Excellent Rating Notification for Eagleby Kids Early Learning Centre
Date awarded: 19 April 2022
Valid until: 18 April 2025
Eagleby Kids Early Learning Centre (EKELC) 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 Queensland based service was recognised for its:
- commitment to children that respects, reflects and celebrates culture and diversity including place of origin
- inclusive partnerships with children and families
- positive workplace culture and organisational value
- sustained commitment to professional development and support of educators.
Examples of exceptional practice at the service include:
- Establishment of a targeted Māori program that reflects its local community demographic and service profile. The program is culturally responsive and supports children, educators, families and the community through a range of rituals, initiatives and practices that reflect the Māori culture, language and way of life.
- Cultural Leader. The creation of this specialised educator role has supported staff, children and families to value and embrace diversity by celebrating special occasions in respectful, authentic and holistic ways and ensuring that each child’s culture is represented within the service. The leader is responsible for coaching and mentoring all staff to successfully embed strategies that respect and celebrate cultural diversity within its service and local community, with a particular focus on embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. The leader is proactively connecting with local Elders and Aboriginal community members and shares knowledge and insights gained with service staff, children and families.
- Kindness project. The aim of the project is to identity opportunities to link the service and local community and to then, ‘spread kindness like confetti’ through a range of intentional and targeted actions, affirmations and random acts of kindness.
- Monthly team forum explorations. These forum explorations are an avenue for all educators and staff to participate and lead professional development, training, reflections and to be involved with critical reflections and discussions that identify strategies to embrace opportunities and resolve any challenges that have arisen over the month. EKELC views these forums as opportunities for growth and collaboration.
About the Excellent rating
Services that receive a rating of ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’ in all seven quality areas can apply to ACECQA for the Excellent rating. The Excellent rating is awarded for three years. After this time services have the option to re-apply.