TG's High Street centre at Wauchope is flying high, having been awarded an overall rating of "Exceeding" in the National Quality Standard (NQS) in 2019! Congratulations and we are so proud of everyone! TG's High Street's ranking of Exceeding means our services 'goes beyond the requirements of the National Quality Standard in at least four of the seven quality areas'.
What are the 7 quality areas? TG's services are assessed and rated against the NQS by the state or territory regulatory authority. We are given a rating based on each of these seven quality areas and an overall rating based on the results. The NQS assesses and rates early childhood education and child care services to promote continuous improvement in the quality of the education and care provided as well as to improve knowledge and access for families to make informed decisions about their children's education and care. As part of the National Regulations, the NQS includes 7 quality areas essential to a child's learning and developmental outcomes.
Educational program and practice - your child is supported to participate in play and learning
Children's health and safety - your child is protected from illness and hazards
Physical environment - your child plays in a safe and well-maintained environment
Staffing arrangements - there are enough qualified staff to give your child the attention they need
Relationships with children - your child is made to feel supported and welcomed
Collaborative partnerships with families and communities - local community involvement and respect for the beliefs and values of families
Governance and leadership - your child is cared for in a positive and well-managed environment
This is such a great boost for everyone and we are eager to keep sharing our gifts and grow together!
We are so appreciative of this recognition because it is a nod given to TG's as the trusted stewardship of the children's future. With these seven quality areas as a guide for both TG's and for families, it ensures we are on the same page with regards to how we see the children's future. Choosing and trusting a preschool for one's child is not an easy task. With NQS's ratings, families are given an additional aid when they are choosing a preschool for their children. Our doors are always open for families and children to visit and experience for themselves how TG's just 'feels so right' when they come through our doors. TG's educators were also delighted with the rating. At TG's, we recognise each educator's unique strengths and gifts and encourage their career growth and development. This rating is a testament to how their fullest potential is being recognised. Self-assessment at TG's TG's has a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) that we use as a guide to ensure we are delivering the best quality education and care possible, and to help identify opportunities for improvement. We are constantly self-assessing our performance and we are so grateful to TG's families for contributing to our QIP. Our families help by answering monthly QIP questions, weekly family input sheets and the daily discussions with TG's educators. Families are always welcome to view and contribute to our QIP. It is this loving collaboration and trust we have that helps TG's to continue to grow. A key ingredient that makes TG's work its magic is our 3 foundation stones. They are our rock solid ground from which we have been growing. Our educators and management have been building a strong and respectful culture through the years with these as a guide. Key to TG's Success - Three Foundation Stones 1. Building relationships TG's has become an extended family for so many in our communities. This comes from developing and maintaining trusting relationships among our children, families and educators and even extending that to encompass our communities. The TG's culture is one of love, trust, respect, compassion and fun. And that feeling flows through TG's and builds a sense of interconnectedness. Expanding perspectives and encourage empathy are key skills for TG's children. We are closely connected to our communities and by inviting guests to come in and visit TG's to share what they do, we foster a sense of interconnectedness with others. TG's children know the local firemen well and are appreciative of how they have been bravely putting out bushfire to keep them safe. We do not pass up a chance to take part in community festivals such as the Lasiandra Festival in Wauchope and watch how excited the children get preparing for it and anticipating it. TG's children have the entire world as a space to learn. It helps to build up openness to learning, and humility in realising that learning is for life. 2. Understanding our gifts Because we build such positive relationships with children, families and our communities, we are all thriving in an environment where we are supported to explore and develop our gifts, as well as to identify and appreciate the same in others. The openness at TG's builds a culture of diversity and inclusion. Educators are eager to share their gifts and support their teams to grow theirs too. Children are provided ample opportunities in interactions with our communities to encourage appreciation of every person's unique gift and contribution to the world they live in. At TG's, children are allowed to just be children. They know best how they learn and our educators respect the space they need to use their imagination on their own or with others. We greatly value what children think and they are encouraged to have a voice and self-advocacy in activities. They are our Play Experts! Our award-winning gardens provide a rich environment for children to develop their imagination and creative minds, through exploration, experimentation and discovery. We recognise and respect each child as individuals who have their own independent, individual and unique way of being, learning and experiencing. 3. Encouraging collective thinking TG's is highly committed to developing respectful relationships with children, families, educators and our communities. Looking out for each other is what helps us build loving relationships and grow empathy. TG's also incorporates sustainability practices into our curriculum and our way of being. Children are encouraged to discover and explore the living environment around them and they are given the knowledge and opportunities to appreciate and take care of the world they live in. At TG's, they are given the skills and tools to continue growing long after they have left TG's. At TG's, children and educators are constantly interacting naturally and authentically with one another. This builds relationships and creates a loving, safe place for children. They learn to 'take care of their friends and respect their environment,' 'be kind to their friends' and to use 'gentle hands' and ‘move safely.' Simple gestures like these create a loving environment for everyone. Proud to be a TG's Educator We are so proud of our TG's educators. Throughout the Assessment and Rating process, TG's High Street educators took the opportunity to grow and shine, where every situation is a gift. Getting curious and asking questions comes naturally and easily when we support each other's learning journey. We love how TG's educators embrace their roles as educational leaders. They ensure the children's learning and development are guided by the learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework and/or the Framework for School Age Care, among other learning frameworks. Every TG's educator is a leader and a mentor and they are trusted to lead the development and implementation of an effective educational programme in the service. They never tire of observing the children and coming up with fun, creative and relevant ways to enhance the programmes and practices at TG's and collaborate together to guide each other and also to have each other's backs. What is heartwarming is how many of our educators have lived within the Wauchope and surrounding areas and they have built trusting and loving relationships with people in these communities over the years. Educators know they have the support of families and communities to constantly enhance learning outcomes for children. The sharing of our gifts collectively is how TG's has built trusting, respectful and loving relationships across their centres and communities. See TG's High Street Exceeding rating story here in the Australian Childcare Alliance webpage! https://nsw.childcarealliance.org.au/blog/874-member-spotlight-tg-s-child-care-wauchope
About TG's Child Care TG's Child Care provides what parents want: Quality Lifelong Learning where Playing is Learning for Life. TG's High St is licensed for 48 places and located near Timbetown IGA. We are one of Australia's leading early learning - Preschool and Long Day Care providers for children 6 weeks to 6 years of age. We are open all year round 52 weeks a year, closing only on gazetted public holidays, with extended opening hours all year long for families to drop off their children early and pick them up late if needed. TG's award-winning outdoor playscape is recognised Australia-wide and have been carefully designed and constructed by Trevor Kee. This is where children invent fun, exploring in stimulating areas where they have their own unique challenges to encourage their social, emotional, cognitive, creative, passive and active development.