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Congratulations St Helena Pre School – Exceeding the National Standard!!!

In December 2009, the Federal Government introduced the National Quality Framework. It recognised the importance of increasing the focus on the early childhood years to ensure the health, development and well being of children and aims to raise quality and drive continuous improvement in education and care services. The National Quality Framework has meant that all pre-schools throughout Australia have had to undergo an extensive quality assessment and rating process, the purpose of this is to determine whether and at what rating level the service is operating and to assist the centre with ongoing quality improvement planning.

Each centre is assessed on 7 Quality Areas and given a rating based on the results of those assessments. Centres are assessed on areas including educational program and practice, children’s health and safety, physical environment, staffing arrangements, relationships with children, partnerships with families and communities and management and leadership.

St Helena Pre-school has been part in the assessment process. The centre was visited by 2 authorised officers from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, they spent the day at the centre observing practice, engaging in discussions with staff and educators and sighting relevant documentation, and we are very excited to inform families that the centre has been assessed as Exceeding the National Quality Standard, with particular strengths in the educational program and practice, staffing arrangements, relationships with children and partnerships with families and communities. The very detailed report made special mention of the centre’s well established position within the local community, with close bonds to surrounding schools, strong staff retention and enduring relationships with families. It went on to mention how the service draws on these close, supportive relationships to maximise the program for children in a variety of ways and that the holistic approach contributes to the positive and warm atmosphere of the service and that all educators, children and parents involved in the assessment process are acknowledged for their positive participation. This is the highest level a centre can achieve, it is not given out very easily and figures show that only a small number have accomplished this level and it is something to be extremely proud of (which we are!!!).

Staff would like to acknowledge the effort parents and the committee have contributed in supporting and working with staff in a collaborative manner. We would like to thank the committee for the many voluntary hours they have contributed in hard work, working with staff in a co-operative and enthusiastic manner to ensure the smooth operation of the centre.

 

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