As Little Scholars celebrates its milestone decade of educating and caring for South East Queensland children we met up with Jae Fraser, the founder of Little Scholars, to hear his memories and reflection of the past 10 years operating Little Scholars School of Early Learning! For a bit of background on Jae, he’s spent more than half his life educating young children.
After years working in the early learning and care sector, starting as a trainee and working his way up to early childhood teacher and campus manager, Jae eventually became general manager of Australia’s largest ASX-listed childcare company. But he felt a constant pull to do things differently. This drive led him to purchase his first Little Scholars campus, a run-down campus in Yatala. Ten years later, Little Scholars now educates more than 7,000 children across 16 campuses and employs more than 600 staff.
From the beginning, he wanted to offer what no one else did. The result for families who are enrolled with the Little Scholars School of Early Learning are innovative offerings such as chef-prepared take home meals for busy parents who don’t have time to cook, as well as our Family Time program that offers specialist appointments as well as dental and haircuts so families can use their free time together. Little Scholars was one of the first to introduce Bush and Beach Kinder in Queensland, all of this as well as first-class education and care in beautiful spaces to play and learn.
As a passionate teacher, I never thought I would find myself in a corporate role as a general manager of a company with more than 500 centres and 6,500 staff, but I loved every moment of it, especially the people I had the pleasure of working alongside. I’d always felt a deep conviction about early learning. It’s absolutely more than a career, it’s my calling. I was incredibly proud of the work we did in my previous role, but I kept dreaming of something that could be even more child-centered, community-focused, and creatively enriching.
I wanted to create something different, something that families and educators hadn’t seen before, a space where children could explore, get messy, learn about kindness, and discover the world on their own terms, environments that . I had a vision to create an early learning centre unlike anything in the market—an elevated, high-quality experience where every environment is thoughtfully designed to inspire wonder, nurture growth, and offer a truly exceptional foundation for young learners.
Little Scholars was born from that vision. I didn’t leave because anything was missing per se, but rather because I knew there was something special, we could create that could go beyond the traditional expectations in early childhood education. Little Scholars was my chance to bring that vision to life fully.
Opening the Yatala campus was exhilarating but incredibly intense (and so so stressful). In those first few months, I was wrapping up my role as general manager, while putting everything I had into Little Scholars at Yatala. It was chaotic, but the kind of chaos where every long day, every sleepless night, felt like it had real purpose. There were times when I felt that I had taken on too much and was I ever going to get there?
When I eventually stepped away from my GM role to focus solely on Little Scholars, it was already showing the spark of what it could become. People were resonating with what we were building, a place where families felt at home and children felt empowered, and that was everything I’d hoped for.
We started with nothing but a dream, pouring all our savings into opening that first campus; with limited funds, we did everything ourselves – cooking, cleaning, gardening, renovating, and managing every detail to bring our vision to life while building a new business from the ground up. Honestly, I’ll never forget those early days. Family, friends, our new team, and even complete strangers chipped in, offering hands-on support, encouragement, and assurance. Andrew was there by my side constantly, and the team that joined early on was absolutely invaluable – they believed in Little Scholars right from the start. Local families and businesses welcomed us, and that sense of community support really set the tone for everything we’ve done since.
I also remember families telling us that they drove past four other services, to come to Little Scholars – they loved it that much and so grateful for what we were creating for their children. Little Scholars became a destination early learning facility, a place families were willing to travel to because of our never-ending commitment to education and our philosophy of learning through play, where every experience is designed to ignite curiosity, joy, and a lifelong love of learning.
The scariest part was wondering if this dream was something I could actually bring to life. If I could truly build a place where children would feel that they belonged and where parents felt absolute trust. Another was the relentless hours, working 15-16 hours a day, seven days a week, with barely enough funds to keep us going. I was constantly worried about whether we’d ever make it. We were now employers, responsible for our team’s livelihoods, knowing they depended on us to help pay their rent and mortgages. On top of that, there was the pressure of delivering on every promise I’d made, ensuring that our vision didn’t just stay a dream, but that the outcomes we set out to achieve would truly come to life.
There were days I’d wake up worrying about all the unknowns: ‘Will families see the value in what we’re doing? Will children thrive here the way I envision?’ But every time I walked into the Yatala campus and saw the smiles on those little faces, it reaffirmed that we were on the right path.
I remember when the moment I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, this might just work,’ so vividly. I mean, each Monday morning, after a weekend spent making improvements, we’d see the amazement on the children’s faces, the excitement in the educators’ eyes, and the families’ appreciation for what we were building. But the real turning point was our Open Day. Over 500 people came through, and the response was overwhelming! Families were captivated by the environment and everything we had created.
One of my friends, who had just come to visit, ended up taking enrolment fees on the EFTPOS machine because people were lining up, eager to be a part of it. Seeing that level of enthusiasm and belief in what we were doing was when I realised this dream was resonating with others in a big way.
I watched children running into the campus with huge grins, so excited to start their day, and I thought, ‘we’re onto something.’ Families would tell me how their children talked about their teachers, their new friends, and the garden we’d planted together. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a service, it was really becoming a meaningful part of people’s lives. And even 10 years later, that feeling never gets old.
Oh, there are so many memories from those early days! I remember the late nights spent painting walls and bike tracks, filling sandpits, washing buses, planting gardens and laying turf until my hands were blistered. It wasn’t glamorous work, but it was honest and heartfelt, and every effort meant we were creating a place that was genuinely ours to share.
One memory that’s always close to my heart is my best friend Mel bringing her little boy into the campus on weekend to help while we were still setting up. He’d toddle around, exploring every corner as if he were inspecting our progress, and his joy and curiosity reminded me of exactly why we were doing this. Countless weekends were spent working alongside friends and family, all of us taking a quick break in the playground, enjoying a Yatala Pie before moving on to the next task.
Those moments of shared effort and laughter laid the foundation for everything Little Scholars stands for today.
Another of my biggest dreams in starting Little Scholars was to make it possible for educators to become teachers without facing the same struggles I did coming from humble beginnings. I always hoped that one day I’d be in a position to support others on that journey. I’ll never forget the day an educator at Yatala mentioned they wanted to study to become a teacher but couldn’t afford it. In that moment, I was able to look them in the eye and say, ‘I’ll fund your study and support you every step of the way to help you become a teacher.’ That educator is still with us today, teaching at our Yatala campus, and their journey is a constant reminder of what Little Scholars is truly about.
Looking back, it’s incredible to think that five campuses once felt like a dream, and now, with over 17, we’re just getting started. In the next 10 years, I see Little Scholars as a leading light in early childhood education, not through size or numbers, but through our commitment to quality and impact. We’re dedicated to refining what we do best, focusing on the growth and development of every child, and ensuring our teams have the support and professional opportunities to grow their careers and reach their potential. We’ll also continue to participate in meaningful research and projects to improve the educational journey and outcomes for children, even beyond Little Scholars. Our goal is to deepen our connections with families and communities, staying true to our heart-driven purpose to create spaces where each child feels seen, heard, and genuinely valued.
It’s about holding onto what makes Little Scholars special and continually raising the bar in early learning.
At Little Scholars School of Early Learning, we’re dedicated to shaping bright futures and instilling a lifelong passion for learning. With our strategically located childcare centres in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, we provide tailored educational experiences designed to foster your child’s holistic development.
Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!
Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!
