The Goodstart Early Learning centre recently achieved an overall rating of ‘exceeding’ in all seven quality areas of the National Quality Standards (NQS) by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
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The NQS is a key aspect of the National Quality Framework (NQF) and sets a high, national benchmark for early childhood education and care, and outside school hours care services in Australia.
The centre also received the an overall rating of exceeding, the second highest rating behind excellent.
Acting centre director Shereen De Silva said it was a whole team effort to achieve the results.
“We’re lucky to have a great team. Being in Yass, it’s hard to recruit strong staff, but we have early childhood teachers with strong qualifications,” Ms De Silva said.
“We are very proud to be the only centre in Yass to get this rating,” she said.
The ACECQA says exceeding the NQS involves service that goes beyond the requirements of the NQS in at least four of the seven quality areas:
- Educational program and practice
- Children's health and safety
- Physical environment
- Staffing requirements
- Relationships with children
- Partnerships with families and communities
- Leadership and service management.
Looking to the future, Ms De Silva said the centre aims to maintain and improve on the ratings.
“We definitely want to not only maintain that but continue to improve. The assessment was comprehensive and we’ll also take on the advice they’ve given us and work on those areas.
“One of our plans for next year is to do lots more community work, to be more of a part of it,” Ms De Silva said.
The NQF operates under the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations.
Goodstart is not-for-profit and it began in 2009 by a consortium of leading community sector organisations – The Benevolent Society, Mission Australia, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Social Ventures Australia.
- For more information about the NQF and NQS: https://goo.gl/Xen8et.