NQS Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice - or QA1 for short - is one of 7 quality areas under the National Quality Standard (NQS).
It focuses on ensuring that the educational program and practice is child-centred, stimulating and maximises 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.
A quality program sees children as capable and competent learners who have agency and learn through a play-based program. Play provides a context for learning, where children organise and make sense of their social worlds as they actively engage with people, object and representations.
The 3 standards in NQS Quality Area 1 - Program, Practice, and Assessment and Planning - are crucial to delivering quality outcomes under the NQF because:
An educational program that is based on an approved learning framework, is child-centred and maximises learning opportunities strongly contributes to children’s development as competent and engaged learners
Intentional teaching in early childhood settings (and intentionality in school age settings) is a recognised approach to facilitate each child’s learning and development
Responsive teaching values, scaffolds and extends each child’s strengths, skills, knowledge, interests and ideas, and child directed learning promotes children’s agency
Critical reflection informs the assessment and planning cycle and Educational program and practice drives improvement in program and practice, resulting in continuous enhancements to children’s learning
Families who are informed about the program and their child’s progress are better equipped to engage with the service and collaboratively make decisions that strengthen their child's learning, development and wellbeing
Each standard is a high-level outcomes statement, and is accompanied by an element, which describes outcomes that contribute to the standard.
NQS Quality Area 1: Standard 1.1 - Program
Standard 1.1 | Program | The educational program enhances each child's learning and development. |
Element 1.1.1 | Approved learning framework | Curriculum decision-making contributes to each child's learning and development outcomes in relation to their identity, connection with community, wellbeing, confidence as learners and effectiveness as communicators. |
Element 1.1.2 | Child-centred | Each child's current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program. |
Element 1.1.3 | Program learning opportunities | All aspects of the program, including routines, are organised in ways that maximise opportunities for each child's learning. |
Exceeding Themes for Standard 1.1
Exceeding theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations:
Educators, the educational leader, and co-ordinators demonstrate a deep understanding of the requirements of the standard, the concepts and the component elements, and a commitment to high quality practice at all times.
All educators:
- work collaboratively with the educational leader to consistently make curriculum decisions, including the organisation of daily routines, that maximise learning and development outcomes for every child in relation to their identity, connection with community, wellbeing, confidence as learners and effectiveness as communicators
- work collaboratively with the educational leader to consistently develop and implement a purposeful and responsive educational program that reflects and builds on the knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests of each child
- confidently make curriculum decisions throughout the day, week or month to ensure each child’s learning and development is maximised.
All educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators are able to explain how their approach to curriculum decision-making connects to:
- the approved learning framework/s and enhances learning and development for each child
- the service philosophy and supports the service’s broader vision for quality.
The observed and discussed approach to curriculum decision-making:
- consistently aligns with the service philosophy
- consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to the principles and practices of the approved learning framework/s.
Exceeding theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
The service's approach to curriculum decision-making:
- reflects robust debate, discussion, and opportunities for input by all educators, and is informed by critical reflection and past incidents
- is informed by current recognised guidance.
Any change to the service's approach to curriculum decision-making is understood by all and implemented appropriately.
All educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators regularly reflect, individually and with each other on:
- opportunities to strengthen the educational program
- implementation of changes to the program to enhance children’s learning and development outcomes, including through the organisation of daily routines
- the evolving knowledge, strengths, ideas, cultures, abilities and interests of children at the service, and how these inform the educational program
- social justice and equity implications of curriculum decisions to ensure that the program considers the circumstances and rights of every child at the service
- opportunities to cultivate deep respect for, and knowledge of, the cultural diversity of the broader community in the educational program, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
- the theoretical and philosophical influences on their curriculum decisions, including the theoretical perspectives identified in the approved learning framework/s
- how they draw on theoretical and philosophical influences and how they have influenced practice over time.
Exceeding theme 3: Practice is informed by critical reflection
The service's approach to curriculum decision-making:
- reflects robust debate, discussion, and opportunities for input by all educators, and is informed by critical reflection and past incidents
- is informed by current recognised guidance.
Any change to the service’s approach to curriculum decision-making is understood by all and implemented appropriately.
All educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators regularly reflect, individually and with each other on:
- opportunities to strengthen the educational program
- implementation of changes to the program to enhance children’s learning and development outcomes, including through the organisation of daily routines
- the evolving knowledge, strengths, ideas, cultures, abilities and interests of children at the service, and how these inform the educational program
- social justice and equity implications of curriculum decisions to ensure that the program considers the circumstances and rights of every child at the service
- opportunities to cultivate deep respect for, and knowledge of, the cultural diversity of the broader community in the educational program, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
- the theoretical and philosophical influences on their curriculum decisions, including the theoretical perspectives identified in the approved learning framework/s
- how they draw on theoretical and philosophical influences and how they have influenced practice over time.
Standard 2.2 - Practice
Standard 2.2 | Practice | Educators facilitate and extend each child's learning and development. |
Element 1.2.1 | Intentional Teaching | Educators are deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful in their decisions and actions. |
Element 1.2.2 | Responsive teaching and scaffolding | Educators respond to children's ideas and play and extend children's learning through open-ended questions, interactions and feedback. |
Element 1.2.3 | Child directed learning | Each child's agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions that influence events and their world. |
Exceeding Themes for Standard 1.2
Exceeding theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators demonstrate a deep understanding of the requirements of the standard, the concepts and the component elements, and a commitment to high quality practice at all times.
All educators:
- are consistently deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful in all of their decisions and actions that impact on children’s learning and development
- consistently and respectfully respond to each child’s ideas and play to facilitate and extend each child’s participation, learning and development
- consistently take every opportunity to extend each child’s learning through open-ended questions, interactions, feedback and the provision of resources
- consistently consider and promote the agency of each child, and support each child to make a range of choices and decisions to influence events and their world
- confidently make curriculum decisions throughout the day, week or month to ensure each child's participation, learning and development is facilitated and extended.
All educators and the educational leader are able to explain how their educational practice connects to:
- the approved learning framework/s and facilitates and extends each child’s learning and development
- the service philosophy and supports the service’s broader vision for quality.
The observed and discussed approach to facilitating and extending children’s learning and development:
- consistently aligns with the service philosophy
- consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to the principles and practices of the approved learning framework/s.
Exceeding theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
The service's educational practice approach to facilitating and extending children’s learning and development:
- reflects robust debate, discussion, and opportunities for input by all educators, and is informed by critical reflection and past incidents
- is informed by current recognised guidance.
Any change to the service’s approach to facilitating and extending children’s learning and development is understood by all and implemented appropriately.
All educators and the educational leader regularly reflect, individually and with each other on:
- their educational practice approach to facilitating and extending children’s learning and development
- alternate practice approaches to facilitating and extending children’s learning and development
- implementation of changes to strengthen their practice over time
- social justice and equity implications of their educational practice to ensure that practice considers the circumstances and rights of every child at the service
- opportunities to cultivate deep respect for, and knowledge of, the cultural diversity of the broader community in educational practice, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
- theoretical and philosophical influences on their practice, including the theoretical perspectives identified in the approved learning framework/s
- how they draw on theoretical and philosophical influences and how they have influenced practice over time.
Exceeding theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
The service's educational practice approach to facilitating and extending children’s learning and development:
- reflects the unique geographical, cultural and community context of the service
- welcomes, respects and draws on the voices, priorities and strengths of the children and families at the service.
All educators:
- consistently and meaningfully engage with children’s families and/or the community to draw on family and/or community understanding of each child’s knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities, interests and learning and development in order to facilitate and extend children’s learning and development
- actively seek out the voices, perspectives, and views of children throughout the day, and draw on this input to facilitate and extend. children’s learning and development
- draw inspiration from the unique geographical, cultural and community context of the service to facilitate and extend on children's learning and development.
Standard 1.3 - Assessment and planning
Standard 1.3 | Assessment and planning | Educators and co-ordinators take a planned and reflective approach to implementing the program for each child. |
Element 1.3.1 | Assessment and planning cycle | Each child's learning and development is assessed or evaluated as part of an ongoing cycle of observation, analysing learning, documentation, planning, implementation and reflection. |
Element 1.3.2 | Critical reflection | Critical reflection on children's learning and development, both as individuals and in groups, drives program planning and implementation. |
Elements 1.3.3 | Information for families | Families are informed about the program and their child's progress. |
Exceeding themes for Standard 1.3
Exceeding theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators:
- demonstrate a deep understanding of the requirements of the standard, the concepts and the component elements, and a commitment to high quality practice at all times
- consistently engage in planned and spontaneous critical reflection on children’s learning and development, as individuals and in groups
- consistently draw on their insights to make changes to the design and implementation of the program
- work collaboratively to assess or evaluate each child’s learning and development as part of an ongoing assessment and planning cycle that drives development of an education program that enhances and extends each child’s learning and development
- are able to explain how their approach to assessment and planning connects to: the approved learning framework/s and enhances and extends each child’s learning and development; the service philosophy and supports the service’s broader vision for quality.
- consistently engage meaningfully with children’s families to inform them about the educational program and their child’s participation, learning and development.
The observed and discussed approach to assessment and planning:
- consistently aligns with the service philosophy
- consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to the principles and practices of the approved learning frameworks/s
- is consistently reflected in the service’s program documentation and required assessment or evaluation documentation
- consistently reflects meaningful engagement and communication with families.
Exceeding theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
The service's approach to assessment and planning :
- reflects robust debate, discussion, and opportunities for input by all educators, and is informed by critical reflection and past incidents
- is informed by current recognised guidance.
Any change to the service’s approach to assessment and planning is understood by all and implemented appropriately.
All educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators regularly reflect, individually and with each other on:
- their approach to assessment and planning to consider whether it supports the best outcomes for children and families
- engagement with families and whether communication of the education program and children's participation, learning and development is accessible and understandable
- alternate assessment and planning processes, and make changes where opportunities for improvement are identified
- social justice and equity implications of their assessment and planning to ensure that practice considers the circumstances and rights of every child at the service
- theoretical and philosophical influences on their assessment and planning, including the theoretical perspectives identified in the approved learning framework/s
- how they draw on theoretical and philosophical influences and how they have influenced practice over time
Exceeding theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
The service's approach to assessment and planning:
- reflects the unique geographical, cultural and community context of the service
- welcomes, respects and draws on the voices, priorities and strengths of the children and families at the service.
All educators:
- consistently seek out the voices, perspectives, and views of children throughout the day, and draw on this input in ongoing assessment and planning
- consistently support children to participate in assessing and planning their own learning and development.
All educators, the educational leader and co-ordinators:
- consistently engage with families and the community to ensure that children’s learning and development outside of the service is incorporated into the assessment and planning cycle
- consistently engage with families about their child’s progress in ways that are tailored to individual families’ circumstances and ways of connecting, for example engaging with families using respectful and culturally safe practices.
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