SERENDIPITY EARLY LEARNING CENTRE PRESENTATION BY NIOMI JOHNSON Rosalie Primary School, 2012

INTRODUCTION  Niomi Johnson (Early Childhood Educator in 3-5 years room)  Kagan –Timed Pair Share  Shortest hair goes first  What do you believe is a strength and weakness of our centre? (30 seconds each) Kagan Video, 2012Teachers Pay Teacher, n.dKagan Video, 2011

POLICY REVIEW – KEY POINTS  Strengths of our policy  Improvements for our policy  Steps to achieve this  Why we have a policy  Documents that inform the policy Our philosophy Legislative and Regulatory Requirements National Quality Framework (NQF) Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN (QIP)  As an approved service The National Regulations necessitates us to have a QIP  My part in QIP is to assist in review our current policies and procedures.  The purpose of a QIP is to aid our centre in self-evaluating our performance in providing excellence in education and care and to plan for improvements improvements in the future.” The QIP also helps the regulatory authorities with their assessment and ratings“(ACECQA, n.d) of our service. Quality and Products Insights, 2015

STRENGTHS OF POLICY Meets multiple quality areas within NQS  Environment & Resources - QA 2 & 3 “Standard Each child’s health is promoted Standard Healthy eating and physical activity are embedded in the program for children.. Standard Each child is protected. Standard 3.1 – The design and location of the premises is appropriate for the operation of a service.” ACECQA, 2012 pg ) EYLF outcome 2: Children are connected and contribute to their world (DEEWR, 2010 pg.  Staffing - QA4 Standard 4.1 Staffing arrangements enhance children’s learning and development and ensure their safety and wellbeing.  Fencing - QA 2 Standard 2.3 Each child is protected Standard 3.1 The design and location of the premises is appropriate for the operation of a service.

STRENGTHS OF OUR POLICY What can we do? NQS Q.A 3 Link to philosophy Link to EYLF outcomes and principles Link to regulations

RECOMENDATIONS Date so we know who current or old policy is “Policies need to be current, clearly written and accessible to all service stakeholders” (Rowell, 2006 pg. 1) Make direct links to the Quality Area’s of the NQS EYLF our philosophy Theorist All the relevant documents that have informed what we are implementing To be reviewed – 12 months after implementation Re-evaluation date – 3 months after implementation WHY – so we can ensure our policy is stilled aligned with our centre’s philosophy and that is it still current in meeting the NQS, EYLF and the laws, legislative and regulatory requirements.

RECOMMENDATIONS Specifically say as we value child as competent and capable learner Make links to NQS and EYLF Make links back to philosophy

PROCESS TO DEVELOP NEW POLICY We are currently here This is where we will be next

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS  Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is the national body that directs and executes the National Quality Framework, with Regulatory Authorities who regulates and assess the services in each state and Territory (Department of Education and Training, 2013).  In W.A this is Department of Local Government and Communities however if you go to the ACECQA website to view all state and territories  The NQF incorporates the Education and Care services Regulations which all centres need to abide by including Regulation 168 “The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that the service has in place policies and procedures in relation to the matters set out in sub-regulation (2)”(Australasian Legal Information Institute, n.d.). ACECQA, 2015

IMPORTANCE OF MEETING LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS  It is imperative that all centres follow legislative and regulatory requirements as it is about uniformed approach to children’s education, development and learning.  The Legislative and regulatory requirements are part of the key elements come under the National Quality Agenda for Early Childhood and care in which our NQF, NQS and EYLF also fall under.  The Legislative and regulatory requirements informs us of our operational requirements as a centre.  allow all stakeholders to be in safe and secure environment.  These legislative and regulatory requirements allow for accountability and ensure that all centres and stakeholders understand the requirements by law  The national law provides objectives and guiding principles for the national Quality framework which in turn inform the National Quality standards which is what we follow as a centre to meet these requirements and become an approved service provider

IF WE DON’T When we are assessed and rated we will not meet the requirements reducing our rating as a service provider which can affect parents making informed decisions to send the children to our centre as we are not providing effective learning and developmentally appropriate environment for the children putting their best interest first as the early years are essential for forming” self- esteem, resilience, healthy growth and capacity to learn (ACECQA, n.d.) thus, giving them a promising start.

NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK (NQF)  The Framework incorporates a: National Legislative Framework National Quality Standards (NQS) National quality rating and assessment process Early Years Learning Framework (ACECQA, n.d)

EYLF  The Early Years Learning Framework – Belonging, Being and Becoming was created in 2009  “Part of the Council of Australian Governments' reform agenda for early childhood education and care” (Department of Education and Training, 2013)  Key element of the Government’s NQF and supports and strengthens all of the early childhood programs describing the principles, practices and outcomes that support and enhance children’s learning from 0-5 years including transition to school.  Early childhood services develop their own strategies to implement and incorporate the Framework.

THE IMPORTANCE OF POLICY  Legal and regulatory requirements are met ensuring our service is operating inside the parameters of the law (Gibbs, 2008)  Our policies support the implementation of our service philosophy which demonstrates the genuine qualities and significance of our centre reflecting our “values and beliefs” (Gibbs, 2008) the foundation /core of our service.  Policies aide in the link between centre management and its operations  Policies developed by our services community will reflect the principles and wishes of our community and will be endorsed with detailed policies. (Gibbs, 2008)  Policies allow parents to understand what they can expect from our centre and what we can do and provide for their children. In turn what we expect form them as parents.  Although we operative effectively policies allow prospects to evaluate our setting and make improvements where they need to be made (Gibbs, 2008)  Assist childcare professionals in making “informed decisions about their daily practices” (Rowell, 2009, pg1)

RECAP - WAYS TO ACHIEVE THIS  Our policies need to be created as a team with all stakeholders to help everybody to comprehend and appreciate why a practice is essential, who is in charge of it, when and where the practice ought to happen and how it happens. (ACECQA, 2009)  Policies developed by our services community will reflect the principles and wishes of our community and will be endorsed with detailed policies. (Gibbs, 2008)  Essential developed in collaboration with all stakeholders (Rowell, 2009, pg1)  Link philosophy to practice and how this will be achieved.  Rewrite policy to align with philosophy with specific links to NQS and EYLF  Outdoor policy visible outdoor next to outdoor plan which incorporates centre’s philosophy links to NQS, EYLF and theorist (see appendix A)

EXAMPLE OF OUTDOOR PROGRAM

REFERENCES Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (n.d). Quality Improvement Plan. Retrieved from Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (n.d). The National Quality Standard. Retrieved from Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (n.d) National Quality Framework. Retrieved from Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (2012). National Quality Standard Assessment and Rating Instrument. Retrieved from NQS_Assessment%20and%20Rating%20Instrument_120522_%20FINAL-1.pdf Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2009) Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework. Retrieved from ramework_for_australia.pdf Gibbs, L. (2008). Policy development in early childhood settings: From idea to evaluation. Pademelon Press, NSW

IMAGE REFERENCES Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (2015) Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority [logo] Retrieved from Kagan Video (2011). Instant Engagement Demo: Timed Pair Share [video still]. Retrieved from Kagan Video (2012). Timer Tools Demo: Hourglass Timer [video still]. Retrieved from Quality and Products Insights (2015) Continuous Improvement Plan [clipart]. Retrieved from Rosalie Primary School (2012) Play Learn and Grow Together[cartoon]. Retrieved from Teacher pay teacher (n.d). Kagan Structure Poster - Timed Pair Share [poster]. Retrieved from