Grow With Us

Benefits of starting your child’s learning journey with us

Explore the many benefits of St Nicholas Early Education’s connection with Catholic Schools of Maitland-Newcastle, designed to support your child’s growth from early education through to primary and secondary school.

• Priority enrolment advantage – Families enrolled at St Nicholas Early Education receive greater priority enrolment at Catholic Schools, ensuring an easy transition to the next stage of learning.
• Seamless educational pathway – From early childhood through to Year 12, children experience continuity in their education within a values-driven, supportive learning environment.
• Holistic learning and development – St Nicholas and Catholic Schools share a commitment to nurturing children’s intellectual, emotional, and social growth, helping children develop into well-rounded individuals.
• Transition to school support – St Nicholas educators collaborate with Catholic Schools to support children starting kindergarten, making the transition smooth and building confidence for both children and their families.
• One educational entity – As part of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, both St Nicholas Early Education and Catholic Schools operate under the same ethos and values, creating a unified and consistent learning experience.

To learn more about the benefits of enrolling your child with St Nicholas, visit our ‘Why choose St Nicks?’ page.

How to access priority enrolment at Catholic Schools through St Nicholas

1. Enrol with St Nicks: Enrol your child with St Nicholas Early Education. Submit an enrolment request via the form on this page.
2. Apply for a Catholic School: Once your child is ready for primary school, complete the online enrolment application via the Catholic Schools of Maitland-Newcastle website. To submit an online enrolment request for a Catholic School, click here.
3. Attend an interview: Applicants are asked to attend an interview with the Principal. Interviews begin in Term 1 or 2, and continue through to Term 3 depending on the volume of applications received.
4. Receive an offer: Families receive an offer of a place at the school in writing in Term 3.
5. Orientation: Orientation for students will be held in Term 3 or 4 depending on the school.

As part of the enrolment process, families may be asked to provide proof of their enrolment with St Nicholas Early Education.

To learn more about how to enrol with St Nicholas Early Education, visit our ‘How to enrol’ page.

Learning pathways from St Nicholas to Catholic Schools

Each St Nicholas Early Education centre is connected to Catholic primary schools in its region, which then feed into designated Catholic secondary schools. Enrolling with us provides your child with a structured educational pathway, supported by our priority enrolment advantage.

To learn more, please refer to our Diocesan Learning Pathways.

School transition

Transition to School program at St Nicholas

St Nicholas Early Education’s Transition to School program is designed to support children in our care to develop the skills and confidence they need to flourish in their next educational chapter. Through close collaboration with local primary schools, we help ensure a seamless and positive transition, setting a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

To learn more, visit our Transition to School program page.

Successful Foundations at Catholic Schools

Successful Foundations at Catholic Schools was introduced to strengthen the process of transition to school in the first five weeks of Kindergarten, utilising a strengths-based approach which supports the child’s active engagement in play.

To learn more, visit the Early Learning page on the Catholic Schools website.

St Nicholas Early Education

St Nicholas Early Education is a leading provider of high-quality early childhood education and care for children aged 0-5, supporting communities to flourish across Newcastle, Maitland, and the Hunter.

We are committed to nurturing every child’s potential through child-led, play-based learning, fostering curiosity, creativity, and confidence in safe and inclusive environments.

To learn more, visit our Early Education page.

Catholic Schools

Catholic Schools of Maitland-Newcastle offer a holistic education that nurtures the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of every student.

Catholic Schools seek to develop students’ mind, body, character, and spirit so they become confident and responsible global citizens. Catholic Schools are places where committed and passionate teachers inspire confidence and facilitate academic excellence, and where contemporary learning opens minds to a future filled with hope.

To learn more about Catholic Schools, visit the Catholic Schools of Maitland-Newcastle website.

St Nicholas OOSH

Building on the strong foundations set by St Nicholas Early Education, St Nicholas OOSH provides high-quality out of school hours care in fun, safe, supportive, and inclusive environments. We support children aged 5-12 as they continue their journey through Catholic Schools, offering opportunities to play, explore, be creative, and use their imagination.

Whether children come to us for Before School Care, After School Care or Vacation Care, our dedicated educators are here to nurture and inspire their interests and passions.

To learn more, visit our OOSH page.