Revealed: Best childcare centres in Central Queensland

An overwhelming number of Central Queensland child care centres are exceeding standards, the latest ratings show. However, 10 of them are failing to meet these requirements. Every childcare centre listed: search the full list.

The vast majority of Central Queensland childcare centres are meeting or exceeding national quality standards, according to new data released by the federal government.

The National Quality Framework is Australia’s system for regulating early learning and school age care including legislation and national quality standard, sector profiles and data, and learning frameworks.

Authorised officers from state and territory regulatory authorities assess and rate services.

They assesses areas like health and safety, education, environment, collaboration with families, and governance.

An impressive 51 Central Queensland childcare centres are exceeding NQS standards, 63 are meeting them, but there were 10 that are still working towards meeting the NQS standards.

One of the centres exceeding NQS standards was Parkhurst Early Learning in Rockhampton, which improved its rating from ‘working towards’ in 2016.

Rachael Diplock from Parkhurst Early Learning said the centre had worked tirelessly to improve in 2021.

“Our service is currently rated Exceeding National Quality Standards. We have worked extremely hard to lift our previous rating from Working Towards to Exceeding and continuing to maintain those standards,” Ms Diplock said.

“I attribute that success to the team as a whole. It is by far our biggest and most valued asset and why I believe our service continues to thrive.

“While 2020 in the most part was all about surviving, our service has maintained its commitment to delivering learning environments and partnerships with families and the wider community that continue to exceed the national quality standards.

“Our service is committed to embedding exceeding policies and practices within our everyday.

“These practices are not only reflected on the floor by the way our service delivers quality learning environments within the service, it is also evident through meaningful engagement with the wider community.”

Working Towards NQS

• Genius Learning - Allenstown
• Camp Australia - Frenchville State School OSHC
• Guppy’s Early Learning - Frenchville
• Kinta Kids Child Care Centre
• My School Child Care & Kindergarten - Rockhampton
• Camp Australia - Gracemere State School OSHC
• Little Zebra Childcare and Kindergarten Gracemere
• Kindy Care Mount Morgan
• Blackwater Outside School Hours Care
• Moura Child Care Centre

Meeting NQS

• Agnes Water Child Care Centre
• Discovery Coast Family Day Care
• Goodstart Early Learning Gladstone - Toolooa Street
• Goodstart Early Learning Kin Kora
• Goodstart Early Learning Tannum Sands
• Community Kids Clinton Park Early Education Centre
• Birralee Kindergarten and Community Preschool
• Goodstart Early Learning Calliope
• St Stephen’s Lutheran Kindergarten
• C&K Clinton Community childcare Centre
• Helping Hands Clinton
• Milestones Early Learning Riverstone Rise
• Trinity College OSHClub Gladstone
• Green Leaves Early Learning Forest Springs
• Helping Hands Calliope
• Archer Street Child Care Centre
• Enhance Family Day Care - Gladstone
• Allies Early Learning Centre
• Goodstart Early Learning Rockhampton
• C&K Leichhardt Community Kindergarten
• Skippy’s The Range OSHC
• City Child Care Centre
• Camp Australia - Crescent Lagoon State School OSHC
• St Joseph’s Outside School Hours Care, Wandal
• Elfin House Community Child Care Centre
• C&K nGundanoo Imbabee Community Childcare Centre
• Rockhampton North Early Learning
• PCYC Rockhampton School Age Care
• Park Avenue Outside School Hours Care
• Bundara Kindergarten
• Tarumbal Kindergarten
• Genius Learning - Norman Gardens
• Heights College Pre Prep
• Little Zebra Childcare Centre
• C&K Glenmore Community Kindergarten
• Helping Hands Mount Archer
• PCYC Rockhampton - Berserker Street School Age Care
• Natural Wonders Early Learning (Frenchville)
• Natural Wonders Early Learning Berserker
• Heights College OSHC
• Kallahra Child Care Centre
• Goodstart Early Learning Gracemere
• Skippy’s Early Learning Gracemere
• Dingo State School Kindergarten
• Cedar Avenue Early Learning
• Sacred Heart Outside School Hours Care
• PCYC Rockhampton - Yeppoon School Age Care
• Helping Hands Taranganba
• Taranganba Early Learning
• C&K Tieri Community Kindergarten
• Coastal Kids Childcare
• C&K Biloela Community Childcare Centre
• Biloela Early Learning Centre and Child Care
• PCYC Biloela School Age Care
• C&K Blackwater Community Childcare Centre
• LiveBetter Early Learning Centre Blackwater
• Theodore Kindergarten
• Emerald World of Learning
• Enhance Family Day Care - Central Highlands
• Emerald Outside School Hours Care
• C&K Emerald South Community Childcare Centre
• ECC Little Gems

Exceeding NQS

• Stepping Stones Child Care Centre
• Goodstart Early Learning Gladstone - Beak Street
• Bambini Early Childhood Development Boyne Island
• Rainbow Valley Early Learning Centre
• Calliope Kindergarten and Pre School
• C&K Gladstone Kindergarten
• Kooolyangarra Kindergarten
• Kookaburra Creek Kindergarten
• Tannum Sands Kindergarten
• Star of the Sea Outside School Hours Care
• St John’s Outside School Hours Care
• Port City Kids Early Learning Centre
• C&K Kin Kora Community Kindergarten
• Trinity College Kindy
• C&K Waratah Crescent Community Kindergarten
• The Rockhampton Grammar School Early Learning Centre
• Enhance Family Daycare - Capricornia
• St Peter’s After School Care
• Rockhampton South Kindergarten
• The Rockhampton Grammar School Outside School Hours Care
• C&K Crescent Lagoon Community Kindergarten
• Camp Australia - The Hall State School OSHC
• The Rockhampton Grammar School Kindergarten Unit - Beasley Centre
• Illoura Child Care Centre
• Nobbs Street Outside School Hours Care Service
• St Anthony’s School Outside School Hours Care
• Narnia Kindergarten and Preschool
• Farm Street Early Learning Centre
• Skippy’s Early Learning Centre
• C&K Berserker Community Kindergarten
• St Joseph’s Kindergarten, North Rockhampton
• Le Smileys Early Learning Centre - Berserker Kindergarten
• St Anthony’s Catholic Kindergarten
• Parkhurst Early Learning Centre
• Coastal Kids Kindergarten
• Le Smileys Early Learning Centre (Gracemere)
• Le Smileys Early Learning Centre - Kindergarten at Waraburra
• J.A.C.’s Learning World
• Yeppoon & District Kindergarten
• Yeppoon & District Kindergarten - Preschool Campus
• C&K Taranganba Community Kindergarten
• Biloela Community Preschool and Kindergarten
• C&K Coo-Inda Community Kindergarten
• St Joseph’s Catholic Kindergarten Biloela
• C&K Blackwater Community Kindergarten
• Moura Community Kindergarten
• Goodstart Early Learning Emerald
• Emerald Pre School & Community Kindergarten
• Borilla Community Kindergarten (Emerald)
• St Brigid’s Catholic Kindergarten Emerald
• C&K Capella Early Childhood Centre
• Taroom Kindergarten

NOT RATED

• Rosedale State School Kindergarten
• Miriam Vale State School Kindergarten
• St Francis Outside School Hours Care
• Helping Hands Boyne Island
• PCYC Gladstone OSHC
• Rolleston State School Kindergarten
• Duaringa State School Kindergarten
• Yin Bira - Woorabinda State School Kindergarten
• Bauhinia State School Kindergarten
• Emerald Christian College