Long day care in Essendon — what families in the inner north need to know

Families moving into Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Strathmore and Airport West are discovering what inner-north childcare looks like — and the options have changed significantly over the past few years. My Stars Early Learning opened at 22 Lincoln Road, Essendon in 2025, bringing a family-owned centre with an 11-year track record from Berwick to the area. Before choosing any centre, it helps to understand what long day care actually provides and what questions to ask.

What long day care means in Essendon

Long day care is approved, all-year early childhood education and care typically operating from around 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, five days a week. It's different from sessional kindergarten (which runs for shorter blocks during term) and family day care (which operates from a home setting). Long day care centres are regulated under the National Quality Framework, assessed by ACECQA, and are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for families who qualify.

In Essendon and the surrounding Moonee Valley region, there are approximately nine long day care centres within 3 km. The density of options means families have genuine choice — which makes it even more important to understand what distinguishes one centre from another.

What the NQS rating tells you (and what it doesn't)

Every approved childcare centre in Australia is assessed under the National Quality Standard (NQS) and given one of four ratings: Significant Improvement Required, Working Towards NQS, Meeting NQS, or Exceeding NQS. The rating reflects the assessment team's judgement of the centre on that specific visit — it doesn't update continuously and doesn't capture everything that matters.

My Stars Essendon holds a Meeting NQS rating, consistent with our Berwick centre. We opened in 2025 and are in our first assessment cycle. What we carry into Essendon is 11 years of practice from Berwick: small rooms, long-tenure educators, on-site cooking every day, and the same B.R.I.G.H.T. philosophy that parents know from our original centre.

Why families in Moonee Ponds and Strathmore choose Essendon care

The 3040 postcode sits within easy reach of Moonee Ponds (2 km), Strathmore (3 km), Airport West (4 km) and Ascot Vale (2 km). Many families in these suburbs work in the city or near the airport and need a centre that opens early, stays open late, and provides meals so the morning rush is manageable.

My Stars Essendon operates 6:30 am to 6:30 pm Monday to Friday, 51 weeks per year. We provide breakfast, morning tea, a chef-prepared lunch, and afternoon tea — all cooked on-site. Nappies are included. Families connect with educators daily through the OWNA app, which posts observations, meals and updates throughout the day.

The building: a Victorian heritage centre on Lincoln Road

22 Lincoln Road is a Victorian-era heritage building that we've adapted for early childhood care without stripping its character. The rooms are smaller than a typical large-scale centre — intentionally so. We license 40 places across our age groups, which means educators have genuine relationships with every child and family.

Age groups at Essendon follow the same room structure as Berwick: infants (3–12 months), toddlers (12–24 months), two-year-olds, three-year-olds, and pre-kinder. Victorian Government-funded Three-Year-Old Kinder and Four-Year-Old Kinder (Free Kinder) are both available for eligible children within our daily program.

What to look for when comparing Essendon long day care centres

When visiting any centre in the inner north, consider the following:

• Educator continuity — how long do staff stay? High turnover directly affects your child's sense of security, especially under 2.
• Meal quality — ask to see a sample menu. On-site cooking and fresh ingredients look and taste very different from heated pre-packaged meals.
• Room ratios — Victoria requires 1:4 for infants, 1:5 for toddlers, 1:8 for pre-schoolers at minimum. Ask what the centre actually runs.
• Communication — find out whether the centre uses a parent app, how often you receive updates, and whether educators communicate directly or via admin.
• Philosophy alignment — Reggio Emilia, Montessori, play-based and structured programs all produce different days for children. Make sure you understand what a typical Tuesday looks like.

Free Kinder and CCS in Essendon

The Victorian Government's Three-Year-Old Kinder and Four-Year-Old Kinder (Free Kinder) programs are available at My Stars Essendon for eligible children. Free Kinder is delivered within our full-day program — your child attends their regular long day care day and receives funded kinder hours as part of it, with no additional drop-off or pick-up.

Visiting My Stars Essendon

The best way to get a feel for any long day care centre is a guided tour during the morning. You'll see the rooms operating, meet the educators, watch how transitions happen, and get a real sense of whether the atmosphere suits your family. Tours at My Stars Essendon run weekday mornings and are led personally by Sim or a senior educator.