The Hon. Peter Hall, MLC
Minister for Higher Education and Skills
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Level 3, 33 St Andrews Place
East Melbourne VIC 3002
Dear Minister
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on 'New directions for school leadership and the
teaching profession' Discussion Paper, June 2012.
The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) shares the
Victorian Government's belief in the importance of teaching for children's outcomes, and we
believe that early childhood education is particularly crucial in this respect.
Role of ACECQA
The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is an
independent statutory authority established on 1 January 2012 to guide consistent
implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF). The NQF aims to create an
evidence-based, nationally consistent approach to early childhood education and care,
which will offer all Australian children the best possible start in life.
The NQF introduced a new National Quality Standard (NQS). The NQS sets high standards
for quality and requires NQF regulated education and care services, including those in
school settings, to focus on continuous improvement and consistency.
We are working with state and territory governments, and the children's education and
care sector to implement these changes to education and care that will benefit children and
their families across Australia.
One of our many roles is to provide education and raise awareness across the sector and
the community . We are committed to undertaking research to ensure governments and the
sector are up to date with the latest developments , and to enable policy and practice in
Australia to be informed by the most current research.
Early Learning Frameworks - link between early childhood education and care and
school
ACECQA supports the Victorian Government's commitment to improving the quality of
teaching. We would emphas ise the need for high quality teachers in both early childhood
(pre-school) and school settings . Children are learning from birth, and the first three to five
years of life have a decisive influence on outcomes in later life.
The best possible start in life
An integral part of the NQF is the requirement for services to offer structured early learning
linked to existing, evidence-based national learning frameworks. In July 2009, the Council of
Australian Governments endorsed the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which
guides early childhood educators in developing quality early childhood programs. It
describes early childhood pedagogy principles and practice, as well as the outcomes
required to support and enhance young children's learning from birth to age five, including
their transition to school.
In NQF regulated services, such as long day care, pre-school, outside school hours care,
and family day care, the EYLF is used with children in whatever context they are being
educated and cared for, relevant to their age group. Building on the EYLF, My Time, Our
Place, is Australia's first national framework for school age care.
In Victoria, approximately 209,000 1 children usually attend formal education and care at
service types covered by the NQF.
Early childhood teachers work with these young, developing minds every day. They play a
critical role in developing these children and providing appropriate education and care
programs to support and create the foundational learning that children take with them to the
classroom.
ACECQA agrees with the New Directions Report assertion that acting early and providing
support for those with greater needs will prevent disadvantaged students falling behind2
The benefits of children's education and care are clearly significant for disadvantaged
children. However, ACECQA believes the Report could emphasise the importance of early
childhood education and early childhood teachers for the development of all children, and for
their future education and life outcomes rnore.
Many children participate in early childhood settings from infancy to the commencement of
school, which can be well into their fifth year. The age at which a child starts school is
determined by a number of factors including the compulsory starting age, cut-off date for
entry into the program, choice of the parent and the developmental stage of the child. Giving
children access to professional teachers delivering structured learning in the most active
years of brain development before school can have both long-term and short-term positive
impacts for individuals, families and communities.
Qualifications
Changes introduced under the NQF require more, and better qualified, early childhood
workers contributing to better outcomes for children. New educator to child ratios will see an
increased demand for early childhood teachers to participate in the system.
Raising the profile of early childhood teachers and professionalising the valuable work they
do is part of the continuous improvement agenda of ACECQA and the NQF.
1
Sourced from ABS: Childhood Education and Care, Australia, June 2011 (Cat. No. 4402.0). Table 2 Children
aged 0-12 years, Type of care usually attended by state or territory of usual residence.
2
Page 5 'New directions for school leadership and the teaching profession' Discussion Paper, June 2012
The best possible start in life
To fulfil its role to approve early childhood teacher programs and qualifications, the ACECQA
board has developed a set of guidelines. For ACECQA to approve a program, the program
must contain pedagogical and professional experience for the age range of birth to at least
five years, but ideally birth to eight.
The Victorian Government's Analysis of Curriculum/Learning Frameworks for the Early
Years (Birth to Age 8) April 2008, offers evidence that birth to eight programs represent the
optimum spread of pedagogy necessary to take children from birth through the transition to
school.
While under the NQF there is no legislated requirement about the duration of early childhood
teacher programs, ACECQA's Board is supportive of establishing a four-year qualification
benchmark over time for early childhood teachers.
We will continue to liaise with stakeholders, including higher education providers and the
sector, to develop flexible approaches to achieving the best qualified early childhood teacher
cohort possible for Australia.
Collaboration with AITSL
The New Direction report notes (p14) that a potential action to make pre-service education fit
for the 21st century learning environment is to set up formal mechanisms to strengthen
relationships between stakeholders to ensure that pre-service teacher education is
responsive to the changing demands of schools and the pool of potential teachers. ACECQA
would reinforce that pre-service teacher education is responsive also to the changing
demands of the early childhood education and care sector.
In its role of guiding implementation of the NQF, ACECQA is engaging and consulting with a
range of stakeholders about the challenges and directions for early childhood education.
One organisation we are working closely with is the Australian Institute for Teaching and
School Leadership (AITSL). Our organisations share a commitment to high quality education
for all teachers, including early childhood teachers.
One of our common aims is to ensure the requirements for teaching qualifications are
consistent across both school and early childhood education and care settings. To this end,
we are examining measures to create better links between accreditation and approval
procedures, and more effective processes for the introduction of initial teacher education
programs.
ACECQA's research
Research is another strategic priority for ACECQA and is one of the cornerstones of the
NQF's evidence-based approach.
ACECQA is committed to contributing to the research agenda, to explore the effects of the
national reforms, and to inform visions and directions for the future through a comprehensive
mandatory and discretionary research agenda.
We will publish and promote research on outcomes for children using education and care
services.
The best possible start in life
Further information
Thank you for inviting ACECQA to be part of this important conversation and allowing us to
contribute information about the vital role of early childhood teaching and teachers. I look
forward to hearing about the discussion generated by the New Directions paper and about
Victoria's plans to elevate and develop teaching.
ACECQA strives to lead improvement and accomplishment in the sphere of quality early
childhood education and care in the journey to realising the best possible start in life for all
Australian children. We will continue to strive for well-educated and trained professionals to
be engaged in providing education and care under the NQF.
We would be happy to provide further information if required- Chris Mason, Senior Manager
in Operations, would be the best person to contact ([email protected]).
Kind regards
Karen Curtis
Chief Executive Officer
September 2012
3
The best possible start in life