Burgmann Anglican School’s Preschools recognised for Excellence

Burgmann Anglican School’s Preschools have been awarded the Excellent rating for both their Valley and Forde campus services, the highest rating achievable under the National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care.

The two services, which are set within the Early Childhood section of Burgmann Anglican School and located in the Canberra suburbs of Gungahlin and Forde, are the 50th and 51st in Australia to receive this recognition. 

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) Chief Executive Officer Karen Curtis congratulated the services on the programs aimed at developing children’s social skills as well as their exceptional practices to enhance workplace culture and organisational values.

“Operating as one service across the two campuses, Burgmann Anglican School’s Preschools work well together and the results are clear – children are benefiting,” Ms Curtis said.

The preschools developed the social skills programs ‘Mr Preschool’ for three-year-old children and ‘Preschool’ for children aged four to five years old. Focusing on a particular skill such as identifying and naming feelings and exploring ways to join in and take turns, the programs aim to develop social behaviours that help children develop friendships, relate to others and teach constructive problem solving skills.

These programs, which create direct links with Burgmann’s primary school through the ‘Bounce Back’ program, are made possible by the close working relationships between lead educators at the preschool and teachers at the primary school.

“By advocating for children’s learning from a young age, goals can be sustained, and children’s skills and capabilities extended into their school life. This is especially evident in the way the Burgmann Anglican School’s Preschools’ educators have influenced the teachers at the school to include play-based and exploratory learning environments,” Ms Curtis said.

The emphasis on collaboration and an active leadership role in promoting early childhood education and care also extends to the workplace culture in both services. In addition to the educational leader, the team leader, room leaders and educators work together, and often across both campuses, to teach and implement programs and practices, as well as provide opportunities for educators to be recognised and appreciated.

Burgmann Anglican School’s Preschools have been commended for these organisational values as well as collaborative partnerships within the wider community.

Services that receive an overall rating of ‘Exceeding the National Quality Standard’ can apply for the Excellent rating.

More information is available on the ACECQA website and the Burgmann Anglican School website.