The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a high national benchmark for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care (OSHC) services in Australia.
The NQS includes 7 quality areas that identify the important outcomes for children. These quality areas are linked to the 2 nationally approved learning frameworks; EYLF – Belonging, Being and Becoming (0-5 years) and My time, Our Place (school aged) to guide educator’s pedagogical principles and practices.
The NQS Handout provides a simplified overview of the components relating to the National Quality Standards. When we refer to the NQS, it is important to understand the differences in terminology between the Quality Area, Standards and Elements to achieve the National Quality Standards (NQS) outlined within that Quality Area.
Quality Area
Quality area is the terminology that is used to identify one of the 7 Quality areas within the National Quality Standards.
These Quality Areas are:
- Educational program and practice
- Children’s health and safety
- Physical environment
- Staffing arrangements
- Relationships with children
- Collaborative Partnerships with families and communities
- Governance and leadership
Standards & Elements with the NQS
Within each of the Quality areas there are Standards. These standards underpin the requirements that a service must reach to support the corresponding Quality Area.
Within each standard identified in the Quality area there are Elements. Elements go into more detail about the requirements for each standard that supports the quality areas.
The National Quality Standard is an essential framework for ensuring high-quality education and care for young children and school-aged children in Australia. Understanding the 7 Quality Areas, along with the related Standards and Elements, allows educators and families to work together to achieve the best outcomes for children in early learning settings.
Shannon.
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