Our Hillcrest Kindy recently completed their annual rating and assessment by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). This process was conducted by an Authorised Officer from the Department of Education and involved each of the seven quality areas being assessed through the National Quality Standard (NQS). Following the review, our Kindy was awarded the high overall rating of Exceeding the National Quality Standard.
In February 2018, the NQS was revised and new guidelines on determining Exceeding National Quality Standards was implemented, and means that a service provider must be achieving consistently above and beyond what is expected at the Meeting NQS level. To achieve an Exceeding rating, the following three themes must be demonstrated in service practice - Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations. Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection. Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community.
Our Kindy was one of the first service providers to participate in the revised National Quality Standard, and we are very proud of this achievement. Thanks to our Kindy Director, Alicia Shields, our Educational Leader, Katie Matheson, and the entire Kindy team for their continued hard work and passion for providing a very high standard of early childhood education, in a nurturing and child-focussed environment.