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Under the National Quality Standard (NQS), two childcare centres at The University of Western Australia - the UWA Early Learning Centre and Unicare - have received a top rating of ‘excellent', the highest possible rating a centre can achieve for early childhood education and care under NQS.

The NQS assessment and ratings process, which is carried out by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) via the State regulatory authority ECRU (Education and Care Regulatory Unit) is currently assessing all WA early childhood education and care facilities and has named the top 86 centres visited so far.

The ratings cover long day care, family day care, outside school hours care and some preschools and kindergartens.

Of the top 86 centres named, the two centres at UWA received the top rating of ‘excellent' for having exceeded the NQS across several criteria assessed.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson said the results were pleasing and highlighted the high quality of service that the childcare centres at UWA provide to families and the community.

"To have achieved this top rating is a significant accomplishment and demonstrates the tremendous effort of those who work at the centres and the high standards in place to provide a quality teaching and learning environment," Professor Johnson said.

"The NQS assessment and ratings process is important in setting a benchmark for early childhood centres in WA, helping improve the quality of Australian education and care services."

Olivia Harper-Rummens, Director of the UWA Early Learning Centre, one of the UWA centres, said the results were a significant accomplishment for those at the centres.

"At UWA Early Learning Centre, we work in partnership with families to ensure that our program is engaging and inclusive and that children are active participants in their own learning, as the first five years of life are crucial in shaping a child's ability to learn," Ms Harper-Rummens said.

"We are delighted to have received a rating of this calibre, along with Unicare.  It is a real credit to all the hard work of the management and staff at UWA Early Learning Centre and the wider University.  It definitely couldn't have been achieved without the collaboration and ongoing support of the families and children, who are the very reason we work so hard to achieve excellence."

For more information on the NQS ratings system, visit the Department of Local Government and Communities website or the ACECQA website

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Media references

Jess Reid (UWA Media and Public Relations Advisor) 08 6488 6876