12 Mar What is National Quality Standard? | Overview
The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a high national benchmark for the quality of education and care services. It provides families and care providers with a more detailed understanding of children’s education and care requirements, objectives, outcomes and expectations. NQS includes 7 quality areas that are important to outcomes for children.
These areas are:
- QA1 Educational program and practice
- QA2 Children’s health and safety
- QA3 Physical environment
- QA4 Staffing arrangements
- QA5 Relationships with children
- QA6 Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
- QA7 Governance and leadership
Services are assessed and rated by the regulatory authority in each state and territory against the NQS, and given a rating for each of the 7 quality areas and an overall rating based on these results.
The ratings are:
- Excellent rating, awarded by ACECQA
- Exceeding National Quality Standard
- Meeting National Quality Standard
- Working Towards National Quality Standard
- Significant Improvement Required
This rating is available to the public. It helps families to choose a quality education and care service for their child/children. Therefore, it is essential that all staff at an education and care service have a good understanding of 7 quality areas so they can effectively contribute to their service in achieving a higher quality rating.
- Quality area 1 has 3 Standards (1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
- Quality area 2 has 2 Standards (2.1, 2.2)
- Quality area 3 has 2 Standards (3.1, 3.2)
- Quality area 4 has 2 Standards (4.1, 4.2)
- Quality area 5 has 2 Standards (5.1, 5.2)
- Quality area 6 has 2 Standards (6.1, 6.2)
- Quality area 7 has 2 Standards (7.1, 7.2)
Making a total of 15 Standards.
These standards are high-level outcome statements. Under each standard are elements that describe the outcomes that contribute to the standard being achieved. There are 40 elements altogether.
We will extend on each quality area in upcoming blogs with more detailed information on Standards and elements.
Click here to view the Revised National Quality Standard from 1 Feb 2018
Guide to the National Quality Framework: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-11/Guide-to-the-NQF_0.pdf