Oran O’Connor
Director
BSc Psychology in Society and Psychological Sciences.
Diploma of Early Childhood Education.
Oran grew up in the world of early childhood. Geri, his mother, has spent 35 years of her adult life working in the field, and founded The Children’s Garden in 2005. Oran’s passion for providing remarkable early years education was founded in his years studying Psychology at the University of Western Australia and continued to develop as he proceeded to work as Business Manager at The Children’s Garden.
Here, Oran assisted in the development of an ‘early years’ educational curriculum which has, provided field leading outcomes socially, emotionally and intellectually. An appreciation for early years education and the influence of early experiences on a child’s life, matched with a passion for providing an exceptional education to Australian families, led to the creation of Scola Early Learning as a means of providing best practice education to Perth families.
“What a child can do in cooperation today, they can do alone tomorrow.” – Lev Vygotsky
Ana Cordeiro
Education Leader (ECT)
Bachelor of Education (Early Years Education)
Our team leader and a wonderful teacher from Portugal. Ana graduated from the (insert University) and has worked at forrest schools around Europe for years in the time between graduating and her time at The Children’s Garden. During this time, Ana learnt the value of outdoor learning experiences, letting children be children, and endorsing the excitement of play-based learning.
Ana commenced with our kindergarten children at Scola Early Learning, before accepting the role as Education Leader at The Children’s Garden where she now works with Óran in curriculum design, team leading and continuing to use her valuable teaching skills in leading children’s learning.
Olivia Lynch
Foundation Leader (ECT)
Bachelor of Education (Early Years Education)
Having taught at the Kindergarten level for over a decade, Olivia was always inspired by leading children at the earliest opportunity. Having graduated from the University of South Australia, teaching children in rural communities of Queensland and South Australia, Olivia settled in Western Australia calling Perth home.
Having grown up with six brothers and sisters, Olivia knows and cherishes the value of childhood, companionship and community, and uses these to elevate the learning experiences and relationships she supports with our youngest children at The Children’s Garden.
Amy Rowe
Early Childhood Teacher
Bachelor of Education (Early Years Education)
Amy trained and practiced in New Zealand, widely regarded as one of the strongest early childhood education systems in the world. After graduating from university and refining her practice, she made the decision to move to Western Australia in search of a lifestyle more immersed in nature and balance.
Her connection to the outdoors deeply influences her approach to teaching. Amy believes that children learn best when they feel grounded, calm, and engaged within natural, open-ended learning spaces. She brings a strong ecological and inquiry-based perspective, encouraging children to explore, question, and interact with their environment.
With a gentle, thoughtful teaching style informed by global best practice, Amy is committed to helping children build curiosity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.
“The child has a hundred languages… a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking.” — Loris Malaguzzi