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Quality Area 1 – Educational program and practice
Introduction
The aim of Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard is to ensure that the educational program and practice is stimulating and engaging, and enhances children’s learning and development. In school age care services, the program nurtures the development of life skills and complements children’s experiences, opportunities and relationships at school, at home and in the community.
Educational program and practice |
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|---|---|---|
| Standard 1.1 | Program | The educational program enhances each child’s learning and development. |
| Element 1.1.1 | Approved learning framework | Curriculum decision-making contributes to each child’s learning and development outcomes in relation to their identity, connection with community, wellbeing, confidence as learners and effectiveness as communicators. |
| Element 1.1.2 | Child-centred | Each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program. |
| Element 1.1.3 | Program learning opportunities | All aspects of the program, including routines, are organised in ways that maximise opportunities for each child’s learning. |
| Standard 1.2 | Practice | Educators facilitate and extend each child’s learning and development. |
| Element 1.2.1 | Intentional teaching | Educators are deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful in their decisions and actions. |
| Element 1.2.2 | Responsive teaching and scaffolding | Educators respond to children’s ideas and play and extend children’s learning through open-ended questions, interactions and feedback. |
| Element 1.2.3 | Child directed learning | Each child's agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions that influence events and their world. |
| Standard 1.3 | Assessment and planning |
Educators and co-ordinators take a planned and reflective approach to implementing the program for each child. |
| Element 1.3.1 | Assessment and planning cycle | Each child’s learning and development is assessed or evaluated as part of an ongoing cycle of observation, analysing learning, documentation, planning, implementation and reflection. |
| Element 1.3.2 | Critical reflection | Critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in groups, drives program planning and implementation. |
| Element 1.3.3 | Information for families | Families are informed about the program and their child's progress. |
Program
- Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
- My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
- Educators' Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
- Educators' Guide to the Framework for School Age Care in Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Developmental milestones – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards (Word) – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Arabic – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Croatian – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Hindi – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Korean – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Macedonian – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Malay – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Simplified Chinese – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Spanish – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Turkish – Commonwealth of Australia
- EYLF practice based resources: Postcards – Vietnamese – Commonwealth of Australia
- A fine balance: Understanding the roles educators and children play as intentional teachers and intentional learners within the EYLF – Nicole Leggett and Margot Ford
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in early childhood education and care – Case Study 1 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in early childhood education and care – Case Study 2 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages – SNAICC
- Age-appropriate pedagogies – Queensland Government Early Childhood Education and Care
- Australia’s educational leaders in ECE: What do we know so far? – Early Childhood Australia
- Child-centred curriculum planning (0–5 years): Self-guided learning package – Community Child Care Victoria
- Conceptual playworlds – Monash University
- Curriculum resources – Narragunnawali, Reconciliation Australia
- Digital play: A new classification – Jackie Marsh et al.
- Early Learning in STEM Multimodal learning in the 21st century: Project Report – Victoria University
- Early literacy and numeracy: Self-guided learning package – Community Child Care Victoria
- ECRH Newsletter: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures – Commonwealth of Australia
- Engaging children in STEM education early! – Natural Start Alliance
- Exploring STEM at home – Department of Education, Western Australia
- First 5 Forever – State Library of Queensland
- First Languages Australia
- Foundations for success: Learning, Teaching, Leading – Queensland Government
- Girl toys vs boy toys: The experiment – BBC Stories
- How many syllables in hippopotamus? – AITSL
- Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre: A decade on – Commonwealth of Australia / Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre
- KU Killara Park – Technology – KU Children's Services
- Language delay – Raising Children Network
- Learning Practice Guide – VCAA
- Little yarns – ABC Kids listen
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Supporting babies' social and emotional wellbeing – Commonwealth of Australia
- Pathways to participation: Openings, opportunities and obligations – Harry Shier
- Planning and programming: Case study 1 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Planning and programming: Case study 2 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Planning and programming: Case study 3 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Playgrounds of learning: Valuing competence and agency in birth to three year olds – Kym Macfarlane and Jennifer Cartmel
- Possum Skin Pedagogy: A guide for early childhood practitioners – Sue Atkinson
- Promoting, exploring and sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures: EYLF Outcome 1 – SNAICC
- Promoting, exploring and sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures: EYLF Outcome 4 – SNAICC
- Quality in rural and remote settings: Case study 1 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Quality in rural and remote settings: Case study 2 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Quality in rural and remote settings: Case study 3 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘Principles’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package for the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
- Rich conversations in mobile settings – AITSL
- Running free: The green benefits (and fun) of bush kinder – The Courier
- Supporting children's development – AITSL
- Taking small BYTEs Card Deck – Department of Education and Training, Victoria
- Telling stories with children – Raising Children Network
- Transitions between groups settings and beyond: Case study 1 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Transitions between groups settings and beyond: Case study 2 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Transitions between groups settings and beyond: Case study 3 – Commonwealth of Australia
- Unravelling the essence of the Early Years Learning Framework – Children’s Services Central
- Using teacher prompts to increase leadership skills in preschool children – Sarah Elizabeth West
- VEYLDF learning and development outcomes: Birth to 8 years – VCAA
- What's pedagogy anyway? (Handbook) – Children's Services Central
- We hear you blog: Agency in practice – ACECQA
- While old Indigenous languages disappear, new ones evolve – Early Childhood Australia
Practice
- A time of learning, a time for joy: Teaching and learning strategies – Government of Manitoba
- Assessment of children as effective communicators in early childhood education and care: Literature review – VCAA
- Celebrations, holidays and special occasions – Community Child Care
- Critical reflection – Melinda Miller
- Communication milestones – Speech Pathology Australia
- Communication Practice Guide – VCAA
- Community building blocks (early learning) – Narragunnawali, Reconciliation Australia
- Developing a professional mindset – AITSL
- Early Learning STEM Australia (ELSA)
- Early Years Learning Framework in Action – Commonwealth of Australia
- ECRH Newsletter: Digital technologies – Commonwealth of Australia
- ECRH newsletter: STEM focus – Commonwealth of Australia
- Exceeding NQS case studies: Quality Area 1 – Education and program and practice – ACECQA
- Exploring diversity and equity in education and care services – PSC Alliance
- Five things parents can do every day to help develop STEM skills from a young age – The Conversation
- Fostering an inclusive environment – Women's Health East
- Giving STEM a place in early childhood classrooms – Louise Parks
- Healthy gender development and young children – National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement
- Information sheet: Quality Area 1 – Developing a culture of learning through reflective practice – ACECQA
- Information sheet: Quality Area 1 – Supporting agency: Involving children in decision making – ACECQA
- Information sheet: Quality Area 1 – Be part of reconciliation – ACECQA
- Intentional teaching: So many possibilities – QCAA
- Learning to learn: Positive dispositions as a ‘learning curriculum’ – Children’s Services Central
- Long-term projects – Community Child Care
- Music connects language and social skills – AITSL
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Interest-based learning – Commonwealth of Australia
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Responding to children’s play – Commonwealth of Australia
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Sustained, shared thinking – Commonwealth of Australia
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Talking about practice: Adventurous play – developing a culture of risky play – Commonwealth of Australia
- Painting with young children in early years education and care settings – Gowrie Professional Support Coordinator
- Planning for a multicultural OSHC environment checklist – Inclusive Directions
- Promoting, exploring and sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures: EYLF Outcome 5 – SNAICC
- Reflections on teaching and learning – AITSL
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘Being’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘My happiness’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘My world’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: Outcome 1 activities – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: Outcome 2 activities – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: Outcome 3 activities – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: Outcome 4 activities – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: Outcome 5 activities – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘Practice’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘We communicate’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘We play, we learn’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote learning in early childhood: can it work? – Early Childhood Australia
- Respect, reflect, relate – South Australia Department of Education
- Statement on young children and digital technologies – Early Childhood Australia
- STEM sprouts: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Teaching Guide – Boston Children’s Museum
- Storyline Online
- Supporting gifted and talented pre-school children – Department of Education, Tasmania
- Talking STEM: Inquiry questioning in early childhood education – Karen Murcia, Shyam Drury and Sharon Davies
- Teaching emotional intelligence in early childhood – NAEYC
- The Digital Play Framework and the exploration of technology tools: Guest blog – Jo Bird / Technology in Early Childhood Center
- Towards an Early Childhood Australia Statement on young children and digital technology – Early Childhood Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: A very young child putting a bib on a doll – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Discovering routines around lunch – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Discussing a drawing of a watermelon – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Discussing butterflies’ markings – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Discovering – making connections – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Discovering – making music – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Discovering – story time transition to naptime – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Enjoying the vegetable garden – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Making salad – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Marking with coloured pencils – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Opportunities for learning in natural spaces – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Respecting and responding to children – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Connecting with practice: Young toddlers’ learning – Commonwealth of Australia
- We hear you blog: The journey towards critical reflection – ACECQA
Assessment and Planning
- Assessment of children as confident and involved learners – VCAA
- Assessment of children as confident and involved learners in early childhood education and care: Literature review – VCAA
- Creating gender equitable spaces – City of Darebin
- Digital Play – Susan Edwards / Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development
- Documenting and reflecting for children’s learning – Queensland Government
- Early Years Learning Framework: Assessing children’s learning – Gowrie Professional Support Coordinator
- ECRH Newsletter: What to document – Commonwealth of Australia
- Find the time for meaningful documentation – Early Childhood Australia
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Communicating with families about children’s learning – Commonwealth of Australia
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: Noticing and recording learning – Commonwealth of Australia
- NQS PLP e-Newsletter: What have theories got to do with it? – Commonwealth of Australia
- Observation and recording – Commonwealth of Australia / Anne Peters
- Reflections from early years educators – City of Darebin
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘Now we’re planning’ posters – Commonwealth of Australia
- Remote Indigenous Professional Development Package: ‘Who am I?’ planning cards – Commonwealth of Australia
- Reviewing practice reflection tool – CELA
- The power of documentation in the early childhood classroom – NAEYC
- VEYLDF – Practice Principle Guide: Assessment for Learning and Development – Department of Education and Training, Victoria
- Video: Creating with clay and natural materials – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Discovering: Sustained, shared conversation with children – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Exploring the world through the eye of a camera – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Inspired to draw: A visit to the art gallery – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Learning about food – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Making literacy connection: Sample materials to print – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Project re-using milk containers – Commonwealth of Australia
- Video: Watching: Our new playground develops – Commonwealth of Australia
- We hear you blog: Documentation – what, why and how – ACECQA
- We hear you blog: Unpacking the planning cycle: A three-part series – ACECQA
- What is sustained shared thinking? Is it important? – Community Child Care Co-operative