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Our Team

Meet Your Role Models

Geri o’connor

DIRECTOR

The Children’s Garden really is the sum of Geri’s experience, beliefs and knowledge in early childhood education. Having come to the realisation that children just weren’t being guided with the respect they deserve as young learners, Geri re-envisioned what early education should look like and the effects it should have on the children who have the opportunity to be included. Having studied the field in the United States, spent years experiencing what was on offer in centres all over the world and planning the perfect learning environment, Geri made a change.

So, based on this belief of using natural, flexible and manipulatable environments, The Children’s Garden began to grow into what it is today. Throw in a team of dedicated educators who share these beliefs and have a willingness to create a sense of community and closeness in which children thrive and you have Geri’s best model of The Children’s Garden!

“Let the child be the scriptwriter, the director and the actor in their own play.” – Magda Gerber

LaURA sWINSTEAD

CENTRE MANAGER

11 years it’s been since Laura graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a Bachelor of Education (Hons). Since then, Laura has found her passion in working on art projects and developing thought-provoking environments for the children she works with to explore.

Working at The Children’s Garden, Laura has the freedom to work with a supportive team, in a beautiful natural environment, and to spend quality time learning and leading with children she has developed strong relationships with.

“Children are not things to be moulded, but are people to be unfolded.” – Jess Lair

ÓRAN O’CONNOR

BUSINESS MANAGER

Óran grew up in the world of early childhood, spending many of his weekends of youth at The Children’s Garden painting, gardening and lending a hand. Óran’s passion for providing remarkable early years education was founded here and continued in his years studying Psychology at the University of Western Australia.

Today, Óran fills the role of Business Manager at The Children’s Garden assisting in the development of an exceptional early years educational curriculum, focussing on the development of emotional, social, and cognitive skills that children depend on for the rest of their lives!

“What a child can do in cooperation today, they can do alone tomorrow.” – Lev Vygotsky