Our childcare centres are committed to a continuous improvement journey that enriches quality education and care delivery benchmarked against the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards.
With more than 90% of the Affinity Education Group owned and operated centres rated Meeting or Exceeding the National Quality Standards, we continue to be supported by our dedicated Education, Quality, Operations and Centre Support teams as we strive to be best in class.
When we work in partnership with families, we learn how to apply approaches that complement and contribute to the best outcomes for children.
Spanning from the enrolment process, menu planning and educational program experiences to information shared and how we share it.
Over the next several months, we will take you through the seven quality areas and demonstrate how they guide our centre teams.
Drop into your nearest centre for a chat or browse our Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) next time you are in to read about this important journey, including our centre's current focus and key improvements.
National Quality Standard – Quality Area 1 Educational program and practice
Approved children's education and care services across Australia are assessed and rated by state and territory regulatory authorities.
The first quality area of the National Quality Standard (NQS) focuses on how your child is supported in play and learning.
Quality Area 1 consists of 3 concepts:
Program
The first concept involves thoughtful curriculum decision-making by educators which contributes to learning and development outcomes in relation to a child's identity, connection, well-being and confidence.
Educators will discuss your child's knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests to ensure they are the foundation of the program and that all aspects, including routines and transitions, are learning opportunities.
Practice
Educators' decisions and actions are deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful while responding to children's ideas and play to extend learning with open-ended interactions, questions and feedback.
You will see this throughout Storypark through photos and records.
These purposeful actions allow children's autonomy to flourish as they learn to navigate their world and decision-making… I am certain you have seen your child engaging in an experience you perhaps didn't think they would or could.
Assessment and Planning
Recording and assessing children's learning allows educators and families the opportunity to reflect on their child's journey as they reach milestones and celebrate effort.
It's an opportunity for educators and families to collaborate on consistency in approach and ideas to further support children's development.
Fully Supported by Intentionality and Purpose
While the Regulatory Authority visits your service every few years, Affinity Education assesses against the same Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards twice yearly by our carefully appointed early years experts…our Quality Team. By conducting our internal visits, we can ensure your child's service regularly engages with the Framework, remains current and familiar with Education and Practice guidelines, and receives on-the-job coaching and training that is contextualized to the service, room and most importantly, your children.
To wrap up, your child's learning and development is fully supported by intentionality and purpose.
In saying that, the Family is a child's first teacher, so if there is something you would like us to know, please come in for a chat or drop us a line on Storypark.
If you want further information about Quality Area 1, please pop in and see us, visit our QIP in the foyer or access the Starting Blocks website.