Prepared for CELA by education writer Bec Lloyd An assessment notice is a little like a winter electricity bill – we all know it’s coming but it’s still a shock when it arrives. Unlike your power bill, your assessment and rating (A&R) visit is an opportunity to shake off that dread and show how your […]
In brief: NSW services must display new quality ratings graphic from July 2020 Changes motivated by two key research studies showing lack of family understanding and National Quality Review feedback Impact of the graphic to be evaluated with independent parent research NSW RA confirms cultural shift to ‘strength-based’ A&R approach $13 million fund to expand […]
The quarterly snapshots from ACECQA tend not to serve up many surprises these days and while the most recent report is no exception, there are still some gems to be found that keep your knowledge of the sector up to date. Read on for a selection of data we’ve sourced from ACECQA’s smart new Online […]
NQF Review 2019 Hands up who needs a deadline to get things done? Good news! You’ve now got a very real deadline to have input into the NQF Review 2019, and a very simple way to make that happen. The sector survey for NQF Review 2019 closes on 30 June, that’s just over a week […]
Sarah Riddell, early childhood teacher and blogger, returns to Amplify with this consideration of technology in documentation. While some in the sector remain vexed about the use of image captures for documenting children’s learning stories, Sarah takes a strongly practical approach and examines how educators could make technology work harder for them. With most of […]
Welcome back to Amplify in 2019. We’re starting the year in traditional style, looking forward and back. Looking ahead, there’s a story tapping into the New Year resolutions many of you are making to improve your own and the children’s physical activity and guess what? Research is saying that improving educator and parent activity is […]
No one wants to see themselves as a statistic, but in education as in life, numbers play a significant role in how we operate. We took a walk through ACECQA’s latest Snapshot to see how the sector’s numbers are looking towards the end of the sixth year of the National Quality Framework (NQF). Assessment successes […]
Blayney Early Learners is based in a town of 3,500 people in Central West NSW. CELA writer, Margaret Paton, spoke to Director Georgie Hobby at a time when the service is updating its philosophy and preparing to engage in an international research program – exciting times that will resonate with many educators and directors no […]
After last week’s story about the happy outcome of a completely unexpected Ratings and Assessment visit, we’ve been thinking more about quality ratings and about how ACECQA’s research shows families are still largely unaware of what they mean. By both research and anecdote, ratings matter far more to educators, providers and regulators than they do […]
What would you do if your service only had one business day to submit your Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) and just eight business days to prepare for an assessment and rating by the NSW regulatory authority? This happened to Emma Armitage, Centre Coordinator of Victoria Avenue Children’s Centre, a 47-place long-day care service managed by the City of Canada Bay, Sydney, when their written notification was lost in the mail. Emma’s been at the three-year-old service since day one and built her team from the ground up. Here’s their story, as told to CELA writer Margaret Paton.
