Explore & Develop North Richmond has been awarded the Excellent rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) — the highest recognition available to early childhood services in Australia. This recognition reflects our commitment to exceptional education and care, innovative practice and strong partnerships with families and community.
Diane Pelle has owned and operated Explore & Develop Penrith for over 15 years, bringing extensive leadership and early childhood expertise to the centre. Alongside her skilled and experienced team, Diane has created a holistic, nurturing learning environment that supports children’s development and fosters a professional, collaborative culture within the community.
Diane is an active member of the Hawkesbury Chamber of Commerce , where she engages with local businesses and community initiatives to strengthen connections and advocate for quality early childhood education. Through this involvement, she contributes to shaping a supportive, thriving community for families, children, and educators.
For Diane, building trusting, respectful, and collaborative relationships with children, families, educators, and staff is central to her philosophy. She believes these strong connections are fundamental to achieving quality outcomes for children and driving the ongoing success of the centre. Diane is passionate about guiding her team to deliver intentional, meaningful learning experiences while creating an environment where every child feels valued, confident, and inspired to learn.
Rachael Sydir – Owner & Director
Rachael Sydir brings over 20 years of experience in the early childhood sector and holds a Master of Early Childhood Education . In 2019, she became a partner in Explore & Develop Penrith, where she had previously been a valued team member for over 10 years, and currently serves as the service’s Approved Provider .
Rachael’s leadership has been widely recognised. In 2022, she played a pivotal role in Explore & Develop Penrith being named Outstanding Organisation at the HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards for innovative programs supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing through the ‘Key Resilience, Mental Health and Trauma’ initiative. Earlier, in 2016, she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Award for her work in strengthening children’s understanding of Aboriginal culture and practices through the development and implementation of a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Passionate about play-based and emergent learning , Rachael is dedicated to fostering curiosity, independence, and resilience in every child. She is equally committed to supporting her team and building strong partnerships with families, creating welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring environments where children feel valued and confident to explore.
Features
• Led by Experienced Early Childhood Professionals
• Strong Pedagogical Knowledge & Practice
• Play-Based, Child-Centred Philosophy
• Owner-Operated Centre
• Strong Relationships with Families
• A Warm, Welcoming Environment Built on Care
Our approach
Explore & Develop North Richmond is a purpose-built, high-quality service designed to meet the news of local children and families in the North Richmond Community
At Explore & Develop North Richmond, we foster an emergent curriculum, meaning our educators plan learning experiences based on children’s interests. This approach values children as capable, confident learners and ensures learning is meaningful and engaging.
Our play-based learning environment encourages children to explore, wonder, and be curious. Through play, children develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and resilience as they learn through trial and error. Educators play an active role in guiding and extending learning, supporting each child’s individual development.
Through shared interests and play, children build independence and confidence, while learning to recognise when they need support. Educators intentionally scaffold learning experiences to deepen understanding and extend thinking.
Building strong relationships with families is an essential part of our curriculum. We create time and space for families to feel welcomed and connected, strengthening the link between home and the learning environment. This partnership supports children’s sense of belonging, identity, culture, and ongoing communication.
Learning Environments
Nursery
0–2 years
Our Honey Eaters room (0-1 yrs) provides a calm, home-like environment designed for our youngest learners. Soft, textured furnishings and cozy spaces create a comforting atmosphere where babies feel safe and secure. We respect each child’s individual sleep, feeding, and home routines, ensuring continuity between home and the centre. Our Honey Eaters are beginning to explore the world around them, developing early language, sensory, and social skills. Educators are here to guide and support their discoveries, providing gentle interaction and care throughout their busy and inquisitive days.
Our Honey Eaters room (0-1 yrs) provides a calm, home-like environment designed for our youngest learners. Soft, textured furnishings and cozy spaces create a…
The Lorikeets room (1-2 yrs) is a warm, engaging environment where toddlers can explore and develop independence. The space is designed with soft textures, inviting areas, and stimulating play opportunities that encourage curiosity, language, and social-emotional growth. We continue to respect each child’s individual routines while supporting them to engage in new experiences, build confidence, and strengthen their emerging skills. Our educators are present to scaffold learning, encourage exploration, and nurture each child as they grow through their busy, active days.
Toddlers
2–3 years
The Cockatoos room provides toddlers with their own space to explore, create, and imagine through play-based learning. Our environment and programs are vibrant, flexible, and responsive to each child’s interests, abilities, and developmental stage.
The Cockatoos room provides toddlers with their own space to explore, create, and imagine through play-based learning. Our environment and programs are vibrant, flexible,…
Children engage in a wide range of experiences, including puzzles, literacy and numeracy activities, construction, creative arts, music, and movement, supporting their cognitive, social, and emotional development. The Cockatoos also focus on language development, learning to communicate with peers and use their growing vocabulary to build social skills.
Preschool
3-5 years
The Rosellas room is designed for children aged 3–4 years, providing a nurturing and engaging environment where children can explore, discover, and develop at their own pace. The room is organised into small, shared spaces that encourage collaboration, creativity, and independent thinking.
The Rosellas room is designed for children aged 3–4 years, providing a nurturing and engaging environment where children can explore, discover, and develop at…
Purposeful learning areas are thoughtfully set up to allow children to extend their strengths, interests, and abilities across a variety of key learning areas, including Literacy, Mathematics, Creative Arts, Science, and Technology. Children are supported to engage in hands-on experiences that stimulate curiosity, problem-solving, and imagination.
Educators guide and scaffold learning while encouraging children to take the lead, fostering self-expression, resilience, and social competence. Through these experiences, the Rosellas develop a strong foundation for their ongoing learning journey, building the skills and confidence they need as they grow.
The Kookaburras room is for children aged 4–5 years and focuses on preparing children for a smooth transition to primary school. Children have their own dedicated play spaces, designed to allow seamless access between indoor and outdoor environments, encouraging exploration, creativity, and physical development.
Learning areas are set up to support problem-solving, independence, and curiosity, while building on each child’s strengths, interests, and abilities across key learning areas. School readiness is embedded throughout play, helping children develop literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, self-regulation, and collaboration.
Educators guide children to confidently navigate both structured and self-directed learning experiences, ensuring they are well-prepared for the next stage of their educational journey.
Outdoor Environment
Our outdoor play areas are thoughtfully designed to be natural, sustainable, and versatile, offering a variety of spaces for children to explore, play, and learn. The environment encourages open-ended play, curiosity, risk-taking, and discovery, while fostering a strong connection with nature.
Our outdoor play areas are thoughtfully designed to be natural, sustainable, and versatile, offering a variety of spaces for children to explore, play, and…
Children can engage in active, energetic play, or enjoy quiet, peaceful moments, whether individually or in small or large groups. Every area is intentionally created to support imagination, creativity, and meaningful interactions, giving children the freedom to explore and learn in a safe, stimulating, and inspiring outdoor environment.
Rated 5 stars on Google
Melissa Casey
4 months ago
There truly aren’t enough words to express how grateful we are to the incredible team at Explore & Develop North Richmond.
Choosing this centre has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made for our family, and from the very first day we knew we had found somewhere special. Walking through the doors, you can instantly feel the warmth, kindness and genuine care that every single person has for the children and their families. It doesn’t feel like “just another childcare centre”—it feels like a community and an extension of your family.
Diane and Rachael are the heart of this beautiful centre. They are two of the kindest, most compassionate and genuine people we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Their leadership, professionalism and unwavering dedication are reflected throughout the entire service. They always make time for every family, listen with genuine care, and consistently go above and beyond to ensure every child is happy, supported and thriving. You can tell this isn’t just a job to them—it’s their passion.
Every educator is absolutely incredible. They welcome the children with smiles every morning, create engaging and meaningful learning experiences, and make every child feel loved, safe and valued. The genuine relationships they build with the children are so beautiful to witness. It’s obvious that they pour their hearts into everything they do, and the love they have for the children shines through every single day.
Our son has additional needs, and finding the right childcare was something we worried about immensely. The support, patience, understanding and encouragement he has received from everyone at Explore & Develop has exceeded every expectation we had. They have taken the time to truly get to know him, celebrate his strengths and support him through his challenges with so much kindness and respect. Since starting at Explore & Develop, he has grown in confidence and made incredible progress. Watching him flourish has meant the world to us, and we know that’s a direct reflection of the amazing team who support him every day.
Communication with families is exceptional, the learning environments are always beautifully presented, and every day is thoughtfully planned to encourage curiosity, creativity and development. It gives us such peace of mind knowing our son is not only being cared for but genuinely loved and encouraged to become the best version of himself.
It is rare to find a centre where every single staff member is so passionate, dedicated and invested in the wellbeing of the children. The culture they have created is something truly special, and it is evident in every interaction.
As much as we’d love to keep Explore & Develop North Richmond as our little secret, they deserve every bit of recognition they receive. If you’re searching for a childcare centre that will love your child as if they were their own, support their individual needs, celebrate every milestone and make you feel completely confident leaving them each day, then look no further.
Karina Wylie
4 months ago
We couldn’t be happier with our experience at Explore & Develop North Richmond. The educators are caring, professional and genuinely passionate about creating a safe, nurturing and engaging environment.
The centre is warm and welcoming and it is clear that a lot of thought goes into supporting each child’s development.
Communication has been excellent, and the team always goes above and beyond to update and check in with families and make everyone feel part of the learning and care process.
Jessica Rossini
5 months ago
I don’t even know where to begin. I was so scared of change and finding a new centre, but the team at Explore & Develop have been nothing short of amazing in helping our family make this huge transition.
From day one, they have provided a loving, safe and nurturing environment for my babies to call their second home. The educators are incredible and keep us informed every day at pick-up, sharing all the wonderful things our children have done and experienced.
The daily blogs and photos are something I absolutely love seeing—they give us such a special insight into our children’s day and all the fun they’re having.
The team here are everything we could have asked for and more. From our very first tour, to the children starting their first day, and even now, we have always felt so welcomed, supported and cared for.
We are so happy we made the change. We can’t wait to watch our babies grow and continue being part of the Explore & Develop family until it’s time for school.
Thank you for loving and caring for my babies as if they were your own. We are forever grateful for everything you do.
Fees & Inclusions
The daily fees for 2026
We are an approved Child Care Subsidy (CCS) service, which means eligible families will receive three days per week of subsidised care.
Use our CCS calculator for an estimate of your individual fees, or contact us and we’ll help you with it.
Our 2026 fees are outlined below. Note these fees are before CCS, which will significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Our service is also eligible for Start Strong Fee Relief, providing a further saving for families of 3- and 4-year-old children, in addition to CCS.
AGE GROUP
DAILY FEE (BEFORE CCS and Start Strong)
Nursery (0-2 years)
$188.51
Early learning (2-3 years)
$183.00
Preschool (3-5 years)
$174.73
Our daily fee is all-inclusive, covering nutritious meals, snacks and drinks, nappies, wipes, sunscreen, bedding, educational programs and learning materials.
Explore & Develop North Richmond has been awarded the Excellent rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) — the highest recognition available to early childhood services in Australia. This recognition reflects our commitment to exceptional education and care, innovative practice and strong partnerships with families and community.
