By law we are required to maintain the following staff to children ratios:
| Nursery | One staff member for every four babies |
| Toddlers | One staff member for every five toddlers |
| Preschool | One staff member for every 10 pre-schoolers |
We provide more staff, and more highly qualified staff, than required by law.
We are licensed to care for 46 children and are required to have 2 university trained early childhood teachers on staff on a full-time basis. We exceed this requirement and currently employ five Early Childhood Teachers (including our director).
Management
Our Director
Mimi Symons
Greetings, I was born in Australia but grew up in Sweden. I did my studies to become an Early Childhood Teacher in Stockholm. I am very appreciative of my Swedish training and associated history, which has a solid foundation on a strength based approac …
read moreAdministration and Accounts Manager
Jennifer Duncan
I’m Jennifer and I’m in charge of accounts and administration. My background is mostly in IT sales working for manufacturers in establishing and managing distribution channels for their products in Australia. For several years I was living in Pakistan …
read moreAdministrative Assistant
James Franklin
I was born and raised in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, just on the other side of Centennial Park from Gumnut Gardens. Growing up, the park was an integral part of my childhood playing host to countless picnics, birthday parties and even the occasional socc …
read moreEducational Consultant
Jenny Green
I have worked in the Early Childhood sector for many years and in long day programs for the past twenty-one years. I teach at Western Sydney University (WSU) and am very fortunate to have this opportunity: it supports a natural reciprocity and exchange …
read moreDelegates of the Approved Provider
Chris Kimber
I grew up in Sydney’s inner south. I wanted to be a teacher. . . . . .the problem was it was the 1980s and, being good at school, it was made clear to me that I should be a doctor or lawyer. So a lawyer I dutifully became. I practised in relative bor …
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Catherine Shand
Unlike many other Gumnut Gardens folk, I am a Sydney girl, though my mother grew up on a wheat farm in Western Australia and my father was from Glasgow. In Sydney my parents fell in love with each other and with Sydney’s harbour and surrounding bushla …
read moreOur Early Childhood Teachers
Lucia Stacchiotti
Early Childhood Teacher Room Leader Boori Room (the Toddlers) I am from Italy and I arrived in Sydney in August 2016. I am a teacher and a clinical pedagogue and I have been working as a teacher for 13 years. After achieving a BA in Early Childhood Edu …
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Charlynn Lim
I was born and raised in Malaysia and came to Sydney in 2008. I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in photography at the College of Fine Arts before finishing my Masters of Teaching in Early Childhood at the University of Sydney. I have been w …
read moreOur Early Learning Educators
Santo Forleo
Infants Room Leader My name is Santo and I come from Italy. I have a Diploma in Children’s Services, which I obtained at the MEGT Institute in Sydney. As soon as I finished my studies I had the opportunity to work at Gumnut Gardens which is a very nice …
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Dinuki Vidanagamage
I was born in Sri Lanka, a small island with lots of sea and tea! I hold a diploma in Children’s services and am currently studying towards my degree as an Early Childhood Teacher, I have about one and a half year to go. Before deciding to pursue a car …
read moreOur Early Learning Trainees
Chef
Sandra Carvallho da Fonseca Reis
I’ve been the cook at Gumnut Gardens since the beginning of 2014. I plan seasonal menus that meet national nutritional guidelines. I prepare all the food myself – even the bread. When I first came to Australia I worked cleaning and cooking pastries for …
read moreOur casual team
Greta Festinger
My name is Greta and I am a mother AND a grandmother. I have been in the Early Childhood industry now for over 30 years. I feel I bring not only many years of experience to my work but also a true love for and wish to nurture young children. I have had …
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Anh Hoang Vu (Annie)
I was born in Vietnam. I came to Australia around four years ago and completed my high school Certificate and Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education at Randwick TAFE. For me, working at Gumnut Gardens gives me a lot of experience and understanding …
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