Starting the year on the right foot is crucial for building a strong and cohesive educational team. By fostering open communication, setting clear expectations, and supporting professional growth, leaders can create an environment where educators feel valued and empowered.
CELA early education specialist Guita Badaoui and former approved provider says, “now is the time for your educational team to self-assess their practices and identify what they believe they are confident and effective at, and which areas they might like to strengthen.”
“Schedule one-on-one meetings to discuss their self-assessment and review whether mandatory training is up-to-date or whether refreshers are required. In this meeting, update your team's professional development plan to reflect both mandatory training gaps and also training to address her/his identified area of interest.”

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The one-on-one meeting at the start of the year provides an excellent opportunity to share essential resources with your staff, including:
- Service philosophy
- Strategic plan
- Code of conduct
- Child safe code of conduct
- Job description
- Access to service policies and procedures.
Providing these resources is valuable as it helps staff refresh their understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. It also ensures they know where to find information to guide their actions in specific situations.

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ACECQA has an information sheet that highlights how some services incorporate 360-degree surveys into their performance review process. These surveys provide educators and staff with feedback from their immediate supervisor, we well as from co-workers, families, children, and even the broader community. The insights gathered can be utilised for whole-of-service self-assessment and as a basis for meaningful one-on-one discussions with staff.
Access ACECQA's information sheet.
Guita explains that after the one-on-one meeting, she would typically schedule the relevant professional development sessions and set quarterly check-ins with each educator. These "pit stops" provide an opportunity to review their progress towards goals and their engagement in professional learning.
There are many benefits to regular one-on-one sessions with your team members:
- It shows they are valued
- It helps leadership understand how staff view their jobs and to address small concerns before they get bigger
- It helps team members understand how their work connects to the bigger picture of providing high-quality early learning experiences for children at their most critical developmental period.
Resources:
CELA professional development plan template: https://www.cela.org.au/publications/member-resources/simple-guides/creating-a-professional-development-plan
ACECQA info sheet – supporting the performance and support of professionals: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/Supporting_performance_development_of_professionals.pdf
About CELA
Community Early Learning Australia is a not for profit organisation with a focus on amplifying the value of early learning for every child across Australia - representing our members and uniting our sector as a force for quality education and care.