Chinchilla, Miles, Tara’s top childcare centres and those failing national standards revealed

Some of the region’s childcare centres are among the best in the country, while others are failing to meet minimum standards. See how each centre stacks up:

A Chinchilla kindergarten has credited its long-serving staff and dedication to keeping the kids enthusiastic about learning as the reason behind its top rating from a national childcare authority, ranking it among the best in the country.

C&K Community Kindergarten director and teacher Sarah Waters said the children were in experienced hands, with herself and other staff members having dedicated more than 10 years to the job.

“That continuity really does help,” Ms Waters said.

“When you’re in the job for that long and you get to know the families, you build knowledge of the industry and trust in the community.”

Ms Waters said she was grateful for the support the kindy received from the Chinchilla community, which typically sees “sibling after sibling” enrolled.

Chinchilla's top kindy: C&K Community Kindergarten.

The kindy currently has 60 children over three classes and works hard to get them “Prep ready”, teaching necessary skills and familiarising them with a group setting.

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

The childcare providers are then given one of five ratings by independent body Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

They include from highest to lowest ‘Excellent’, ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’, ‘Meeting NQS’, ‘Working towards NQS’, and ‘Significant improvement needed’.

See how every childcare centre in the region was rated below:

Chinchilla:

Chinchilla Community Kindergarten - Exceeding National Quality Standard

NCC early learners - Working towards NQS

Busy Bees - Working towards NQS

Chinchilla Christian College Kindergarten - Working towards NQS

St Joseph’s Outside School Hours Care - No rating

Miles:

Murilla Long Day Care Centre - Meeting NQS

Murilla Family Day Care - Meeting NQS

Murilla Outside School Hours Care - Meeting NQS

Murilla Kindergarten - Meeting NQS

Tara:

C&K Tara Childcare Centre - Meeting NQS

Originally published as Chinchilla, Miles, Tara’s top childcare centres and those failing national standards revealed