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Orchard Road Community and Early Learning Centre

Get your child ready for a world of discovery and adventure!

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Exterior view of Orchard Road Community and Early Learning Centre, showing wooden building, green landscaping, and the centre's sign.

Orchard Rd, Doreen

Located in the heart of Doreen, Orchard Road Community and Early Learning Centre is a purpose-built community hub offering a range of services and activities for local families. Alongside early learning, the centre provides access to maternal and child health services, community groups, classes and programs including music, ballet, taekwondo, tutoring and family support initiatives.

Book a Tour

Get in Touch

121 Orchard Rd, Doreen, 3754
Get directions
1300 153 332orcelc@ywhittlesea.org.au

Operating Hours

Mon: 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
Tue: 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
Wed: 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
Thu: 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
Fri: 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed

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What makes The Y different

  • Developing social and problem-solving skills

    Children build confidence, independence and social skills through play, hands-on learning and meaningful experiences. Our engaging indoor and outdoor environments encourage exploration, with open-ended activities, natural play spaces and a veggie garden that inspires curiosity, sustainability and connection with others.

  • Creating open and trusted communication

    We value strong partnerships with families, because when families and educators work together, children thrive. Through Storypark (our family portal), regular educator conversations, newsletters, and centre updates, we keep you informed and connected, ensuring every family feels valued and truly part of their child's journey with us.

  • Providing nutritious, inclusive meals

    Our service includes nutritious meals prepared on site by a qualified chef. We base our menu on seasonal produce and house favourites such as vegetable soup and casserole in winter and fresh salads in summer. Our menu caters for allergies and cultural and religious beliefs.

Four toddlers playing with toys and interacting in a nursery room with educational decorations on the wall.

Nursery

Our nursery program provides a nurturing environment for babies in one dedicated room, accommodating up to 12 children with an educator-to-child ratio of 1:4 to support personalised care and early development.

An adult and a smiling toddler play together on a mat indoors, with toys and a yellow scarf in the background.

Toddler

Our toddler program is delivered across two welcoming rooms, each accommodating up to 12 children with an educator-to-child ratio of 1:4, encouraging confidence, curiosity and independence through play-based learning.

An adult and young children wearing hats play together with toy trucks in a sandy outdoor area under a bright, partly cloudy sky.

Pre-Kindergarten

Our pre-kindergarten program is offered across two learning rooms, each with a capacity of 22 children and an educator-to-child ratio of 1:11, supporting children's social, emotional and developmental growth.

Young girl in a red apron painting a colorful rainbow on paper at an easel in a bright, sunlit art classroom.

Kindergarten

Our kindergarten program is delivered across three spacious learning rooms, accommodating between 22 and 33 children with an educator-to-child ratio of 1:11. Children are supported through engaging, play-based experiences that build confidence and prepare them for their next learning journey.

A young girl and a teacher sit at a table, smiling and playing an educational card game in a classroom setting.

Indoor Learning Spaces

Our eight learning rooms provide warm, engaging environments for children from nursery to kindergarten, designed around the Early Years Learning Framework. Spaces include natural light, comfortable furnishings, family photos and flexible areas for independent and group play.

Outdoor playground area with swings, climbing equipment, colorful stepping stones, wood chips on the ground, and modern school buildings in the background under a clear blue sky.

Outdoor Learning Spaces

Our expansive 2,500m² outdoor area encourages children to explore, create and stay active, with climbing equipment, sandpits, water play, cubby houses, bike areas and quiet spaces for reflection. Children can develop new skills through hands-on experiences, including creating mud pies and exploring nature.

Children wearing sun hats make tacos, adding ingredients like ground meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes at a kitchen counter.

Healthy Meals

Our onsite cook prepares nutritious meals and snacks daily, with menus guided by the Healthy Eating Advisory Service and tailored to meet children’s dietary needs.

A smiling teacher holds a colorful animal picture book and interacts with a young boy wearing glasses in a classroom setting.

Spanish Program (4-year-old Kinder)

Our Spanish Program at Orchard Road ELC introduces children to the Spanish language and culture through fun, play-based experiences. Using songs, stories, games and everyday conversations, children learn new words and phrases while building confidence, curiosity and an appreciation for different languages and cultures.

Teacher interacting with two young students at a classroom table, engaging them in a colorful educational stick activity.

School Readiness

Our School Readiness Program supports children in their 4-year-old kindergarten year to feel confident and prepared for their transition to school. Through engaging, play-based learning, children build important skills in communication, early literacy and numeracy, independence, problem-solving, social connections and emotional wellbeing.

A smiling woman in a hijab sits next to a young girl in a classroom, with educational toys on the table.

EYES Program

Our Early Years Engagement Support (EYES) Program provides additional support for children who may benefit from extra guidance with their learning, development and wellbeing. Working alongside families and educators, our EYES team helps identify individual needs, provides practical strategies and connects families with relevant services to support each child to thrive.

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School ReadY Program

Our School ReadY Program combines play-based learning with intentional teaching to help children build the skills and confidence they need for a positive start to school. Designed for children attending 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten, the program supports key areas of development, including literacy and language, social skills and emotional wellbeing.

A group of children wearing green vests walk in a line on a sunny sidewalk, supervised by an adult in a safety vest, surrounded by greenery and trees.

Incursions and Excursions

Our incursions and excursions at Orchard Road ELC, bring learning to life through fun, hands-on experiences. From special visitors and interactive activities to exploring the local community, these experiences encourage curiosity, build new skills and help children connect their learning with the world around them.

What we provide

  • Incursions and Excursions
  • School Ready
  • Sun Smart
  • Storypark
  • Early Intervention Program
  • Safe Environment
Rosa, Centre Manager

Meet Rosa, our Centre Manager

Hi, I'm Rosa, Centre Manager and Educational Leader at Orchard Road Community and Early Learning Centre. With 22 years of experience at the Y across a range of educator and leadership roles, I am passionate about early childhood education and creating a safe, supportive environment where children and families feel a strong sense of belonging. I believe in building meaningful relationships and providing children with the skills and confidence they need to thrive.

A classroom with small tables and chairs, children's artwork on the wall, a shelf, and a reading nook labeled 'WOW' with wooden flooring.
Child playing in front of a shelving unit filled with colorful building blocks, toy animals, and baskets in a classroom or playroom setting.
Children's play area with toy kitchen set, dishes on a round table with lace cover, dolls, a polka-dot chair, and blocks on a green carpet.
A bright classroom with tables, chairs, and a bin of colorful building blocks. Artworks and photographs are displayed on the walls, creating a welcoming learning environment.
A young girl in a pink shirt builds with colorful plastic blocks at a table, smiling, with a large container of blocks and an instruction card beside her.
Children wearing hats playing outdoors with large crates, planks, and tires, constructing a makeshift play structure on a grassy area near a bamboo grove.
Modern playground structure with a red slide and a wooden climbing platform, set outdoors on a gravel surface, surrounded by plants and fencing.
Outdoor playground with a metal climbing dome, seesaw, wood chips, and tall grass under a partly cloudy sky next to a brick wall and metal fence.
Outdoor playground area with swings, a slide, a sandpit, colorful stepping pods, and wood chip ground cover, set beside a building under a partly cloudy sky.
Children riding bikes and tricycles under a sunshade in an outdoor playground, with an adult supervising and play equipment visible in the background.
Three young children planting seedlings in a garden bed, their hands covered in dirt, working together around green plants.
A group of children wearing green vests and hats walk on a path with an adult in a safety vest, surrounded by greenery and trees under a blue sky.
Young child sits on a colorful play mat, exploring a soft toy box decorated with animal prints in a bright, indoor setting.

Enrol Today!

Enrolling is simple, fill out our online Application Form and our friendly team will be in touch to confirm your child's place and walk you through the next steps. Alternatively, if you have further questions, please complete our Contact Us form.

Application FormContact Us
A teacher reads a picture book to a group of young children sitting on a colorful rug in a classroom.

Montana has been going to Orchard Road Long Day Care for 18months and in that time Montana has blossomed and thrived beyond our belief. Every room she has been in and every educator she has had, has been beyond caring, nurturing and educating Montana to the highest of levels. Montana loves every time she goes to daycare and can’t wait until the next time she can go.

Amy, Orchard Road Parent

Logo for Northumbria University featuring the university's name and a stylized purple check mark design.

Have you seen this symbol?

Our Kindergarten is an approved provider of a Victorian Government funded kindergarten program. It means we deliver a play-based learning program led by a qualified early childhood teacher.

Enrol Today!

Families seeking 3 and 4 year old kindergarten can apply directly through the City of Whittlesea website, visit their site to get started with your enrolment today.

Kindergarten Applications