Full list: Every Ipswich child care provider ranked

Ipswich’s childcare centres have been handed a new score out of 10, showing which services have rated fair to excellent. Now, 50 of the region’s best and worst centre ratings can be revealed. Full list.

Top 50 revealed: Every Ipswich child care provider ranked. Picture: Supplied

An independent agency has scored hundreds of early learning child care providers across Ipswich, revealing what providers are not only exceeding national standards but also the needs of parents.

Future leaders playing at Milford Street Kindy on Thursday, October 22, 2021. Picture: Peta McEachern

The community entrusts the care and education of their most vulnerable family members to a range of providers and new data released from Kindi Care shows the ones who are standing above the rest.

One of Ipswich’s leading providers may not be in the centre of Ipswich, but Rosewood and District Kindergarten and Preschool makes up for it in heart, history and dedication.

Scoring an incredible 9.74 out of 10, the kindy and preschool has been the educator of choice for families in western Ipswich suburbs since the early 60s.

Rosewood early childhood teacher, education leader and supervisor Debbie Brown said she and her experienced team were incredibly privileged to be given the opportunity to care for and teach the next generation.

“It’s special to be entrusted with their children and seeing them develop and grow more confident as the year progresses - it really is quite a privilege,” Mrs Brown said.

“Especially when it’s time for them to move into prep, it’s sad for them to go but happy because you know you’ve helped them get there.”

Ipswich’s top early learning centre as rated by Kindi Care in January 2022. Picture: Rosewood and District Community Kindergarten

With over 35-years-of experience under her belt, Mrs Brown said she loved her profession and every year there was something new and exciting to look forward to.

“We have a wonderful community and it’s so lovely when we get old students bringing their own in and they get to share that experience with their own children,” she said.

Ipswich's top early child care educators: Rosewood and District Community Kindergarten's Sue Waugh, Debbie Brown (with glasses) Linda Beale and Sue Waugh. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Brown said the centre was entrenched in the fabric of the community and had a strong focus on teaching sustainability as well as supporting children’s and parents’ needs.

The experienced staff, close knit community, natural environment and the quality of care and safety speak volumes as to why the Rosewood and District Kindy/Preschool continuously exceed the national quality framework, Mrs Brown said.

Serving the community for almost three decades, the Yamanto Community Kindergarten is another high performing centre and received a Kindi Care score of 9.40.

Yamanto kindy director and teacher Jayne Pickering said it was exciting to hear the centre was considered so highly in the region and noted that receiving ‘exceeding’ in all areas of the national standards “was a testament to our beautiful Kindergarten”.

Ipswich’s leading early leaning centre - Yamanto Community Kindergarten. Picturer: Yamanto Community Kindergarten

“We provide an open learning environment which reflects the needs, interest and experiences of individual children, their families and the surrounding community,” Ms Pickering said.

“Our play based curriculum allows children to develop their knowledge, skills of investigating, experimenting, problem solving, discovering and creating.”

Ms Pickering said the centre held great pride in its collaborative relationship with the children, families, and the wider community, to work together in achieving a sustainable future.

Pictures: Yamanto Community Kindergarten

“We encourage waste free lunches where the children are involved in using the scraps to feed our Kindy pets, including a guinea pig, chickens, worm farm, pet bird and stick insects,” she said.

“It is comforting being part of such a wonderful community… when families commence at the kindy they become part of our Yamanto Community Kindergarten Family.”

With an award-winning centre director and principle there’s no surprise why Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School Early Education Centre continues to be a school of choice for families.

IGGSEE centre director and one of Australia’s most outstanding educators Kirsten Edols said “it is wonderful to be acknowledged in Kindi Care data as one of the leading early education centres”.

“(We) offer a family-friendly environment where our parents partner with our educators and specialist teachers to provide the best care and opportunities for each boy and girl,” Mrs Edols said.

“The Early Education Centre adopts a Reggio Emilia approach to teaching, which places the natural development of children as well as the close relationships they share with their environment, at the centre of its philosophy.”

The first day of school for preps at Ipswich Junior Grammar’s School on Monday, February 7, 2022. Picture: Peta McEachern

Mrs Edols said the centre boasted a natural play space to build confidence and there were specialist teachers in a range of fields including entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, art, music, math and PE.

“(We have) transition programs in place to support families continuing their junior grammar journey through to prep,” Mrs Edols said.

“With two expansions to accommodate growing enrolments in our EEC’s 11-year history, we are grateful for the community we have built.”

You can see how your child’s centre rates by searching for it in the interactive spreadsheet below:

Originally published as Full list: Every Ipswich child care provider ranked