Capel Sounds Educational Child Care Centre (CSECCC) has been awarded the Excellent rating

Date first awarded: 31 January 2023
Valid until: 30 January 2026

Capel Sounds Educational Child Care Centre (CSECCC) has been awarded the Excellent rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the highest rating a service can achieve under the National Quality Framework.

The Mornington Peninsula based service was recognised for its:

• collaborative partnerships with professional, community or research organisations
• positive workplace culture, organisational values, sustained commitment to professional development and support of educators
• practice and environments that enhance children’s learning and growth.

Examples of exceptional practice at the service include:

• CSECCC actions and partnerships focused on environmental sustainability:
  • Children expressed finding litter across the local foreshore and bay area, and a child who is a member of a beach clean-up group commented that buckets and tongs should be used for rubbish clean up. In response the outdoor educator contacted the Capel Sounds Foreshore Management Team (CSFMT) and both parties identified wanting to further build relationships with local primary and early learning services and to foster stewardship of the local foreshore area.
  • CSECCC confirmed that two local primary schools and two preschools were interested in foreshore conservation education and learning.
  • secured a grant Port Phillip Bay Fund grant with CSFMT endorsement and used the funds to commence the ‘Children on the Bay: Foreshore Care, Education and Conservation grant’ project.
  • collaborated with their local Men’s Shed, which made A-frames and donated buckets and tongs for community rubbish collection. 
  • collaborated with local rangers, who delivered microplastic talks to the three early learning services and two primary schools participating in the project. They also conducted spinifex planting sessions with children and families along the foreshore, to stop erosion and rubbish blowing into the bay. CSECCC children water their spinifex during their weekly ‘Out and About’ program. 
  • connected with their local council, which led to Melbourne Water delivering storm water and catchment education sessions. Children participated in litter audits of their local areas and uploaded their information to ‘Litter Watch’, which is then used by the Department of Environment, Land, Planning and Water (DELPW) to support litter watching and litter mapping of the local areas. Children also experimented with models of the local area, which demonstrated where water run off would go and how rubbish will end up in local water ways.
  • collaborated with a local primary school teacher who organised for various local First Nations artists to conduct art sessions with the children. The project artwork was printed onto the A-frames, which are now available for use by all community members.
• The service is committed to the professional growth and career development of its staff. One staff member commenced at the service with their Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Over the past ten years, they have been supported by the service to: 
  • complete their Diploma in ECEC and become a room leader.
  • develop their wellbeing interest through a designated wellbeing officer role, and wellbeing committee.
  • become nominated supervisor.
  • commence as full-time office manager and begin studying their Advanced Diploma in Community Sector Management.

In May 2022, CSECCC introduced a dedicated training manager role to support trainees, students on placement and staff that are upskilling. The service acknowledges the accessibility of the training manager has enabled staff and students with seeking out help in real time and with increased confidence in across service understandings and awareness of responsibilities.

• Children across all rooms engage in an ‘Out and About’ program, where they explore Bunurong and Boonwurrung land within their local community, through planned and spontaneous experiences. The program includes:
  • visiting Tootgarook Wetlands and the Senior Citizens Centre, Capel Sounds Foreshore and Capel Sounds Beach. CSECCC has use of the Capel Sounds Educational Beach Box, which supports access to a dedicated space and related resources, to enhance children’s learning regarding conservation and Care for Country.
  • supporting an emergent curriculum with ‘in the moment’ learning. For example, a child brought in a map of the local area and a spontaneous excursion occurred to support children visiting surrounding streets and to promote an understanding of their spatial surroundings. Upon returning to the service, children were supported to capture their experience and understandings by creating their own large map on the floor and adding assorted sized boxes as symbols of different buildings.
• As a leader in the sector, CSECCC shares its practice and learning, which has led to the development of others. CSECCC support for established and emerging leaders includes:
  • ongoing assistance and availability to a director opening a new service.
  • assisting a director with preparing their team for the assessment and rating process.
  • facilitating a local transition to school network group for directors and primary prep teachers.

These actions ensure the positive impacts and achievements of CSECCC reaches beyond the children and families who access their service.

About the Excellent rating

Services that receive ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’ in all seven quality areas can apply to ACECQA for the Excellent rating. The Excellent rating is awarded for three years. After this time services have the option to re-apply.