Full list: The Burnett’s best and worst childcare centres revealed

See which Burnett childcare providers are failing to meet government standards and how they compare to the centres exceeding national standards. SEE THE FULL LIST

Burnett childcare operators have come out looking rosy in recent government audits, with only two providers needing to improve on their standards.

Five providers smashed expectations, with assessments finding they’re exceeding national quality standards.

Enhance Family Day Care Kingaroy, Nanango and District Kindergarten, C&K Murgon and C&K Gayndah were all given Exceed NQS grades.

St Johns’ Lutheran Kindergarten Kingaroy also received the grade – capping off a cracking year that saw its senior counterpart scored a near perfect 94 in the Better Education rankings.

Kindergarten service leader Jenny Christensen said the outstanding result was due to a “great team of educators”, aided by the kindy’s big play areas.

“First and foremost - we have a huge playground, it’s almost half an acre. It’s an environment that children can thrive in,” Mrs Christensen said.

Today a new group of children got to meet Simone for the first time – and they enjoyed the entire experience just as...

Posted by St John's Kindergarten - Kingaroy on Wednesday, November 3, 2021

She added that the staff at the centre trusted that children were “competent” and could make their own decisions, allowing them to drive much of their own learning.

“It is play-centred. It's all about social development and play that can go all day is the core of what we do,” she said.

With a big vegie garden, as well as excursion to farms and making jam from the centre’s fruit trees, Mrs Christensen said the kids were taught to value nature.

“The children after just a year of immersion come away with a great respect for the Earth,” she said.

St John's Lutheran Kindergarten Kingaroy.

Just two centres across both North and South Burnett were listed as working to meet NQS, Kingaroy ELC and Gayndah Early Learning Centre.

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:

KINGAROY

South Burnett Child Care Centre – Meeting NQS

Goodstart Early Learning Kingaroy – Meeting NQS

Kingaroy Childcare Centre – Meeting NQS

Enhance Family Day Care – Childers & Region (Kingaroy) – Exceeding NQS

St Johns Lutheran Kindergarten Kingaroy – Exceeding NQS

Little Peanuts Early Learning Centre – Meeting NQS

Kingaroy ELC – Working Towards NQS

PCYC South Burnett – Taabinga School Age Care – Meeting NQS

Peanut Kids Kindy & After School Care – Meeting NQS

Kingaroy Kindergarten – Meeting NQS

NANANGO

Bee Me Early Learners – Nanango – Meeting NQS

Nanango & District Kindergarten – Exceeding NQS

PCYC Nanango OSHC – Meeting NQS

BLACKBUTT

C&K Blackbutt Community Kindergarten – Meeting NQS

Guppy‘s Early Learning Centre – Blackbutt – Meeting NQS

WONDAI

Mother Kate‘s Early Learning Centre – Meeting NQS

MURGON

C&K Murgon Community Kindergarten – Exceeding NQS

Murgon Child Care and Learning Centre – Meeting NQS

BEE ME EARLY LEARNERS – Meeting NQS

GAYNDAH

C&K Gayndah Community Kindergarten – Exceeding NQS

Gayndah Early Learning Centre – Working Towards NQS

MUNDUBBERA

Mundubbera Family Day Care Scheme – Meeting NQS

Mundubbera Kindergarten – Meeting NQS

MONTO

Monto Kindergarten – Exceeding NQS

YARRAMAN

Yarraman & District Kindergarten – Meeting NQS

BIGGENDEN

Biggenden and District Kindergarten – Meeting NQS

Originally published as Full list: The Burnett’s best and worst childcare centres revealed