Albert Park Preschool Centre has been awarded an Excellent Rating
Date awarded: 21/05/2019
Valid until: 20/05/2022
Albert Park Preschool Centre has been awarded the Excellent rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the highest rating a service can achieve under the National Quality Framework.
The Melbourne based service was recognised for its collaborative partnerships with professional, community and research organisations, commitment to children that respects, reflects and celebrates culture and diversity, including place of origin, inclusive partnerships with children and families; and practice and environments that enhance children’s learning and growth.
Examples of exceptional practice at the service include:
- The service created a Healthy Together Team to assist with progressing through the Healthy Together Achievement Program wellbeing framework. Through the combined effort of educators, family and committee members and health professionals, the Healthy Together Team has introduced community walking tours and an annual family sports day. Additionally, the service worked with a family member, who is a pharmacist, to develop a room spray to support the service’s wellbeing focus. This is available for purchase, with the funds raised supporting future wellbeing initiatives.
- Since 2013, the service has introduced sustainability and waste reduction initiatives, resulting in reduced water, grid electricity and bin use, disconnecting its gas supply and switching to solar energy. The service acknowledges the installation of solar panels through the fundraising assistance of organisations such as the Community Carbon Cops and a large Port Melbourne hardware store.
- To develop educator and child learning around local Aboriginal cultural perspectives, the service began working with the educational organisation, ‘Bunjils Biik.’ This has led to a bush tucker component being added to the service’s community garden, termly incursions and including a traditional smoking ceremony as a Welcome to Country during the service’s yearly cultural, orientation and celebration day.
- All staff working directly with children complete Mental Health First Aid training. The service has received gold status accreditation through the Mental Health First Aid Australia Skilled Workplace Program. The service was recognised as a finalist in the 2016 Worksafe Victoria awards in the category of ‘Commitment to Workplace Health and Wellbeing’. The service’s wellbeing journey has been shared through a ‘Wellbeing for all’ case study which is promoted by Worksafe Victoria and Leading Well Victoria.
- An educator who holds the role of cultural officer received the 2018 Early Childhood Australia (ECA) Barbara Creaser Young Advocates Award in recognition for their work with the local Boon Wurrung people and Balibo House Kindergarten.
As a leader in the sector, Albert Park Preschool Centre shares its practice and learnings with other education and care services through publications on sustainability and community initiatives, guest speaking on the services wellbeing journey, and working with local primary schools to develop a harassment and bullying policy.
About the Excellent rating
Services that receive ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’ in all seven quality areas can apply for the Excellent rating. The Excellent rating is awarded for three years. After this time services have the option to re-apply.
More information is available on the ACECQA website.