Guide

Understanding the National Quality Standard

The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a national benchmark for the quality of children's education and care services in Australia. It's how you know if a service is providing quality care for your child.

What is the NQS?

The National Quality Standard is part of the National Quality Framework (NQF), introduced in 2012 to raise quality and consistency across Australia's early childhood education and care sector. It applies to:

  • Long day care services
  • Family day care services
  • Outside school hours care services
  • Preschool/kindergarten programs

Services are assessed and rated by their state or territory regulatory authority against 7 quality areas and given an overall rating. The assessment considers the standards and elements within each quality area.

The NQS was last revised on 1 February 2018, streamlining the framework from 18 standards to 15, and from 58 elements to 40.

The 7 Quality Areas

Click on each quality area to learn what it covers and what to look for when choosing a service.

This quality area focuses on ensuring children's learning is guided by an approved learning framework — either the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) for children birth to 5, or the Framework for School Age Care (My Time, Our Place) for school-age children.

Standards

1.1
Program

The educational program enhances each child's learning and development. Educators design and deliver programs based on the approved learning frameworks, building on children's interests, strengths, and abilities.

1.2
Practice

Educators facilitate and extend each child's learning and development. This includes intentional teaching, responsive teaching, and child-directed learning experiences.

1.3
Assessment and Planning

Educators and coordinators take a planned and reflective approach to implementing the program for each child. This involves ongoing observation, documentation, and evaluation.

What to Look For

  • Educators observe and document your child's learning
  • Programs are based on children's interests and developmental needs
  • A balance between child-led and educator-led activities
  • Indoor and outdoor learning experiences
  • Cultural and community connections in the program

How Assessment and Rating Works

The assessment and rating process involves several steps:

  1. Self-assessment: Services complete a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) that identifies strengths and areas for improvement against each quality area.
  2. Assessment visit: An authorised officer from the state/territory regulatory authority visits the service, usually for 1-2 days. They observe practice, review documentation, and talk with educators, families, and children.
  3. Draft report: The assessor prepares a draft report with proposed ratings for each quality area and an overall rating.
  4. Provider response: The service provider can provide feedback on the draft report.
  5. Final rating: The regulatory authority issues the final rating, which is published on the national registers.

Services are typically reassessed every 3 years, though this can vary. Services rated "Working Towards" or "Significant Improvement Required" may be reassessed sooner.

Rating Levels

Services receive a rating for each of the 7 quality areas, and an overall rating. Learn more about what each rating level means on our Service Quality Ratings page.

ExcellentExceptional — demonstrates sector leadership
Exceeding NQSGoes beyond NQS requirements
Meeting NQSMeets all quality area requirements
Working TowardsSafe, but improvement areas identified
Significant ImprovementImmediate action by regulator

Current NQS Statistics

As of the latest data from ACECQA:

  • Over 90% of services are rated Meeting NQS or above
  • Quality Area 6 (Partnerships with Families) is the most commonly "Exceeding" area
  • Quality Area 7 (Governance and Leadership) is the area where services most commonly receive "Working Towards"
  • Less than 1% of services are rated Significant Improvement Required

Official References