FAQs

  • We cater to a range of age groups depending on the location:

    • Big Bear Academy Macquarie Fields caters to children ages 18 months to 6 years old

    • Big Bear Academy St Andrews caters to children ages 18 months to 6 years old

    • Big Bear Academy North Rocks caters to children ages 3 to 6 years old

    • Big Bear Academy Minto will open later this year and cater to children 6 weeks to 6 years old

  • All our centres operate from 7:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays

  • Yes, we provide all nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day, catering to dietary requirements and allergies. We also purchase Halal meat & poultry products. We do not have a food budget as we believe nutrition is critical for a child’s developing mind.

  • Our team includes a mix of Certificate III and Diploma trained Early Childhood Educators as well as Early Childhood Teachers, all with a passion for children's development. Our cooks hold a Nominated Food Supervisor certificate.

    All our team members are employed on a Full or Part Time basis to ensure continuity of care for your child.

    All our team members have:

    • Child protection training refreshed annually

    • First Aid, CPR and Allergy/Anaphylaxis training

    • Working with Children Check

    • Monthly Professional Development (at a minimum)

  • Absolutely, and we are proud of it! Our School Readiness program is a holistic approach focusing on the traditional skills such as literacy, numeracy as well as on emotional wellbeing, self-help skills, problem solving and social development to prepare children for all aspects of their first year in primary school.

  • Yes, all incursions are paid for by the centre and align with children’s interests, covering topics like culture, sustainability, and movement. We are committed to paying for the incursions so no child misses out.

  • Our natural outdoor spaces at all our services has been designed & built by our owner Andrew in consultation with Jamie Miller Landscapes, a professional childcare landscaper who specialises in maximising yard space for a great blend of gross motor skills and the opportunity to bring indoor play outdoors! Softfall is tested annually and gardens are maintained daily/weekly.

    Our team also do an amazing job of setting up the yard everyday with wonderous obstacle courses and activities for the children to explore

  • Yes - our outdoor area has been thoughtfully designed as a natural landscape to support sensory exploration and gross motor development. The space does include bark mulch, gentle slopes, and natural rocks – all common features in modern early learning environments that promote balance and risk awareness. Our Educators are always on hand around these environments to teach and watch.

  • We do offer casual days for children who already have permanent days booked with us. As we only operate with Full time and Part time educators, we cannot offer casual care for families that do not already have permanent days with us.

  • Simply get in touch with us to book a tour, send us a message via our contact page, call our centre or inquire in person. We look forward to hearing from you!

  • We deliberately roster more educators than required to ensure exceptional supervision and individualised care across every part of the day. At all times educators work in pairs, and each area is staffed with a minimum of two team members to maintain continuous, attentive supervision and safety.

  • Only female educators are involved in toileting and personal care routines.

  • Absolutely. We have an open-door policy and fully support families who wish to stay a little longer during drop-off. We understand that transitions can take time and we work with each family to ensure the process is as smooth and reassuring as possible.

  • Yes. We understand the demands of family life, so we offer flexible drop-off and pick-up windows. Families are not expected to rush in or out – our focus is always on making the start and end of your child’s day calm, positive, and supported.

  • Some, yes - we’re proud to have a culturally diverse team with several bilingual educators who support language development and help children communicate.