Altona Childcare & Kindergarten Provider Grace Azzopardi
Family Owned Centre
Providing quality early education and care to Altona families has been a lifelong passion and purpose for the owners, Grace & Tom Azzopardi.
Grace and Tom were born and raised in Altona. In fact, Grace and Tom share precious memories living on the land where both centres were built. Both Grace and Tom attended schools in Altona; St Mary's Altona, Mount Saint Josephs Girls' College and Altona North Tech.
Their four children have also been living in Altona their whole lives, attending St Mary's Primary School, Mount Saint Josephs Girls College.
Tom's mum was a popular daycare provider in the 1970s and 1980s while living across the road from St Mary's Primary School.
(photo of opening day of Altona Early Education Centre in 2016)
Helping Altona's Chidren Reach Their Full Potential Since 2001
Volunteering In The Early Years Sector
Early education and early intervention has been a lifelong passion for Grace. So much so that Grace has been an active volunteer in the early education sector since a 17 years of age. In her younger years, Grace would volunteer at St Mary's Altona to provide additional one-to-one support in the classroom. At 19 years of age, she started volunteering at Uncle Bob's early intervention facility at the Royal Children's Hospital. Grace also volunteered for a psychology clinic in Moonee Ponds to learn and practice psychodynamic therapy for adults and couples.
Altona-based psychology practice
After six years of formal psychology training, thus becoming a registered psychologist, Grace started her own small practice in Altona, offering psychology services to adults and children. Free or low-cost services were provided for vulnerable members of the community as part of the service.
During this time, Grace and Tom welcomed their four children into the world, who were also raised in the Altona area. All four children attended local education facilities; St Mary's Primary School, Seaholme Primary School, Mount Saint Josephs Girls College, as well as Altona-based daycare and kindergartens. Realising a need for quality early education in Altona, Grace embarked on a new journey of early education services.
Altona Early Education Centre
Grace & Tom opened Altona Early Education Centre, their very first early education facility. With the tremendous help of their centre director and team of long-term educators, this centre has become a popular, well-respected early education facility for local families.
Kindergarten Teaching Qualification
In a pursuit to complete her kindergarten qualification, Grace completed a Graduate Diploma In Early Education at Victoria University. This was no easy quest, having to juggle a full-time study load and four children home-schooling during COVID-19 lockdown.
Edu-Play Early Learning Centre
This year, Grace opened a new long daycare and kindergarten in Altona exclusive to children 2 and a half years and older.
- Brand new 30-place facility in Altona
- Exclusive long daycare & kindergarten for 2 and a half+ year old's
- Less children, more educators, allowing more time with your child
- Relaxed & homely feel where children feel safe, secure and supported
Future Directions In The Early Education Field
Grace is passionate about connecting children to their community, the land and environment. It is from this passion that City Farm Kinder evolved and will continue to grow into a community project.
Grace is currently completing her certification in ESDM, which is a naturalistic, play-based, scientific method of early intervention for young children. Still active in the volunteer sector, Grace is often supporting families with developmental assessments, NDIS applications and finding quality therapists in the local community.
Grace and her family have commenced the design and construction stages of their third centre. This centre will cater for younger children from 6 weeks to 6 years, as well as offering a kindergarten program for over 3's. This centre will be located at 112 Civic Pde, Altona