National Quality Standard (NQS) Comprehensive Notes

QA1: Educational program and practice

  • 1.1 Program
    • 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.
    • Significance: aligns curriculum with holistic child outcomes; anchors learning in identity, community ties, wellbeing, and communication skills.
    • 1.1.2 Child-centred
    • Each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program.
    • Significance: places the child at the center of planning; supports individualized learning and cultural responsiveness.
    • 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.
    • Significance: integrates learning across all daily activities; routines become learning moments.
  • 1.2 Practice
    • 1.2.1 Intentional teaching
    • Educators are deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful in their decisions and actions.
    • Significance: links planning, assessment and practice to achieve named learning outcomes.
    • 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.
    • Significance: supports inquiry, exploration and deeper understanding through guided support.
    • 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.
    • Significance: fosters autonomy, motivation and empowerment; supports democratic participation.
  • 1.3 Assessment and planning
    • 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.
    • Significance: continuous improvement through data-informed planning and action.
    • 1.3.2 Critical reflection
    • Critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in groups, drives program planning and implementation.
    • Significance: promotes learning from practice and collaborative refinement of the program.
    • 1.3.3 Information for families
    • Families are informed about the program and their child's progress.
    • Significance: transparency, partnership with families, and shared understanding of progress.

QA2: Children’s health and safety

  • 2.1 Health
    • 2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort
    • Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s need for sleep, rest and relaxation.
    • Significance: supports holistic health, energy, and readiness to learn.
    • 2.1.2 Health practices and procedures
    • Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
    • Significance: reduces risk and promotes safe learning environments.
    • 2.1.3 Healthy lifestyle
    • Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child.
    • Significance: supports physical development, energy, and lifelong healthy habits.
  • 2.2 Safety
    • 2.2.1 Supervision
    • At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
    • Significance: maintains safety as a continuous priority in all settings.
    • 2.2.2 Incident and emergency management
    • Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practised and implemented.
    • Significance: prepared response to emergencies; collaborative planning with authorities.
    • 2.2.3 Child protection
    • Management, educators and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.
    • Significance: safeguarding children; clear responsibilities and action pathways.

QA3: Physical environment

  • 3.1 Design
    • 3.1.1 Fit for purpose
    • Outdoor and indoor spaces, buildings, fixtures and fittings are suitable for their purpose, including supporting the access of every child.
    • Significance: accessible, functional spaces that enable participation for all children.
    • 3.1.2 Upkeep
    • Premises, furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well maintained.
    • Significance: supports safety, health, and quality learning experiences.
  • 3.2 Use
    • 3.2.1 Inclusive environment
    • Outdoor and indoor spaces are organised and adapted to support every child's participation and to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.
    • Significance: promotes inclusion and engagement across diverse learners and environments.
    • 3.2.2 Resources support play-based learning
    • Resources, materials and equipment allow for multiple uses, are sufficient in number, and enable every child to engage in play-based learning.
    • Significance: enables flexibility, creativity, and equitable access to learning opportunities.
    • 3.2.3 Environmentally responsible
    • The service cares for the environment and supports children to become environmentally responsible.
    • Significance: fosters sustainability-minded practice and environmental literacy.

QA4: Staffing arrangements

  • 4.1 Staffing arrangements
    • 4.1.1 Organisation of educators
    • The organisation of educators across the service supports children's learning and development.
    • Significance: ensures appropriate coverage, expertise and role clarity.
    • 4.1.2 Continuity of staff
    • Every effort is made for children to experience continuity of educators at the service.
    • Significance: builds secure relationships and stable learning, reduces disruption.
  • 4.2 Professionalism
    • 4.2.1 Professional collaboration
    • Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect and collaboratively, and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills.
    • Significance: promotes a healthy culture, shared practice, and ongoing professional growth.
    • 4.2.2 Professional standards
    • Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships.
    • Significance: supports consistent, ethical, and high-quality service delivery.

QA5: Relationships with children

  • 5.1 Relationships between educators and children
    • 5.1.1 Positive educator to child interactions
    • Responsive and meaningful interactions build trusting relationships which engage and support each child to feel secure, confident and included.
    • Significance: creates a safe, affirming learning climate that promotes engagement.
    • 5.1.2 Dignity and rights of the child
    • The dignity and rights of every child are maintained.
    • Significance: upholds ethical practice and respect for every child.
  • 5.2 Relationships between children
    • 5.2.1 Collaborative learning
    • Children are supported to collaborate, learn from and help each other.
    • Significance: develops social skills, peer learning, and communal learning culture.
    • 5.2.2 Self-regulation
    • Each child is supported to regulate their own behaviour, respond appropriately to the behaviour of others and communicate effectively to resolve conflicts.
    • Significance: fosters emotional literacy, conflict resolution, and prosocial behavior.

QA6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

  • 6.1 Supportive relationships with families
    • 6.1.1 Engagement with the service
    • Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in the service and contribute to service decisions.
    • Significance: builds trust, ownership, and shared governance of learning.
    • 6.1.2 Parent views are respected
    • The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.
    • Significance: honors family agency and cultural relevance in learning.
    • 6.1.3 Families are supported
    • Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing.
    • Significance: facilitates access to resources and informed parenting support.
  • 6.2 Collaborative partnerships
    • 6.2.1 Transitions
    • Continuity of learning and transitions for each child are supported by sharing information and clarifying responsibilities.
    • Significance: smooths changes in settings, reduces disruption, and maintains learning momentum.
    • 6.2.2 Access and participation
    • Effective partnerships support children's access, inclusion and participation in the program.
    • Significance: reduces barriers and supports equitable participation.
    • 6.2.3 Community engagement
    • The service builds relationships and engages with its community.
    • Significance: strengthens community connections and contextual relevance of learning.

QA7: Governance and Leadership

  • 7.1 Governance
    • 7.1.1 Service philosophy and purpose
    • A statement of philosophy guides all aspects of the service’s operations.
    • Significance: provides a unifying, values-driven framework for decision-making.
    • 7.1.2 Management systems
    • Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service.
    • Significance: supports accountability, safety, and quality assurance.
    • 7.1.3 Roles and responsibilities
    • Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood, and support effective decision-making and operation of the service.
    • Significance: clarifies expectations and enables efficient governance.
  • 7.2 Leadership
    • 7.2.1 Continuous improvement
    • There is an effective self-assessment and quality improvement process in place.
    • Significance: drives ongoing enhancement and responsiveness to feedback.
    • 7.2.2 Educational leadership
    • The educational leader is supported and leads the development and implementation of the educational program and assessment and planning cycle.
    • Significance: ensures instructional quality and alignment across planning, teaching and assessment.
    • 7.2.3 Development of professionals
    • Educators, co-ordinators and staff members’ performance is regularly evaluated and individual plans are in place to support learning and development.
    • Significance: supports professional growth, accountability, and workforce development.