Our Educators

Kirsty Dunn

Kirsty Dunn has a Bachelor of Childcare and Education, and is an educator in both Pinewood's Red and Blue groups. All of her children have been lucky enough to attend Pinewood Preschool and the experience for both them and Kirsty was a fantastic one! She now has the opportunity to work alongside the people who made her children’s experience so special. Kirsty loves being part of the Pinewood Community as she develops relationships with children and their families. Everyday brings a new adventure that she can’t wait to be part of - the sky is the limit, especially with our fantastic outdoor play area. Kirsty absolutely love nature and can’t wait to bring in all her animals to meet the children. She firmly believes that children learn through play, as they explore, experiment and let their imaginations take them to wonderful places.

Aaryan 4yrs...I love Kirsty cos she showed me what to do on a leaf. She help me make the leaf. 

Gayle Dever

Gayle Dever, our Green Activity Group educator, has a Diploma in Children’s Services and has spent 14 years working in early childhood education. She is married with two adult daughters and both attended Pinewood Preschool! Gayle is passionate about children having the best start possible in life and believes that children learn best through play. Gayle builds the best sand castles in the preschool sandpit with the three year old children, who love playing outside no matter what the weather.

Harry 3yrs ... I love Gayle because she plays Packing-Up Time music and we can dance and pack-up at the same time! That's really cool.

Gabrielle French

Gabrielle French is from Maitland in rural NSW. Gabe and her Husband Shaun moved to Melbourne in 2015 so he could undertake a study opportunity in the field of Health Sciences. They have recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Lewis into their life here in this beautiful city.

Gabe is an Early Childhood teacher (Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood 0-8 Years) and is a lead educator in both our Red and Blue groups at Pinewood. She completed her teaching degree in 2007 at Ourimbah University and has been happily teaching ever since.  She has a passion for early childhood and thinks it’s a very special and important time in the children’s lives, both in developing crucial social skills and building a foundation for future education. She feels privileged that she is part of this exciting time in children's lives and understands that it is also an exciting time of crash course education for the parents as well. She loves teaching the children through play-based learning and feels this is when they are more likely to take to the lessons as they are relaxed, happy and interested in what is happening. As a result of this enthusiastic engagement with the lesson and one another, her experience indicates the children are learning and retaining information at a higher level. Through “learning through play” we are able to expose the children to so many different concepts and make education a fun and effortless exercise on their part. Gabe is very excited to become a part of the community at Pinewood Preschool and can't wait to meet all the children and their families. Please come and find her to say hi!

Georgia 4 yrs... I love Gabe because she always does pasting and drawings with us. I like painting with Gabe.

Debbie Brereton

Debbie Brereton has a Bachelor of Early Childhood Educaton and is the Director of Pinewood Preschool. She is also the Educational Leader and Nominated supervisor and works in the Blue Group where she has been educating children for 14 years. She is married with three adult children, who all enjoyed Pinewood Preschool when they attended themselves! She loves the community feel of Pinewood and believes in building and nurturing positive relationships with all children and families, and that all interactions with children are to help them reach their full potential in all areas of development. Debbie loves pretending our kinder swings are a rocket ship, and explores outer space almost every week!

Emilia 4yrs ... Debbie is really good at playing hairdressers. I like Debbie cause her got really light hair. Debbie did my hair and I did her hair. Her looked like a tree. That's why I love Debbie.

Jeannine Barber

Hi! My name is Jeannine Barber and I have been a part of the Pinewood Preschool community for around five years, both as a parent and as a part of the preschool committee. My three girls have all come through the kinder and it has been a joy for our family. I am now thrilled to have a continuing role within the kinder as part of the teaching team, whilst furthering my own education, working towards a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.

Pinewood Preschool offer excellent facilities inside and outside and no two days of play are ever the same. I love that children are naturally curious and imaginative and I know it is going to be lots of fun exploring Pinewood's play spaces together with the children!

Amna 4yrs ... I love Jeannine cause she does drawings with me for my Mum.