Bribie Island Community Kindergarten re-awarded excellent rating

Date first awarded: 13 February 2014
Date re-awarded: 15 April 2020

Valid until: 14 April 2023

Bribie Island Community Kindergarten has been re-awarded the Excellent rating for the third time by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the highest rating a service can achieve under the National Quality Framework.

The Bribie Island based service was recognised for its collaborative partnerships with professional, community or research organisations, commitment to children that respects, reflects and celebrates culture and diversity, including place of origin, and practice and environments that enhance children’s learning and growth.

Examples of exceptional practice at the service include:

• The Joondoburri Walk Project. As part of a long term project, the service established a community nature walk in a space behind the service where children participate in a weekly bush program with local Elder, Uncle Ron. The project included:
  • meeting with traditional Elders and owners to learn the history of the area and to gain their support for the project
  • undertaking botanical research and meeting with environmental experts to ensure accuracy of information about the Aboriginal use of scar and birthing trees
  • being granted permission from the local council for the broader community to use the land in June 2019
  • applying for a local council grant, which was used to purchase sandstone blocks. These were installed in the Joondoburri Walk space in December 2019 to create a yarning circle for members of the community and service to use
  • applying for a state Indigenous Language Grant, which was used to create signage in the Oondo language of the Joondoburri people. The signage was installed in February 2020 and incorporates Aboriginal knowledge regarding the use of local plants.
• An intergenerational partnership focus including:
  • weekly visits to the Bribie Island Churches of Christ facility, to co-engage in music therapy and to share historical knowledge and stories between residents and the children. In December 2019, children and residents created a joint artwork, ‘Ocean Angel’. This is on display at the Bribie Island Community Arts Centre
  • engaging regularly with the residents of two local aged care facilities. In 2018, the service commenced visits to Bribie Cove Aged Care facility, with the facility providing bus transport for the children.  In October 2019, the service collaborated with the facility to plan and hold the first beach playdate for children and the residents of the aged care facility
  • partnering with their local over 50’s craft group. The service developed a partnership with the local craft group to give children access to locally handmade resources for play and to teach children sewing and crochet skills. Children suggested the use of cloth towels instead of paper towels, to reduce their contribution to landfill and worked with the group to crochet hooks onto their own cloth towels.
• The service is committed to care for and learn on Country to support its children, who will become the future stewards of the land. This includes:
  • each week children choosing whether they would like to experience a bush, beach or a combined program to explore their local beaches, mangroves and bushland. Children have learnt to identify and harvest native foods during these programs, which they take home to cook and share with their families
  • a weekend bush or beach walk held each term with families and children that allows them to explore and build their knowledge and cultural connection with  local Aboriginal sites
  • children, families and educators participating in regular working bees guided by the local Landcare experts. They assist with plant regeneration, weeding and rubbish collection and removal.

As a leader in the sector, Bribie Island Community Kindergarten shares its practice and learnings with other education and care services. This includes keynote speaking at conferences, contributing to the resources of registered training organisations, providing support to local and international students and using service tours to develop the problem-solving skills of fellow educators. Through these leadership practices, the service ensures their positive impact reaches beyond the children and families who access their service.

About the Excellent rating

Services that receive ‘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.

More information is available on the ACECQA website