Guide

Service Quality Ratings

Every approved child care service in Australia is assessed and rated against the National Quality Standard (NQS). Here's what each rating level means and how to use them when choosing care.

How Ratings Work

The National Quality Standard has 7 quality areas that cover everything from educational programs to governance. During an assessment visit, a state or territory regulatory authority assesses the service against each quality area and awards:

  • A rating for each of the 7 quality areas
  • An overall rating based on the combination of all 7 areas

These ratings are published publicly and updated after each assessment. You can check any service's rating on our centre pages or on the Starting Blocks website.

The 5 Rating Levels

Excellent Highest possible rating

A service rated Excellent promotes exceptional education and care, demonstrates sector leadership, and is committed to continually improving.

What this means

  • The service goes above and beyond in every quality area
  • It demonstrates leadership and innovation that benefits the broader sector
  • It shares best practice and supports continuous improvement across the industry

How it's awarded

This rating can only be awarded by ACECQA (the national body), not by state regulators. Services must first be rated Exceeding NQS in all 7 quality areas, then choose to apply for the Excellent rating through a separate application process.

As of 2024, fewer than 100 services across Australia hold the Excellent rating — it's genuinely exceptional.

Exceeding NQS Above the standard

The service goes beyond the requirements of the National Quality Standard in at least 4 of the 7 quality areas.

What this means for your child

  • High-quality educational programs tailored to individual children
  • Educators who are highly engaged, reflective, and continuously improving
  • Excellent partnerships with families and the community
  • Strong leadership and governance

What to know

About 30% of services nationally are rated Exceeding NQS. To receive this overall rating, a service must be rated Exceeding in at least 4 quality areas and no quality area can be rated below Meeting.

Meeting NQS National benchmark

The service meets the National Quality Standard and provides quality education and care in all 7 quality areas.

What this means for your child

  • The service meets all regulatory requirements and quality benchmarks
  • Educators are qualified and maintain appropriate ratios
  • Programs are based on an approved learning framework
  • The environment is safe, well-maintained, and suitable for children

What to know

Meeting NQS is a good standard. The NQS was deliberately set as a high benchmark. About 56% of services are rated Meeting NQS, and these services are providing quality care that supports children's learning, development, health, and safety.

Working Towards NQS Areas for improvement

The service provides a safe education and care program, but there are one or more areas identified for improvement.

What this means

  • The service is safe and meets basic regulatory requirements
  • One or more quality areas haven't met the NQS benchmark
  • The service has a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) addressing these areas
  • The regulatory authority monitors progress

Should you still consider this service?

Not necessarily a dealbreaker. Check which quality areas are "Working Towards" and why. A service might be excellent in 6 areas but have one area that needs improvement. It could also be a new service that's still building capacity. Ask the service about their QIP and what they're doing to improve.

About 13% of services nationally are rated Working Towards NQS.

Significant Improvement Required Lowest rating

The service does not meet one of the 7 quality areas or a section of the legislation, and there is a significant risk to the safety, health, and wellbeing of children.

What this means

  • The regulatory authority has identified serious concerns
  • Immediate compliance action is being taken
  • The service must make significant changes within a set timeframe
  • The service may be subject to conditions, sanctions, or potential closure

What to do

This rating is rare (less than 1% of services) and indicates serious issues. If your child attends a service with this rating, you should speak with the management about what is being done and contact your state/territory regulatory authority for more information. Consider alternative arrangements while improvements are being made.

Provisional — Not Yet Assessed New service

This service has been approved to operate but hasn't had a formal assessment and rating visit yet.

What this means

  • The service has met all required national safety and compliance standards to commence operating
  • It has been approved by the regulatory authority to care for children
  • A formal assessment visit will typically occur within 9-18 months
  • The regulatory authority monitors new services during this period

Should you consider a provisional service?

A provisional rating simply means the service is new. Visit the service, ask about their experience and qualifications, and trust your observations. Many new services are excellent — they just haven't been through the formal assessment process yet.

How to Use Ratings When Choosing Care

Look at individual quality areas

The overall rating is helpful, but check the rating for each of the 7 quality areas. A service might be "Exceeding" in areas that matter most to you (e.g., relationships with children) but "Meeting" in others (e.g., governance).

Consider when the assessment was done

Ratings are a snapshot in time. A service assessed 3 years ago may have improved significantly since then. Ask about what's changed and check their Quality Improvement Plan.

Ratings aren't everything

Ratings are one important input, but your own observations matter too. A warm, welcoming atmosphere, engaged educators, and happy children are things you can only assess by visiting.

Ask about the QIP

Every service must have a Quality Improvement Plan. Ask to see it — it shows what the service is actively working on and demonstrates their commitment to continuous improvement.

Official References