The Excellent rating

Enhance. Innovate. Celebrate.

Acecqa – The Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority

About the Excellent rating

rated excellent by ACECQA

The Excellent rating celebrates excellence in the delivery of education and care. The rating recognises providers and educators using innovative practice to achieve significant improvements for:

  • their children and families
  • the local community and/or organisations
  • the wider education and care sector.

Services rated Exceeding National Quality Standard in all seven quality areas are eligible to apply. The Excellent rating is the highest rating achievable under the National Quality Framework.

Being awarded the Excellent rating

rated Excellent by ACECQA certificate

When a service is awarded the Excellent rating, that becomes the overall rating for the service. Services must retain their rating of ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’ in all seven quality areas throughout the five year award period to maintain their Excellent rating. After this time, eligible services have the option to reapply for the Excellent rating.

Excellent rated services are found in urban, regional, rural and various socioeconomic areas throughout Australia. While contextually different, Excellent rated services demonstrate:

  • active involvement of their children and families across service operations
  • engagement with its children and families to identify and meet their needs
  • leadership extending beyond the service
  • commitment to continual improvement and sustained exceptional practice.

 

Connect with voices from our Excellent rated services.

Ultimately, Excellent rated services transform opportunities into outcomes. Tailored practices, programs and partnerships are established to respond to service specific contexts, circumstances and needs. As a result, children and families experience improvements at the highest level.

Follow our easy steps to apply for the Excellent rating.

Excellent rated services

For more information and to locate Excellent rated services, use the handy map below or our helpful index.

Exceptional practice in action.

Education and Care Service Date awarded
Explore & Develop Annandale 17 November 2023
Bubup Wilam Aboriginal Child and Family Centre 9 November 2023
Warrawee Care Centre* 7 November 2023
Balnarring Preschool* 11 October 2023
Carrum Family and Children’s Centre (CFCC) 2 June 2023
Bribie Island Community Kindergarten (BICK)* 24 April 2023
Uniting Airlie Preschool Oatlands (UAPO) 8 March 2023
Capel Sounds Educational Child Care Centre (CSECCC) 31 January 2023
Goodstart Early Learning Clayton (GELC) 24 October 2022
Everton Park Child Care and Development Centre (EPCCDC)* 14 October 2022
Gowrie Victoria Broadmeadows Valley* 12 September 2022
KU Macquarie Fields Preschool 12 August 2022
Milford Lodge Child Care Centre* 15 June 2022
Discovery Early Education and Care Centre 11 May 2022
Eagleby Kids Early Learning Centre 19 April 2022
Essex Heights Juniors Early Learning Centre 25 January 2022
Adamstown Community Early Learning and Preschool (ACELP)  24 December 2021
Forrest Out of School Hours Care* 23 December 2021
Bellambi Point Community Preschool 16 December 2021
Lobethal Community Kindergarten (LCK)* 08 December 2021
SDN Riverwood Children’s Education and Care Centre (SDN) 15 October 2021
Choices Family Day Care 20 September 2021
Ashgrove Memorial Kindergarten Inc 03 September 2021
Clarendon Children’s Centre Co-op* 24 August 2021
Peak Sport and Learning TIGS 30 July 2021
Bermagui Preschool* 30 July 2021
Yuille Park Children's Centre 17 June 2021
Woy Woy PS Guliyali Preschool 21 April 2021
Indooroopilly Montessori Children's House (IMCH)* 24 March 2021
Lansvale Public School Preschool 11 February 2021
Goodstart Early Learning Tuggerah  13 January 2021
AIS Caretaker's Cottage Child Care Centre* 23 December 2020
The Yellow Cottage Scone Grammar School Preschool 18 November 2020

 

These services have achieved the Excellent rating more than once.

You are able to view a listing of services that previously held the Excellent rating below. The current ratings of these services can be found using the National Registers
 

Education and Care Service Date rating expired
Belrose Community and Children's Centre 12 November 2023
Nazareth Early Childhood Centre 3 November 2023 
Goodstart Early Learning Bathurst 26 October 2023
Singleton Heights Preschool 24 August 2023
Alberton Preschool* 16 August 2023
John Brotchie Nursery School 29 April 2023
Warrawee Care Centre * 24 March 2023
The Southport School* 25 November 2022
John Paul College Outside School Hours Care * 20 November 2022
Rosie's Early Learning Pty Ltd * 19 September 2022
Keithcot Farm Children's Centre for Early Childhood Development and Parenting 18 September 2022
Yirrkala Preschool 10 September 2022
Everton Park Child Care and Development Centre * 27 August 2022
Learning Links Preschool 13 August 2022
Albert Park Preschool Centre 20 May 2022
Jescott Montessori Preschool * 17 April 2022
Victoria Avenue Children's Centre 15 November 2021
Cambrian Preschool 26 July 2021
Concordia College Out of School Hours Care 19 July 2021
Clarendon Children's Centre Co-op * 3 July 2021
Tigger's Honeypot 27 March 2021
Uniting Preschool Grafton* 26 March 2021
Uniting Frederick Street Preschool Rockdale 21 March 2021
KU Lance Children’s Centre 20 March 2021
Waratah Cottage Early Learning Centre 13 March 2021
Bonkers Beat Music Kinder & Childcare Aspendale 12 March 2021
Darlington Children’s Centre for Early Childhood Development and Parenting 8 March 2021
Inspire Carlingford 6 February 2021
Goodstart Early Learning Parafield Gardens 11 January 2021
Mount Gambier Children's Centre 21 December 2020
Millville Childcare Centre 17 December 2020
Globe Wilkins Preschool * 14 December 2020
Doveton College Early Learning Centre * 6 December 2020
AIS Caretaker's College Child Care Centre * 12 November 2020
Awabakal Preschool - Wickham 25 October 2020
Jindi Woraback Children's Centre * 15 October 2020
Wesley College Melbourne Glen Waverley Early Childhood Learning Centre * 30 August 2020
Kindamindi Pre-School * 23 May 2020
Chancery Lane Montessori Pre-School * 16 March 2020
Condy Park Preschool and Kindergarten * 5 January 2020
Wynnum Family Day Care * 22 November 2019
KU Ourimbah Preschool and Children's Centre 13 October 2019
KU Killara Park Preschool 10 October 2019
Uniting Dove Cottage Early Learning Bankstown 22 September 2019
Burgmann Anglican School Preschool - Forde & Valley campus 10 July 2019
Wagner Road Early Childhood Centre and Kindergarten 3 May 2019
Canterbury College Kindergarten 21 April 2019
Hillsong Child Care Centre 12 February 2019
Gowrie Victoria Docklands     8 December 2018
Centenary Child Care & Early Education Centre 15 October 2018
Kentish Lifelong Learning and Care Incorporated 3 September 2018
Little Beacons Learning Centre 21 September 2018
KU - Corrimal East Pre-School 23 September 2018
Canberra Girls Grammar School Early Learning Centre  14 August 2018
Canberra Grammar School Northside Pre-Kindergarten 7 July 2018
Torquay Kids Early Learning Centre 30 July 2018
St Luke's Pre-School 4 June 2018 
Baxter Kindergarten and Children’s Centre 30 April 2018
Albury Out of School Hours (OOSH)  8 March 2018
Canberra Grammar School Early Learning Centre 8 February 2018
Unicare Early Childhood Education 12 January 2018
Jumbunna Community Pre-school 15 January 2018
Capalaba Child Care and Early Education Centre     20 January 2018
Kenmore and District Montessori Children's House 3 December 2017
Albury Preschool 4 December 2017
Berry Springs Preschool 18 November 2017
Wiradjuri Preschool Child Care   26 November 2017
Bundaberg Baptist Family Day Care Scheme Inc 2 October 2017
Goodstart Early Learning Elizabeth Vale 7 September 2017
Scotch College Early Learning Centre 22 September 2017
UWA Early Learning Centre 22 May 2017
Amarina Early Learning Centre 27 November 2016
Karana Early Education Centre 8 September 2016
Swallowcliffe Preschool 26 August 2016
Allenby Gardens 27 August 2016
Wandana School Based Preschool 27 August 2016
Bertram Hawker Kindergarten 10 February 2016

These services have achieved the Excellent rating more than once.