RANKED: childcare centres 2023: Check every Qld centre on our table
More than 300 Queensland childcare centres do not meet all national quality criteria, a decade after the seven-standard scheme was introduced. SEARCH THE LIST for both the best and worst in the state.
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More than 300 Queensland childcare centres do not meet all national quality criteria and standards, a decade after the seven-standard scheme was introduced by the government.
Data from October shows 302 of Queensland’s 3020 assessed childcare centres were rated as “working towards” national standards and one as requiring significant improvement.
Each centre was assessed against the seven criteria and given one of five overall national ratings.
Standard 1 is for educational program and practice; standard 2 is for children’s health and safety; standard 3 is for physical environment; standard 4 is for staffing; standard 5 is for relationships with children; standard 6 is for collaborative partnerships with families and standard 7 is for governance and leadership.
The five ratings are Excellent; Exceeding National Quality Standard; Meeting National Quality Standard; Working Towards National Quality Standard; and Significant Improvement required.
To be rated “Meeting NQS”, a centre had to meet all elements across each of the seven standards.
The top “excellent” rating was given to seven Queensland centres which joined an elite class of 32 centres across the country.
There were 677 centres that were rated as “exceeding” more than one of the seven national quality standards.
An Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority spokesman said centres listed as “working towards the national standards” were still providing safe programs.
The top “excellent” rating was given to seven Queensland centres which joined an elite class of 32 centres across the country.
Everton Park Child Care and Development Centre along with Milford Lodge Child Care Centre, Ashgrove Memorial Kindergarten Inc, Bribie Island Community Kindergarten, Indooroopilly Montessori Children’s House, Choices Family Day Care at Forest Lake and Eagleby Kids Early Learning Centre all received the top overall rating.
All 17,424 of the country’s centres are listed on the national authority’s website but only 15,845 were listed with quality ratings.
Centres recently approved and those which had not started operating were left unrated along with those which were operating for less than a year.
Only 503 had ratings issued this year with the latest 40 issued in October.
Some centres have not been inspected since 2015.
Under the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority rating system, Queensland’s lowest performing centre was Southern Downs Regional Council Outside School Hours Care, at Stanthorpe.
In June, it received the lowest national ACECQA rating of “significant improvement required”.
“The Queensland Early Childhood Regulatory Authority is closely monitoring this service to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of children attending the service and ensure the expected quality improvements occur,” an Education Queensland spokesman said.
“The Regulatory Authority will reassess this service soon as practicable.”
The Education Queensland spokesperson said the assessment provided a “benchmark from which to implement those actions necessary to deliver a continued improvement of service to its community”.
He said 40 per cent of centres rated “Working Towards NQS” received the rating because they had not met one or two of the seven quality areas.
A spokesperson for the Southern Downs council said there were shortcomings in Southern Downs Regional Council’s Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)’s first official assessment, but the regulator had acknowledged its “willingness to responsibly and meaningfully participate in this process”.
BRISBANE
BEST
Everton Park Child Care and Development: The centre, at Halle St, Everton Park, is a private for-profit facility which had one of the highest national ratings in the state after it was found to be exceeding all of the seven national standards. It received an overall rating of “excellent” in October 2022. The result is published and publicly available on the ACECQA website. The service has maintained its “excellent” rating since 2016.
Ashgrove Memorial Kindergarten was another of Brisbane’s best performers receiving a national “excellent” rating from ACECQA. The facility, at 26 Wessex Lane, Ashgrove, is a private not-for-profit community-managed centre and was found to be exceeding all of the seven national standards, a standard it has maintained since 2016.
Lady Gowrie Marchant Park Community Kindergarten at Geebung was listed on the ACECQA website as “Exceeding NQS standards” after the facility at 50 Delaware St, was found to be exceeding all seven of the national standards in September. The private, not-for-profit organisation has maintained those high standards since 2021. The last service approval transfer date was in July 2022.
Mott Park Kindergarten at Holland Park on Logan Rd at Holland Park was listed on the ACECQA website as “Exceeding NQS”. The private, not-for-profit community managed centre was found to have exceeded all seven national childcare standards when it was last assessed in January 2021. The centre has maintained its high standards since February 2015, according to the ACECQA website.
Staverton Kindergarten at Twickenham St, at Chelmer was found to be “Exceeding NQS” standards. The private, not-for-profit community-managed centre was found to have exceeded all seven standards when it was assessed in April 2021. The centre had improved in standard 7 since its last overall rating was granted in 2012.
Jamboree Community Kindergarten in Beanland St, Jamboree Heights was found to be exceeding all seven national standards. The private, not-for-profit community-managed centre exceeded all seven national standards when it was last rated in July 2021.
Journey Early Learning Centre at Brisbane Airport: The centre, on The Boulevard, was found to have exceeded all seven national standards when it was last rated in April 2021. Its last service approval transfer was in September 2022. The private, for-profit centre had maintained the high standards since February 2014.
NOT MEETING ALL STANDARDS
Christ the King Outside School Hours Care at Graceville failed to meet national standards 1, 3, 6 and 7 according to the latest data on the ACECQA website, where the private not-for-profit centre’s overall national rating was listed as “Working Towards NQS”. The centre was working to meet the Educational Program and Practice standard along with standards governing the physical environment, partnerships with families and governance and leadership. The service is approved to provide education and care to 45 children over preschool age up to and including schoolchildren, before school, after school and during school holidays. It must display a map which clearly identifies the indoor and outdoor spaces on the school site approved by the school for use by the education and care service. The map is to be positioned so it is clearly visible to anyone from the main entrance to the education and care service premises.
Life Church Brisbane at 109 Golda Ave, Salisbury was listed as “Working Towards” meeting NQS standards when it was last rated in May 2018, according to the results published on the ACECQA website in November. The private, not-for-profit organisations failed to meet standards 1, 3, 5 6 and 7.
LOGAN
BEST
Eagleby Kids Early Learning Centre was a top performer in Logan, rated by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority as “Excellent”. The centre, first granted approval in 2019, exceeded all seven national standards and was given its latest NQS rating in April 2022. It is approved for children from birth up to and including schoolchildren with a maximum of 15 schoolchildren. Mirrors, CCTV and monitors are constantly maintained and operational to ensure children are supervised at all times.
Rosie’s Early Learning Centre at Daisy Hill was also a high-rated centre in Logan after exceeding all seven NQS standards. It was first approved in January 2011 for children from 15 months up to and including schoolchildren with its latest rating appraisal in June 2019. It was not required to comply with standards governing the location of a built-in bath or shower.
Bethania Lutheran Kindergarten was a high performer in Logan and also exceeded all seven national standards at its most recent appraisal in March 2020.
The service is approved to provide education and care to children from 30 months up to and including over preschool age, not including schoolchildren.
John Paul College Outside School Hours Care at Daisy Hill also exceeded all seven NQS standards. It was re-awarded the “Excellent rating” by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, the highest rating a service can achieve under the National Quality Framework. It was the first centre in Australia to be awarded the Excellent rating for a third time in a row. Centres that exceed National Quality Standards in all seven areas can apply for the “Excellent” rating, which is awarded for three years.
Goodstart Early Learning Shailer Park exceeded six of the seven national standards and was granted a KindiCare excellent rating. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority gave the centre a “Meeting NQS” for standard two, which covers children’s health and safety. The centre, first granted approval in 2011, is for children from birth to over preschool age, including schoolchildren.
Not meeting all national standards
Little Steps Family Day Care met two of the seven NQS standards. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority assessment found the Beenleigh centre was “Working Towards” meeting standards 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7. Efforts were made to contact the centre for comment.
Snookums Early Learning Centre at 27-29 Smith Rd, Woodridge, which is a private for-profit centre, was listed on the ACECQA website as “Working Towards NQS” standards after its last rating in May 2022. The centre failed to meet any of the national standards. That result was worse than previous when it had met standard 6, which governs partnerships with families.
PCYC Logan – Springwood School Age Care at Springwood Central State School was listed as “Working Towards NQS” standards on the ACECQA website in November. The private, not-for-profit organisation was working towards meeting national standards 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.
Jane’s Day Care at 18 Evergreen Dr: South Maclean, was listed as “Working Towards NQS” standards after it was found to have failed to meet all national standards, when its was last rated in April 2020.
Aussie Adventures Child Care and Kindergarten at Park Ridge Rd, Park Ridge was listed as “Working Towards NQS” after it was found not to have met standards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7.
The private for-profit centre was last rated in June 2022.
IPSWICH
Best
Ipswich Junior Grammar School Early Education Centre at East Ipswich was found by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in June 2022 to be exceeding all seven national standards. The centre is approved to provide education and care to children from 30 months up to and including over preschool age, but not including schoolchildren.
Lady Gowrie Collingwood Park Community Kindergarten at Collingwood Park was deemed to have exceeded all seven national standards by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in June 2023. It is approved to provide education and care to children from 36 months to over preschool age, not including schoolchildren.
West Moreton Community Kindergarten at Karrabine was found to have exceeded all national standards by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in May 2022.
Building Futures Montessori at Blackstone exceeded four of the seven national standards. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority dropped the centre’s ratings from “exceeding” to “meeting” standards 2, 3 and 7 in May 2023.
Bindarra Children’s Daycare Centre at Booval. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority found this centre to have exceeded all seven national standards in its latest assessment in March 2019.
Not meeting all national standards Ipswich
Mayfield Early Education at Brose St, White Rock was listed as “Working Towards NQS” standards after it was listed as failing to meet standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, when it was issued a rating in September 2019. The centre’s last service approval transfer was in December 2021.
Nova Star Early Education Centre at Riverview was listed as “Working Towards NQS” when it was last rated in March. The private for-profit facility at 23 Ipswich St failed all national standards except for standard 5.
Raceview Kindergarten & Child Care Centre, at 219 Whitehill Rd, Raceview, was listed as “Working Towards NQS” when it was last rated in 2019. The centre failed to meet any of the seven national standards.
Raceview State School P & C Association Outside School Hours Care at 98 Wildey St Raceview, was listed as “Working Towards NQS” on the ACECQA website in November. It failed to meet standards 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, when it was last rated in May 2020.
MORETON
Best
Mother Duck Childcare and Kindergarten at Eatons Hill exceeded all seven national standards when it was assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in June 2023, maintaining its high measures since 2014.
Chatterbox Early Learning and Child Care at Albany Creek exceeded all seven national standards when it was last assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in October 2021. The centre had increased quality in standards 1,4 and 5, since 2014.
Little Scholars School of Early Learning at Deception Bay was also found to be exceeding all seven national standards when it was assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in November 2022. The result was an improvement on national standards 1 to 5.
Goodstart Early Learning North Lakes in Winn St, was found to be exceeding all seven national standards when it was last assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in January 2022. It had previously exceeded standards 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Rothwell Kids Early Learning Centre at Rothwell was also found to have exceeded all seven national standards when it was last assessed for the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in April 2021.
Not meeting all standards
Cooinda Early Learning centre at Fortune Esp at Caboolture South was listed as “Working Towards NQS” when it was last rated on the ACECQA website in May. The private for profit centre failed to meet standards 1, 3, 4 and 5.
REDLAND
Best
Sheldon College’s Our Place at Sheldon, which has places for up to 89, was also found to be exceeding all national standards when it was assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in December 2021. That was a clear increase in quality after it only exceeded national standards 5 and 7 in 2015.
Goodstart Early Learning Capalaba at Greenup St, was found to have exceeded national standards 1, 4, 5, and 6 when it was assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in October 2021.
Capalaba Kindergarten at Capalaba was found to be exceeding national standards 1, 5 and 7 when it was last assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in October 2021.
St James Lutheran Kindergarten at Cleveland was found to have exceeded national standards 1, 3,5, 6 and 7 when it was last assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in October 2020.
Jumping Beans Childcare at Ormiston was found to be exceeding national standards 4, 5, 6, and 7 when it was last assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority in March 2023.
FAILING SOME NATIONAL STANDARDS: QLD
WEST
Little Champions Child Care at Oakey was listed as “Working Towards NQS” standards when it was last rated in September 2020. The facility, at 35-37 York St, failed to meet standards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
TOOWOOMBA
Kids Club Wilsonton Heights Early Learning Centre at 26 High Court Dr, Wilsonton Heights was listed as “Working Towards NQS” on the ACECQA website in November after it was last rated in October 2021. It failed to meet all standards except standard 4 which governs staffing.
Grow Early Education Toowoomba at Grange St, Toowoomba was listed as “Working Towards NQS” when it was last rated in August 2022. The centre failed to meet any of the seven national standards.
Miyamiya Children’s House in Campbell St, Toowoomba was listed as “Working Towards NQS” when it was last rated in August 2022. The private, for-profit centre failed to meet any of the national standards, according to the ACECQA website in November.
TOWNSVILLE
Life ABV Care in Palmerston St, Townsville was listed as “Working Towards NQS” standards when it was last rated in September 2019. According to the ACECQA website, the private, not-for-profit centre failed standards 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7.
CHARLEVILLE
St Mary’s Outside School Hours Care at Charleville, a Catholic centre, received an overall rating of “Working Towards NQS” after failing four of the seven national standards. The centre did not meet standards 1, 4, 5, and 7 when it was rated in December 2022. The centre must display a map which clearly identifies the indoor and outdoor spaces on the school site approved by the school for use by the education and care service. This map is to be positioned so that it is clearly visible to anyone from the main entrance to the education and care service premises.
NORTH
Cairns Regional Family Day Care at Draper St, Cairns was listed as “Working Towards NQS” after it failed to meet all standards except for standard 4, which governs staffing, when it was last rated in February 2020.
Bluewater Village Early Learning at Maritime Way, Trinity Beach was listed as “Working Towards NQS” after it failed any of the seven national standards, when it was last rated in May 2021.
Wujal Wujal Community Kindergarten in Lois St, Wujal Wujal was “Working Towards NQS” standards after it failed to meet standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 at its most recent rating in July, according to the ACECQA website.
Napranum Early Childhood Centre at Preng-im Rd, Weipa, was listed as “Working Towards NQS” after it failed standards 1, 3, 4 and 7 in its latest rating published on the ACECQA website in November.
Cape Kids Child Care Centre at Wattle Tce, Weipa, was found to have failed standards 1,2,3,4 and 7 in its latest ratings assessment in February 2022. It was listed as “working Towards NQS”.
SOUTH
Story House Early Learning in Yacht St, Southport, was listed as “Working Towards NQS” standards after it failed to meet standards 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 in its latest rating assessment in February 2020 published on the ACECQA website in November.
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