St Nicholas Early Education is proud to welcome Emily Mathers as Centre Director of our new Forster centre. With more than eight years’ experience in early childhood education and care, Emily brings a thoughtful, values-led approach to leadership that places children, families, and educators at the heart of everything she does.
Emily’s background spans leadership, operations, and in-room practice, giving her a strong, well-rounded understanding of what high-quality early education looks like in action. She has extensive experience working within the National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework, and is deeply committed to creating warm, inclusive learning environments where every child feels safe, supported, and confident to learn.
Prior to joining St Nicholas, Emily worked as 2IC at a long-standing family-owned preschool, where she supported day-to-day leadership, family communication, and continuous quality improvement. Her leadership style is grounded in empathy, consistency, and open communication, which she believes are essential for building trusting relationships with families and fostering a positive, connected team culture.
A strong advocate for educator wellbeing, Emily has implemented wellbeing strategies inspired by Beyond Blue’s Be Well program to support team resilience and mental health. She believes that when educators feel supported and valued, children benefit from more settled, engaged, and nurturing learning experiences.
Emily is also passionate about connecting children with their local community and environment. One of her proudest achievements has been developing a Bush Kindy and community walk program, giving children regular opportunities to explore nature, build confidence, and develop a sense of belonging within their local area.
In addition, Emily has worked as a learning support teacher in Early Stage One at a local primary school. This experience has strengthened her understanding of school readiness, particularly in supporting children’s emotional resilience, social development, and early literacy as they transition to school.
As a mother herself, Emily understands the trust families place in early education services. At St Nicholas Early Education Forster, she is excited to partner with families to provide a caring, engaging, and enriching environment where every child can thrive.
Families are warmly invited to connect with the Forster team, book a tour, or discuss their child’s needs by submitting an enquiry here.
