Woodlands Long Day Care & Kindergarten St Kilda Road

Woodlands Kindergarten is a great and child-friendly place which has become my daughter's second home. Managers and teachers educators are professional and have developed my daughters’ skills such as social development, cognition, physical and mental development. Now my daughter likes to go to the kindergarten and has made many friends. I like the safe environment, the food, the positive attitude of the teachers and staff working with each child to improve. The children's Xplor Home app is great. Every day you can see how your child is learning and developing in their classroom. We love it. Appreciate your great support. ❤️

My son (2Y) has been attending the daycare (3 days a week) for over three months now. At first, I was uncertain about how he would adjust, as he’s very attached to me. However, from the moment we visited for orientation, the staff made us feel at ease. The educators were warm, attentive, and genuinely caring, which helped him settle in quickly. He even developed a special bond with one of his educators, which was so reassuring to see! Additionally, we have special dietary requirements, and I truly appreciate how the team welcomed and carefully accommodated these needs. The centre is well managed, and I love the “almost live” updates on his sleep, nutrition, and toileting through the app—it really puts my mind at ease. The toddlers are engaged in a variety of activities like sensory play, football coaching, and sand play, which is wonderful. We also enjoy seeing the pictures from the daily journal; it brings me so much joy to see our son happily learning and playing with his friends. The staff are always prompt and responsive when I reach out, and I’d especially like to thank Educator Yina and Educator Tanya for their care and support of my son.

If you are considering this Daycare centre, please take the time to read this and reconsider for the safety of your child: I have a lot of pictures of my sons bruises and bite marks, but google won’t let me upload any. I cannot stress enough how horrific our experience with this kindergarten has been. It has left my son physically and emotionally scarred, and I feel it is my responsibility to warn other parents about the complete lack of care, professionalism, and safety here. 1. Unexplained Bruises: My son would often come home with severe bruises on his body, including one incident where he had a swollen bruise on his leg that took two weeks to heal. It was so serious that I had to take him to the doctor to treat it, and he narrowly avoided breaking his leg. There was no incident report filed, no explanation, and no communication from the staff, even though my son was clearly in pain and cried during the incident. They simply didn’t care. 2. Bite Marks: On multiple occasions, my son came home with bite marks on his body—some so deep they lasted a week. Once again, no incident reports were ever filed, and the staff never informed me. When I showed them the bite marks, they acted shocked and clueless, as if they had no idea what was happening. This shows either a blatant disregard for my son’s wellbeing or a complete lack of supervision. 3. Unprofessional Staff: On several occasions, I arrived to pick up my son and found his teacher sitting on the floor, barefoot, with her stomach exposed, scrolling on her phone. This kind of behavior is unacceptable and shows a shocking level of unprofessionalism. 4. Neglect During Meals: My son, already struggling with the stress of adjusting to a new environment, wouldn’t eat much at kindergarten. Instead of supporting him, the staff made no effort to encourage him to eat. As a result, he lost around 2 kilograms in just three weeks. 5. Abandoned Children: On more than one occasion, I saw children as young as two years old locked in classrooms by themselves, crying and unattended. This neglect is both heartbreaking and dangerous. 6. Extreme Neglect: The final straw was witnessing my son’s teacher standing and watching as another child sat on my son’s head with a thick, heavy mattress on top of him, squishing his head against the floor. The teacher only intervened when she noticed me watching. When I confronted her and the manager, they apologized and admitted it was a “lack of care.” Apologies mean nothing when serious harm could have occurred to my child or others. 7. Basic Hygiene Ignored: My son would come home with his nappy unchanged all day, leaving his skin red, swollen, and irritated. This level of neglect is absolutely unacceptable. 8. Emotional Trauma: My son has developed extreme anxiety, especially around other children. He panics and becomes overprotective of his toys, clearly traumatized by his experiences at this kindergarten. This has been the most distressing and appalling experience I’ve ever had as a parent. If you care about your child’s safety, wellbeing, and emotional health, I urge you to avoid this kindergarten at all costs. No child deserves to endure such neglect, abuse, and trauma.