National Quality Framework

The National Quality Standard (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.

It gives services and families a better understanding of a quality service, helping families to make informed decisions about the services providing education and care to their child. The NQS brings together the 7 key quality areas that are important to outcomes for children.

  1. Educational program and practice
  2. Children’s health and safety
  3. Physical environment
  4. Staffing arrangements
  5. Relationships with children
  6. Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
  7. Governance and Leadership

The NQS contains 15 standards which are high-level outcome statements. Under each standard sit elements that describe the outcomes that contribute to the standard being achieved.

Assessment and rating of services

Assessors will visit each service to rate it against the seven quality areas of the National Quality Standard.

The quality areas are made up of standards and elements that describe what research shows are the most important parts of a quality early education and care service.

How do services get a quality rating?

Assessors will visit each service to rate it against the seven quality areas of the National Quality Standard.

The quality areas are made up of standards and elements that describe what research shows are the most important parts of a quality early education and care service.

Services receive a rating for each of the quality areas and an overall rating based on these results.

Follow this link to get more information about the National Quality Framework; https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard

Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.

- Chinese Proverb

Our task, regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible.

- Loris Malaguzzi

No significant learning occurs, without a significant relationship.

- Dr James Comer

Play gives children the opportunity to practice what they have been learning.

- Fred Rogers

Remember to…create moments, make memories, shape destinies

- Nancy Gordon

There's nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain them to an inquisitive child.

- Frank A Clark

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.

- Walt Streightiff

Nature provides a blank canvas of open-ended opportunities to think, create and investigate.

- Reggio Children