drive.
Medical Centres
The nearest Medical Centre is Mountain Gate Medical Centre. 43-45 Adele Avenue, Ferntree Gully VIC 3156, it is less than 500 meters away and will only take 1 minute to drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I enrol my child at the service?
You are able to enrol your child at any time however we are unable to confirm your enrolment until the service has departmental service approval.
How will you communicate with families on the opening of the service?
Three to four months prior to the opening of the service, our Customer Service Team will be in regular phone and email contact with all families advising them when opening dates will be.
What are the daily or weekly fees?
Daily and Weekly fees will be set prior to opening. Once fees have been set all enrolled families and families on the waitlist will ne notified via a phone call or email. CCS will then be able to be calculated. There is also a CCS calculator on the website to allow families to calculate their own daily and weekly fees.
CCS Calculator
*From $64.47/day : Estimated out-of-pocket costs are based on an average Child Care Subsidy (CCS) entitlement of 70% and 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight.
6 months - 3 yrs: $180.60
3 YRS - 5 YRS: $178.50
Family Resources
As part of the Story House Early Learning STRONG Beginnings curriculum, we believe learning continues beyond the classroom. That’s why we offer thoughtfully designed take-home resources for families, supporting each child’s development through fun, engaging activities.
These resources help reinforce learning themes, encourage parent involvement, and create meaningful opportunities for connection at home. From storybooks and activity ideas to creative crafts and conversation prompts, each item is tailored to extend the early learning experience, making education a shared and enjoyable journey for both children and their families.
How we communicate with Families
At Story House Early Learning, we believe strong communication with families is key to creating a nurturing and connected learning environment. We use the Storypark app as our primary communication tool, providing families with real-time updates on their child’s day, learning journey, and development. Through the app, families can receive photos, videos, and observations from educators, stay informed about upcoming events, and engage in two-way communication at any time. Storypark also allows us to collaborate closely with families, supporting each child’s growth through shared insights and goals. This seamless, secure, and interactive platform helps build meaningful partnerships between our educators and families every step of the way.
Rest Easy, Sleep Safe — The Story House Way
Safe Sleep
Story House Early Learning prioritises children’s well-being ensuring each child’s comfort and safety during rest times. Educators are trained to implement safe sleep practices, adhering to guidelines from Red Nose Australia and the National Quality Standards.
Our policy emphasises individual sleep needs, providing appropriate opportunities for rest and relaxation in a secure environment. By maintaining consistent routines and environments, Story House supports healthy sleep habits, fostering a nurturing atmosphere conducive to each child’s development.
Additionally, through the Sleep Smart program, educators receive expert guidance to enhance sleep practices, further ensuring the safety and well-being of all children.
