Grounded in regional Victoria. Growing since 2008.
Jenny's ELC was founded in 2008 on a simple belief — that children in regional Victoria deserve the same quality of early education as anywhere in Australia. That belief still drives everything we do.
We started with one centre and one belief. 14 centres later, the belief hasn't changed.
Jenny's ELC began as a single centre in Maiden Gully, Bendigo — founded in 2008 with one belief: that children in regional Victoria deserve the very best. We are an Australian family business, run by early childhood professionals at every level, from the classroom to leadership.
As we've grown across Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong, we've stayed true to what matters: experienced educators, stable teams, and genuine relationships with families. We're not driven by shareholder pressure or offshore investors. We make decisions based on what is right for children, families and educators.
Every decision we make is made by people who've been in the rooms — educators, directors and leaders who understand what children, families and educators truly need.
What makes Jenny's different isn't a program or a policy — it's the people. Our educators stay. Some have been with us for more than a decade. Children grow up knowing the same faces, and families build real trust over time.
We've also stayed deliberately regional. We're not trying to be everywhere. We're trying to be the best possible option for families in Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong — and we think that focus matters.
Our values in practice.
Genuine Care
We are an Australian family business, not a corporate operator. Every decision we make is guided by what is right for children, families and educators — genuine care over profits, always.
Community Roots
When it matters to our community, it matters to us. Our centres are gathering places — for children, families, educators and the broader neighbourhood we serve.
Educator-Led
Our leadership team are early childhood professionals through and through. We understand the work firsthand, which means we make better decisions for children, educators and families.
Curiosity & Play
Children are natural learners. We get out of the way and let them follow what interests them — then we build on it. That's how real learning happens.
Familiar Faces
Our staff retention is something we're genuinely proud of. Some of our educators have been with us for more than a decade. Your child builds real relationships — not just with whoever happens to be rostered on.
Inclusion
We have families from many different backgrounds, and we take that seriously. Educators learn about each child's home life, language, and routines — so the centre reflects who they actually are, not a generic idea of childhood.
The quality your family can count on.
All Jenny's ELC centres operate under the National Quality Framework, overseen nationally by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and assessed by the Victorian regulatory authority. Multiple centres hold Exceeding ratings under the National Quality Standard.
The same familiar faces, year after year.
The single biggest thing that shapes your child's day is the person beside them — so we invest in ours. Our teams include early childhood professionals at different stages of their careers, and they stay: some have been with us for more than a decade. That means your child is known and loved by familiar people as they grow.
We back our teams the way we'd want our own children's educators backed — with funded study toward Certificate III, Diploma and degree qualifications, and ongoing professional development. When educators feel valued and supported, children thrive.
Held to a national standard — and our own.
Every early learning service in Australia is measured against the National Quality Standard: seven areas covering children's learning, health and safety, the physical environment, our educators, relationships with children, partnerships with families, and how each centre is led. It's the national benchmark for quality early education — and every Jenny's centre is assessed against it.
For us, it's a floor, not a ceiling. We hold ourselves to the standard families actually feel: educators who know your child's name, spaces that invite curiosity, and a team that keeps getting better every year.
Find your nearest centre.
With centres across Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong, there's a Jenny's ELC close to home. Come for a tour — meet the team, see the space, and feel the difference.