Little Sparkles operates to the National Quality Standard (NQS), which sets a high national benchmark for early childhood education and care in Australia.
The NQS includes 7 quality areas and our educators are committed to achieving each and every outcome.
#1 – Educational program and practice:
Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard focuses on ensuring that the educational program and practice of educators are child-centred, stimulating and maximise opportunities for enhancing and extending each child’s learning and development. It recognises that a quality program that builds on children’s individual knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests is likely to have long term benefits for children and for the broader society.
#2 – Children’s health and safety:
Quality Area 2 of the National Quality Standard reinforces children’s right to experience quality education and care in an environment that provides for their health and safety
Learning about healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, personal hygiene (such as handwashing, dental hygiene and ear care), physical fitness, emotions and social relationships, is integral to children’s wellbeing and self-confidence
#3 – Physical environment:
Quality Area 3 of the National Quality Standard focuses on the physical environment. The physical environment is critical to: • contributing to children’s wellbeing, creativity and developing independence • providing a diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and development • keeping children safe • creating/organising spaces to reduce the risk of injury.
#4 – Staffing arrangements:
Quality Area 4 of the National Quality Standard focuses on the provision of qualified and experienced educators who develop warm, respectful relationships with children, create predictable environments and encourage children’s active engagement in the learning program. A collaborative and ethical culture where professional standards guide all aspects of practice is critical to a quality service
#5 – Relationships with children:
Quality Area 5 of the National Quality Standard focuses on educators developing responsive, warm, trusting and respectful relationships with children that promote their well-being, self-esteem, sense of security and belonging. Relationships of this kind encourage children to explore the environment and engage in play and learning
#6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities:
Quality Area 6 focuses on supportive, respectful relationships with families which are fundamental to achieving quality outcomes for children. Community partnerships that are based on active communication, consultation and collaboration also contribute to children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing
#7 – Governance and leadership:
Quality Area 7 focuses on effective leadership and governance of the service to establish and maintain quality environments for children’s learning and development. Effective leaders establish shared values for the service that reflect the service context and professionalism and set clear direction for the service’s continuous improvement. Governance refers to the systems in place to support effective management and operation of the service, consistent with the service’s statement of philosophy.
