Privately owned

As the owners of Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest, Cherie Cash and Jenny Mays are always on-site to greet you. With a combined 45 years of experience in the Early Childhood sector, they continue to manage the service with passion and a personal approach to the needs of each child and family.

From Birth to 5 years. Preparing your child for School.

Transitioning to School need not be stressful for you or your child. At Explore & Develop we make sure that the milestones required for a successful transition to school are our priority. From numeracy skills, to literacy to social readiness, we guarantee we will work with you to ensure your child is school ready.

Nestled in a bushland setting combining indoor and outdoor learning.

Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest offers the convenience of a local service nestled within a bush setting. Bush turkeys, rabbits and lizards are our daily visitors. We also have a dedicated library, an art space, vegetable garden, outdoor eating and barbeque area.

Experienced teaching staff

Our teaching team, who lead the curriculum at our service, hold either a Bachelor of Education or Diploma in Early Childhood with an average tenure of between 4 – 9 years’ service with us.

Nutrition taken seriously

Our on-site chef creates nutritionally balanced meals, cooked fresh every day. This way we not only can offer freshly cooked meals, but we also provide more than the recommended daily intake in all food groups.

Exceeding National Standards

An ‘Exceeding National Standards’ rating means we have been assessed as a service provider with practices that exceed the national standards as defined by the Department of Education.

We could not recommend Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest high enough. It’s always going to be daunting leaving your child (especially your first!) in the care of others for the first time but from the instant we met the team of educators, our minds were put at ease. Our son had a fabulous transition and was so well supported in every way since that first day. The educators go out of their way to nurture your child’s interests and strengths, the communication is outstanding (I love seeing the daily updates) and the food is incredible. Our son doesn’t even look back when he runs in the door now! The centre is so warm and friendly, we couldn’t speak high enough of the team.

Sammy Major

We moved our child to Explore and Develop Frenchs Forest after never being completely happy with our two previous day care centres, and never looked back. This centre is incredible, the staff are wonderful, the playground is peaceful and most importantly the kids are happy. Jen & Cherie are incredible at managing the centre, they really put money and time back into the centre to consistently improve the facilities and keep the kids stimulated. For example one week they might get in a petting zoo and the next the might take the older kids on a mini excursion. We have now had two children through the centre until today when our youngest started his first day of school, and hats off to E&D, both kids have been well and truly prepared for school and the bigger world. Its been emotional to leave the centre as they feel like an extension of our family and we’d strongly recommend E&D Frenchs Forest to anyone looking for the best for their young children.

Explore and Develop Frenchs Forest has been part of our family for 8 years with both our daughters having attended from babies until graduation. We cannot speak more highly of the centre and could not imagine a better place for our children to have called their second home all these years. Our daughters have always enjoyed the centre, the mix of structure and free play has suited them perfectly. They loved their time outdoors, the library visits, the rainy days inside and there was never a day when they didn’t looked forward to going back which is a true testimony to the nurturing and ever evolving learning experience that E&D provides. Our children have made lifelong friends and through them so did we. The creativity of the teaching staff never ceased to amaze us, we always appreciated the sustainable approach and work with nature. The staff are friendly, kind, approachable and always there to answer whatever questions we might have. We will be forever grateful for having found such a wonderful place for our children’s formative years.

We found E&D after moving to the area and we are delighted we did! Having had experience with other daycares, E&D is far superior in our experience. The centre itself is well laid out with great outdoor space, the communication is excellent, and the staff are nurturing, caring & approachable. Our eldest loves her time there and I often get in trouble if I pick her up early!

Aisling Sullivan

Three of my four children have attended Explore & Develop, Frenchs Forest over a period spanning 7 years. Jenny and Cherie are the most dedicated and delightful Centre Directors and I cannot speak highly enough of the staff members in each and every room who are always happy, warm and nurturing educators. In my experience, the Educators have always placed my children’s needs at the forefront of their care provision and are always ready to provide feedback on a daily basis.

The ability to access the Kinderloop app from my phone on a daily basis allows me to see what my children are experiencing and reassures me that they are having a wonderful time at Kindy.
The meals that are provided seem to go down better with my children than my own home cooked foods and I would highly recommend Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest to anyone considering Long Day Care for their child/children.

Carol-Anne Willis

My daughter is currently enrolled at Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest and absolutely loves it! The daily curriculum and activities are creative, diverse, fun and developmentally appropriate. The carers do a great job encouraging curiosity and each child’s individual interests. I appreciate the updates I can view each day via the app. It’s great to see pictures of my daughter happy, learning and exploring new things while I’m at work. The environment and classroom space is comfortable and cheerful. As a new parent, I have been most appreciative of how loving, welcoming, understanding, accommodating and supportive the carers and staff have been. Can’t say enough positive things about our experience at this centre!

Maria, mother of Alice

Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest offers an exceptionally professional, high quality and caring service. It’s undoubtedly one of the best early learning centres on the Northern Beaches. My two kids have been going to E&D for a couple of years and we have always felt each educator really takes the time to foster each child’s development and offer them individual care. The care and service is always delivered to the highest possible standard and their communication is outstanding. I can’t thank all the team at E&D for their exceptional care and support for our family, particularly over the past few months during the Covid lockdown. If you’re looking for the best quality care and education for your kids, look no further than Explore and Develop Frenchs Forest.

Vicky Gregory

Letting someone else look after your children is tough. You know they will be ok and a quick observation of their learning space will confirm they are going to learn, grow and develop with such a carefully thought out and interactive space. What you don’t know is if they will be cared for with real heartfelt compassion At Explore and Develop they look after my children like their own. You cannot manufacture their enthusiasm, their care or the love they show. I am dreading the day when my youngest graduates… thankfully I have a few years left.

Laurie (Mum to Millie, Maisie & Alfie)

I have two children enrolled at the service, one in junior preschool and one in the bilbies 0-2 room. Both began daycare at an early age, and although I initially found the decision to send my children in to someone else’s care a difficult one, the team at E&D made me (and my kids) feel instantly at ease. The educators are professional, caring and intuitive to each child’s needs. I really appreciate that educational program incorporates diversity, inclusion and sustainability, and most importantly, my kids love it there! They race down the hallway at drop off without looking back! Having a service and educators you can trust certainly takes some of the pressure off of being a working parent. I simply cannot thank Explore and Develop enough for the exceptional care they provide for my children. I’d encourage anyone requiring long daycare for their children to book a tour, and see for themselves what a well organized, happy service it is.

Dani Jamieson

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest

Joey/Bilbies

0 – 2 years

Our Joey/Bilby rooms offers a large playspace, a gross motor room and an outdoor playspace. With 3 playspaces for your child you will be amazed at how varied your child’s day can be.

We understand that when you start your Early Childhood journey that it is our role to provide an environment that offers high quality care where we can reflect the routine you require.

With the comfort of a home away from home environment, we ensure your child is stimulated whilst walking through the developmental milestones that are so key for this age group.

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Koala/Wombat

2 – 3 years

We appreciate the active needs of a young child, so as a Koala or Wombat at our Service we offer smaller classrooms. These group sizes allow us to achieve a high level of interaction between teacher and child.

Our learning environment offers age appropriate experiences where movement, cognitive development and imagination are all considered in our curriculum planning.

Small group experiences are part of our day so we can start appreciating what working alongside our friends feels like.

Junior Preschool

3 – 4 years

Preschool is a key stage of development.

When your child reaches our preschool classrooms a “transition to school” approach is incorporated into our play based curriculum.

As a Junior Pre-schooler children’s social skills are starting to take form and they are starting to appreciate their peers and what they contribute to the world.

The activities that your children participates in includes all the areas required by the Early Years Learning Framework.

Equally the ability to take responsibility for their routine, their belongings and the structure of the day fosters independence and personal growth.

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Senior Preschool

4 – 5 years

As a senior pre-schooler, the final year before moving to Kindergarten, your child is now demonstrating their ability to explore concepts, follow teacher lead activities and contribute to their curriculum.

The foundations for class learning has been laid in the Junior Preschool and we now increase our expectations of the outcomes your child can achieve.

Elements of the curriculum (Early Years Learning Framework) will now extend cognitive learning, fine motor & gross motor skills, social & emotional interactions alongside literacy, numeracy and STEM concepts.

As an Explore & Develop graduate, your child will be school ready and the transition to a formal school environment will be less stressful for you and them.

This planning makes sure your child is ready for their next step in their learning life – Big School.

Outdoor environment

We feel privileged to be nestled amongst a beautiful bushland setting. Each day we are able to climb, run, explore and be physically challenged.

We can often see rabbits, bush turkeys & blue tongue lizards wandering by whilst we work in our garden that is tended to by the children.

Our close connection to the natural world helps our children understand and respect our responsibilities in working towards a sustainable future.

TESTIMONIALS

Explore & Develop Frenchs Forest

Kathryn Noble 3 days ago

We are just about to finish our journey at E&D Frenchs forest after two kids going through from the age of 1.
I originally chose the service due to the diverse age range of staff members & the centre directors honest and clear communication… I just had a gut feeling that the people in the centre knew what they were doing and genuinely cared. I was told they had low staff turnover. This has been proven in our journey, with many of the staff members who welcomed us that first day, still there today. The love and joy given to our boys from the educators will make our goodbye hard. I would not hesitate to send a child to this service. The food, cooked onsite is healthy and delicious (my kids eat better at daycare than at home!), they have plenty of outdoor play space and they run a pre-school program in the senior year to prep them for school. If you are considering a daycare, do make time to visit E&D Frenchs forest. We’ll miss it!

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Sarah Carter 4 days ago

We can't speak highly enough of Explore and Develop Frenchs Forest! Our 3yr old son has gained so much confidence and has made the best of friends during his first year. The educators have been at the daycare for years and they are kind & caring. It feels like dropping your child off with extended family! We are excited to send our daughter next year and have confidence she will thrive at the daycare. Thank you for going above and beyond team!

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christine teager 1 year ago

Our daughter (2.5 years) has thrived at Explore and Develop Frenchs Forest. They truly care and cater for every child and their needs. Having been to other centres, there is just no comparison.

The staff put so much work and time into planning the activities for each day, to ensure the children have the best experiences. They are offered a variety of nutritious on site cooked meals, which my daughter loves. They also work with families to ensure smooth transitions from day 1, to moving between rooms. We were always nervous about starting our children in daycare, but we have no worries at all about sending our son next year.

The best review of all is from our daughter - every day she comes home having learned something new and excitedly tells us all about her day. She packs her backpack for the next day and can’t wait to go back and see her friends and educators. It is a home away from home and we are very grateful to Cherie and her educators for making our daughter’s days so enjoyable.

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Jimmy F 1 year ago

Our youngest boy has been at Explore and Develop for the past 2 years and it’s been absolutely brilliant.
We came there on recommendation from a few good friends who love it also.
It’s been a massive step up in quality from our previous daycare, there are many centres much closer to home but we wouldn’t change now for anything.
Cherie is a community minded local and mum, she has built a brilliant and dedicated team. Seeing the same faces day in and out through Covid and staff shortages speaks volumes. The structure of learning and school readiness is second to none.
My boy has formed deep bonds with the carers, and continues to have new favourites as he moves through the rooms!

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Tom Loneragan 2 year ago

Our whole family love Explore and Develop, Frenchs Forest. Great nurturing environment with amazing staff. Thank you team for your great work.

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Stacy Slavin 3 year ago

The staff are what make or break your and your children’s experience at a childcare centre, and the staff at E&D FF are absolutely exceptional. They clearly care so much about the children and go above and beyond to be flexible and work with you. They have completely filled me with confidence in the care they show for our two boys.

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