Mary St.
20A Mary St,
Birkdale, 4159
07 3822 4330
maryst@perfectstart.com.au
Monday- Friday
6.15am – 6..15 pm
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Perfect Start Mary St.
A Natural Wonderland Where Children Flourish
Our Environment
A Warm and Welcoming Home Away from Home
Igniting Imagination
Creating Adventures in Learning
How We Inspire
Innovative Early Learning Programs
At Perfect Start Early Education Mary St, we provide personalised early learning experiences tailored to each child’s unique interests. Our play-based, emergent curriculum follows the Early Years Learning Framework, ensuring a strong foundation for growth and development.
Our standout Bush Kindy program, integrated across all rooms, immerses children in nature, fostering exploration, creativity, and environmental awareness. For our kindergarten children, we offer the Kindy Science program, introducing STEM learning through engaging activities that inspire curiosity and critical thinking.
With a balance of enriching indoor and outdoor spaces, children at Mary St thrive as they explore their world through hands-on experiences, building confidence and a love for learning.
Nurturing Care for Infants at Perfect Start
A Gentle Beginning
At Perfect Start Early Education, our Birkdale Infant Program is designed for children from birth to 15 months. We provide high levels of care and comfort in an environment that feels like a home away from home. We know leaving your baby can be difficult, so we do everything we can to make it easier for you.
Our Nursery rooms are warm, safe, and welcoming, creating a soothing space for your little one. With educator-to-child ratios that meet the National Quality Framework standards, your child receives personalised attention and care.
We focus on early socialisation, helping infants begin to recognise sounds, sights, and develop early language skills. Our educators talk, read, and sing to the children regularly. As babies grow, we introduce interactive play with toys, blocks, and art materials like crayons and paper to encourage motor skills and creativity. We also use music throughout the day to support language development and social interaction.
At Perfect Start Early Education, we are dedicated to nurturing every child’s growth in a safe and loving environment.
Toddler Program at Perfect Start Mart St
Nurturing Independence and Creativity
At Perfect Start Early Education in Birkdale, our toddler program is crafted to ignite imagination, nurture creativity, and support growing independence. We understand that toddlers are full of curiosity, and our educators guide them to explore a world of sounds, shapes, colours, and textures. Through playful learning with songs, puzzles, interactive toys, and hands-on activities, children can express themselves while also learning to understand their emotions and develop empathy for others.
A key part of our toddler program is fostering independence through everyday self-help skills. We guide children as they learn to feed themselves, use utensils, wash their hands, dress, and pack up after playtime. These moments of growth are supported by our educators who provide gentle encouragement and practical support.
Our outdoor play area at Mary St offers toddlers the space to run, climb, balance, and explore, helping them develop gross motor skills in a fun and active environment. Indoors, the happy, vibrant atmosphere of our toddler rooms promotes socialisation and creativity, where each child’s unique personality shines.
With personalised care and consistent routines, we ensure that every child feels safe, supported, and excited to learn. At Perfect Start Mary St, we’re here to help your toddler grow in confidence, independence, and creativity, laying the foundation for a bright future.
Kindy Program at Perfect Start Early Education
Inspiring Growth and Confidence
At Perfect Start Early Education, our Kindy program provides a nurturing, playful, and stimulating environment where young children grow into confident, independent learners. This is an age of wonder, where curiosity drives every experience and new discoveries are made each day.
Children at this stage begin to develop essential skills, such as recognising numbers and letters, solving problems, and building longer attention spans. Our program encourages this natural curiosity through hands-on learning, allowing children to explore the world around them using their senses and motor skills. Whether through creative play or experimenting with trial and error, every child is given the space and support to master new skills at their own pace.
Kindy is also a time for emotional growth, and we place a strong emphasis on building social skills. Through daily interactions, children learn to communicate, share, and collaborate with their peers. Our dedicated educators guide them in forming relationships based on trust, empathy, and acceptance—skills that foster self-esteem and emotional resilience.
The Kindy curriculum includes a balanced mix of teacher-guided activities and free play, providing endless opportunities for creativity and learning. From arts and crafts to music, stories, and numeracy exercises, each day is filled with engaging activities that lay the foundation for school readiness.
At Perfect Start, we celebrate this exciting developmental phase by helping children explore their creativity, develop key skills, and grow with confidence.
Queensland Government Approved Kindergarten at Perfect Start
Future-Ready
At Perfect Start Early Education, our Kindergarten program is designed to prepare children for school while embracing the magic of their final year of play-based learning. We focus on developing social and emotional intelligence through a supportive and creative environment, ensuring children are confident and ready for the next stage of their learning journey.
Our team of experienced and qualified early childhood teachers delivers a flexible, holistic curriculum based on the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines and the Early Years Learning Framework. Each day, children engage in meaningful activities that introduce early concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) alongside literacy, numeracy, arts, music, and physical development.
We believe in learning through hands-on discovery—whether it’s exploring the outdoors, creating in the art room, or engaging with interactive learning tools like whiteboards and science zones. Children are encouraged to follow their interests and express themselves in a safe and stimulating environment, with activities tailored to their individual strengths.
Our program also includes exciting extras like a STEM program with a qualified science teacher, dance and movement classes, the ELLA program (Mandarin), excursions, centre events, and a gardening program. With a focus on building confidence and courage, we prepare children not only for school but for life beyond the classroom.
So Much More Fun
Extra Curricular Activities
At Perfect Start Early Education, we believe in enriching our children’s learning experiences through a variety of extra-curricular activities. Our centres offer engaging programs such as creative arts, music, dance, and movement classes, as well as gardening and outdoor exploration. We also introduce children to sports and STEM activities, encouraging them to discover their interests and talents. These activities are designed to foster creativity, teamwork, and physical development, providing a well-rounded education that supports each child’s growth and confidence.
Library Visits
We regularly visit the Birkdale State School Library to instill the love for books in each child. Making these regular visits helps the transition to school easier for our Kindergarten children.
Many of our children cannot wait to start school and feel very comfortable in the school environment. We also participate in sports carnivals, Under 8’s day, and the Book week Parade at Birkdale State School.
Kindy Science
Kindy Science is a wonderful program developed to enrich and extend early childhood-aged children in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) using engaging activities in an everyday environment.
Happy Feet
Happy Feet is a fun movement and dance class, the creativity of music, and the joy of active play.
Bush Kindy
This is a long-term programs that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.
Leadership
The Mary St Centre Manager
13 Years of Early Education and Care
Meet Shaunie York,
Centre Manager
Let me Introduce myself
Hello, my name is Shaunie, and I am proud to be the Centre Manager at Perfect Start Early Education. I hold a Diploma in Early Education and Care, and from an early age, I knew my path would lead me to a career in childcare. With over 13 years of experience, my journey began right here at this centre. I started as an inclusion support educator, moved on to become an Assistant Educator, and later a Lead Educator, before stepping into my current role.
I am deeply passionate about early education and believe that every child is unique, with their own strengths to be nurtured and developed. Outside of work, I cherish time with my family and our two dogs, Jubbly and Rocket. I’ve also been fortunate to travel extensively and look forward to continuing my adventures.
I’m excited to get to know all of you and continue supporting the amazing team and families at Perfect Start.
What I love about Mary St
I love working at Perfect Start Mary Street because of the calm, natural environment that creates a beautiful space for both children and educators to thrive.
Our centre feels like a home away from home, where a close-knit, passionate team supports one another and the children.
What makes it truly special is how we nurture curiosity and learning through play in such a serene setting, fostering meaningful connections and a sense of community.
Downladable Material
Resources
Parent Reviews And Experiences
Voices of Our Families
Register Your Interest
FAQ’s
Most commonly asked
How do I enrol my child at Perfect Start Early Education?
If you’re considering enrolment, we invite you to book a tour at the Perfect Start Early Education centre closest to you. Families are encouraged to explore as many of our centres as they’d like to find the ideal environment, team, and facilities to support their child’s growth.
During your visit, you’ll have the chance to meet our Centre Manager, gain insights into our educational programs, and ask any questions about our unique approach or facilities. We aim to give families a clear sense of what makes our philosophy and practices so special.
If you’re ready to begin your journey with us, the Centre Manager will provide an Enrolment Pack or place you on the Waiting List, depending on your preferred start date and availability. Following your tour, a member of our management team will be in touch to answer any additional questions and guide you through the next steps.
Families on the Waiting List receive regular updates about their child’s placement status and helpful information about the centre and learning resources from Perfect Start Early Education.
You Can Visit Our Parent Resources Page for Additional Information.
Can I schedule a tour of the centre, and can my child join me before starting care?
Absolutely! You’re warmly invited to book a complimentary tour at any of our centres. During the visit, a team member will guide you through, giving you an in-depth look at our facilities and approach.
Once you’re ready to enrol, we’re happy to arrange a ‘stay and play’ session for your child so they can experience the environment firsthand. For these sessions, we ask that parents remain present to ensure comfort and familiarity for your little one.
How does the waiting list work, and when can I expect an offer for my child’s place?
Perfect Start’s waiting list considers each child’s age group, preferred days, and attendance schedule.
When spaces become available, we will contact families as soon as possible to inform them about current vacancies and enrolment options. Once notified, families have 4-6 weeks to accept the offered position.
For January/February starts, offers may be made as early as September of the previous year, after reviewing graduates and classroom transitions within our existing community.
Do you have a minimum number of days my child has to attend?
What do I need to bring on my child’s first day?
Your child will need a spare change of clothes, bedding (a sheet and pillow), and a water bottle, with the exception of nursery children, for whom we provide bedding. Families with little ones in the nursery should bring bottles and formula or breast milk. If your child has a comfort item, such as a pacifier, blanket, or soft toy, please feel free to bring it along.
If you’d like to talk about enrolling your child, don’t hesitate to reach out to us anytime.
How does Child Care Subsidy work?
Child Care Subsidy is available to help families cover the cost of childcare if they meet the eligibility requirements. To apply, families can set up or access their ServiceLink online account and submit a claim for the subsidy through myGov.
The amount of subsidised care you receive each fortnight is based on your income and the combined hours of work, training, study, or other recognised activities. This information will be sent directly to ServiceLink.
Before starting care, you’ll need to establish a “Complying Written Arrangement” with Pefect Start Early Education. This agreement outlines your child’s care requirements. Once this is set up, an enrolment notice will be created for your child, which you’ll need to confirm before the subsidy can be applied. If you need to make changes to your agreement, you can do this through your myGov account.
Child Care Subsidy payments are made directly to your provider after attendance reports are submitted. A standard 5% of the subsidy is withheld to help prevent debts at the end of the financial year. If needed, you can choose to have this withheld amount increased.
For more information about the Child Care Subsidy and the Additional Child Care Subsidy, visit the Department of Human Services website at www.education.gov.au/ChildCarePackage. You can also call ServiceLink at 13 61 50, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 8 pm.
Remember, it’s your responsibility to keep your Child Care Subsidy eligibility up to date. If your eligibility expires, you’ll need to pay full fees until it’s reinstated.
When are my fees due?
Fees are payable on the Friday of your child’s first week of care via a direct debit. Fees are payable one week in advance, so in your child’s first week of care, two weeks’ fees will be debited.
What to expect when starting at Perfect Start Centers?
We understand that settling into childcare can be an emotional time for both children and their parents. It may be the child’s first experience or your child may be transitioning to a new room in the centre. At times children have difficulty separating from their families and each child’s reactions and length of time they take to settle into their environment depends on the child, their previous experiences and their age.
Families can assist their child by
- Spending time at the centre with their child before and as they settle into care. Families are welcome to visit the service by making prior arrangements with the Director.
- Show confidence about your decision for your child to attend the service. Displaying trust in us will send the message of reassurance to your child.
- Ensure you have informed educators about your child’s likes, dislikes, routines and individual preferences for food and drink.
- Seek out a preferred educator that your child can be left with when you drop them off for the day.
- Allow time for drop off as often children do not cope when it is rushed.
- Contact the service during your child’s first days to check how your child is settling.
Our Management Team will assist your child by
- Ensuring that each family has participated in the enrolment and orientation process.
- Allowing the orientation process to be flexible to meet the needs of all families.
- Ensuring that there are effective procedures for moving to a new room.
- Rostering educators allowing for consistency for new children and families.
Our Educators will
- Be aware of new enrolments, their commencement day, their background information their interests and needs.
- Encourage a separation routine, does the child need to wave at the window, or the gate or do they need to become involved in a favourite activity?
- Encourage the parent to let you know approximately what time they will collect their child as this will allow educators to honestly tell a child whether it will be soon or later.
- Immediately let children know where they can toilet, and keep their bag or lunch box. Discuss with the child how they will receive their meals. All children need to know their basic needs will be met.
- Buddy new children with long term children. This will ensure that children feel welcome and accepted.
- Make the day fun filled and wonderful, so children leave and want to come back!!
- Children will often feel that their family is not ever going to return. A picture book made of photos of the centre routine can be compiled and discussed. This will reassure the child that at a specific time their parents will come back.
- A photo of the child’s parents laminated may also comfort a child.
- Encourage the family to ring and check on their child’s progress and provide honest feedback.
