Coffs Coast childcare centre ratings revealed

The director of a leading centre has revealed what keeps them at the top of their game after 30 years serving the Coffs Coast. See which centres are exceeding expectations and which ones are not.

Gumnut Cottage has been rated among the best in the Coffs Coast region.

Having served the community for over three decades, there’s no surprise Gumnut Cottage has been rated among the best childcare centres on the Coffs Coast.

It is one of thirteen centres in the region that have been rated as exceeding standard by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

Gumnut Cottage Director Maddie Hayes said the not-for-profit’s secret to success lies in both creating stimulating play based experiences for children, as well as encouraging resilience and independence in preparation for ‘big school’ through a readiness program.

The long day care centre caters to 52 children per day, and the highly qualified team of educators have worked there for several years.

Ms Hayes said Gumnut Cottage’s philosophy places emphasis on respect for the traditional owners of the land, the inclusion of all children, the promotion of family and community partnerships, the importance of social and emotional wellbeing and a respect for sustainable practices.

Gumnut Cottage caters to over 50 children per day.

“We believe children have the right to learn at their own pace and aim to provide open ended learning experiences to encourage children to learn ‘how’ to learn in a stimulating and natural environment,” Ms Hayes said.

Improving on their offerings even further, the centre’s outdoor space is set to undergo a full makeover during the Christmas break.

“We are very excited at the prospect of sharing this with our families and community,” Ms Hayes added.

Each childcare centre is assessed by the Department of Education on seven quality areas including educational programs and practices, children’s health and safety, physical environment, staffing arrangements, relationships with children, collaboration with families and the community, and leadership.

The childcare centres are then given one of five ratings by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, which includes from the top-down: ‘Excellent’, ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’, ‘Meeting NQS’, ‘Working towards NQS’ and ‘Significant improvement required’.

The authority is an independent body which helps the government implement the quality framework.

Take a look at how each Coffs Coast childcare facility rated: