Brynley Street Nursery & Preschool opened its doors in October 2008 with a simple dream: to create a beautiful space where the youngest members of the Hornby community could be nurtured, cared for and educated. Founded by Gem and Melissa, the centre's enduring vision is to be 'The Next Best Place to Home' — a place of sanctuary and comfort where children can relax, laugh, be heard and be accepted. That notion of home underpins everything the service offers its families.
Step inside and the homely feel is immediate: large, well-considered play spaces filled with natural resources, large trees that attract bird life, and an earthy colour palette throughout reflecting the centre's rural roots. Children engage with organic gardens, collect eggs from the laying hens and help care for the rabbits — while Franklin, the resident cat, is very much part of the centre family.
Care is split across two purposeful spaces. The Nursery is licensed for 10 children under two, guided by two full-time teachers whose approach is inspired by Magda Gerber's RIE philosophy — deep respect for, and trust in, the baby as an initiator, explorer and self-learner. The Preschool offers a beautiful space for 25 children aged two to five, where experienced teachers use each child's interests to stretch learning through play, building early maths, literacy and science alongside friendships, imagination and creativity.
The centre is open 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, with morning, afternoon and full-day sessions available. 20 Hours FREE ECE is offered for all 3, 4 and 5-year-olds, and the team can help families apply for a Work & Income Subsidy. As well as serving Hornby itself, Brynley Street is a short drive or walk from Wigram, Hei Hei, Islington, Halswell, Prebbleton and Templeton.
When Gem and Melissa opened the doors to Brynley Street Nursery and Preschool in October 2008, they had one dream: to create a beautiful space where the youngest members of the Hornby community could be nurtured, cared for and educated.
That dream found its expression in the centre's enduring vision — to be 'The Next Best Place to Home'. Home, as they describe it, is a place of sanctuary and comfort where we can be with our family, relax, laugh, be heard and be accepted. That simple notion underpins everything the service offers its families, from the carefully selected teaching team to the warm welcome waiting at the door. The teaching team itself has been deliberately chosen: warm and caring educators who demonstrate a passionate commitment to teaching children to be 'lifelong learners' while fostering solid relationships with children and families.
Step inside and the homely feel is immediate. The centre offers large, well-considered play spaces, plenty of natural resources, large trees that attract bird life, and an earthy colour palette throughout that reflects the team's rural roots.
Outside, children engage with organic gardens and a small menagerie that is very much part of the centre family: chickens that lay eggs, rabbits, and a resident cat named Franklin. It's a deliberate choice — the team believes it is vital for children to engage with and explore a natural environment, and to have fun while doing so.
The Nursery is licensed for just 10 children under two years, cared for by two full-time teachers who are warm, knowledgeable and passionate about giving babies and toddlers the best start to their education.
Teaching here is inspired by Magda Gerber's RIE philosophy, which embodies respect for, and trust in, the baby to be an initiator, an explorer and a self-learner. In practice that means a space that is physically safe, cognitively challenging and emotionally nurturing, with plenty of time for uninterrupted play and the freedom to explore and interact with other infants and toddlers. The diversity of cultures among the attending families is celebrated and embraced, and you will see that diversity woven through the curriculum.
In the Preschool, 25 children aged two to five learn alongside an experienced and passionate team of teachers who work to inspire a lifelong love of learning. The approach is refreshingly simple: use each child's own interests to stretch their learning through play.
And play is valuable — as the team puts it, play is a child's work. Through structured and unstructured play opportunities, children pick up maths (counting, grouping, colour identification and classifying), literacy (recognising letters and words, knowing which way a book should go, vocabulary extension) and science (cause and effect). Along the way they build friendships, exercise their imagination, explore their creative potential and advance on their natural strengths.
Brynley Street is open 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, with morning, afternoon and full-day sessions available.
Funding help is a genuine feature of the service. The centre offers 20 Hours FREE ECE for all 3, 4 and 5-year-olds, and the team can also help families apply for a Work & Income Subsidy, which greatly reduces fees for many households. Enrolling is straightforward thanks to an online enrolment form on the website, and families are welcome to get in touch by phone or email with any questions.
While the centre services the beautiful community of Hornby, it is only a short drive or walk from Wigram, Hei Hei, Islington, Halswell, Prebbleton and Templeton, making it a fantastic option for families in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
As Gem and Melissa put it: they hope you feel like you have come home when you walk through the door — and they warmly welcome you and your family to their service.