Meeting and Exceeding Quality Area 1 – Educational Program and Practice


Meeting and Exceeding Quality Area 1 – Educational Program and Practice
​Support Group – Tuesday 26th August 2025
6:00pm – 8:00pm AEST (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania)
6:30pm – 8:30pm (South Australia, Northern Territory)
6:00pm – 8:00pm (Western Australia)
INDIVIDUAL – $119
TEAM – $499

Overview
​Deepening Practice and Exceeding the Standards of QA1
Meeting and Exceeding Quality Area 1 – Educational Program and Practice is a reflective and practical professional learning session designed to help educators understand, implement and elevate every element of QA1. Participants will explore intentional teaching, documentation, play-based learning, and inclusive, responsive programming. The session also focuses on the role of the educator as co-learner, the influence of critical reflection, and how to elevate children’s agency and voice across the program. Using real-world examples, exceeding practice prompts, and a documentation improvement checklist, participants will walk away with clarity, confidence and actionable tools to strengthen their educational program.

What Early Childhood Educators Will Learn:
  • Understand how to meet and exceed each element of QA1.
  • Reflect on the effectiveness of current programming and planning.
  • Strengthen play-based and inquiry-driven approaches.
  • Elevate children’s agency and the role of families in learning.
  • Use documentation to tell the story of learning with purpose.

Course Topics
Part 1: Educational Program – Element 1.1
1.1.1 Approved Learning Framework
Curriculum decision-making contributes to each child’s learning and development outcomes.
Topics Covered:
  • Using the EYLF V2.0 as a foundation for curriculum design
  • Strengthening alignment with the Principles and Practices
  • Inclusive curriculum approaches across ages and abilities
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do you ensure that your program is not just compliant, but visionary?
    In what ways do educators collaborate to shape the educational program?

1.1.2 Child-Centred
Each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program.
Topics Covered:
  • Responsive programming strategies
  • Embedding cultural identity and belonging
  • Listening to children’s ideas and co-constructing learning
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do you capture and act upon children’s spontaneous interests?
    What does a culturally responsive curriculum look like in your setting?

1.1.3 Program Learning Opportunities
All aspects of the program, including routines, are organised in ways that maximise opportunities for each child’s learning.
Topics Covered:
  • Embedding intentional learning into transitions and routines
  • Strengthening learning through rituals, repetition and rhythm
  • Supporting holistic development across domains
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do you use routines as powerful learning moments?
    Are your environments set up to invite deep exploration and wonder?

Part 2: Practice – Element 1.2
1.2.1 Intentional Teaching
Educators are deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful in their decisions and actions.
Topics Covered:
  • Balancing child-led and adult-guided learning
  • Making thinking visible through questioning and scaffolding
  • Using teachable moments meaningfully
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do you differentiate teaching strategies for individual children?
    Are educators intentional in how they respond and extend play?

1.2.2 Responsive Teaching and Scaffolding
Educators respond to children’s ideas and play and extend learning through open-ended questions and interactions.
Topics Covered:
  • Planning for spontaneity and responsiveness
  • Deepening critical thinking in play
  • Language-rich interactions and cognitive stretch
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do educators know when to step in, and when to step back?
    In what ways do you embed multiple intelligences into scaffolding strategies?

1.2.3 Child Directed Learning
Each child’s agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions that influence events and their world.
Topics Covered:
  • Supporting autonomy through play environments
  • Decision-making opportunities for children
  • Embedding democratic practices
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    Do children co-create their learning environments and experiences?
    How do you demonstrate respect for children’s voices and choices?

Part 3: Assessment and Reflection – Element 1.3
1.3.1 Assessment and Planning Cycle
Each child’s learning and development is assessed or evaluated as part of an ongoing cycle of observation, analysing learning, documentation, planning, implementation and reflection.
Topics Covered:
  • Understanding the “why” behind the cycle
  • Streamlining systems and making them meaningful
  • Documenting learning stories with depth and accuracy
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How does documentation inform planning, not just tick boxes?
    How do you ensure every child’s voice is reflected over time?

1.3.2 Critical Reflection
Critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in groups, drives program planning and implementation.
Topics Covered:
  • Moving beyond surface reflection
  • Asking better questions: What worked, what didn’t, and why?
  • Creating team cultures of reflective dialogue
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do you involve all educators in collective reflective practice?
    Are your reflections driving meaningful change?

1.3.3 Information for Families
Families are informed about the program and their child’s progress.
Topics Covered:
  • Communicating learning through a variety of formats
  • Honouring family knowledge and creating dialogue
  • Reporting progress in culturally respectful ways
    Exceeding Practice Prompt:
    How do families contribute to their child’s learning journey?
    Are you using storytelling to make learning visible to families?

✅ Documentation & Reflection Checklist
Use this checklist to guide and improve your QA1 practices:
Program Design & Intent:
  • Based on current learning frameworks
  • Reflects children’s strengths, needs and cultural identity
  • Designed with input from educators, families and children
Teaching Practice:
  • Responsive and intentional interactions observed
  • Play-based and inquiry-focused learning evident
  • Agency and decision-making supported
Assessment & Reflection:
  • Planning cycle clearly documented
  • Reflections linked to changes in practice
  • Family communication is regular, two-way and purposeful
​
Conclusion & Takeaways
  • Tools to improve planning, programming, and pedagogy
  • Strengthened capacity to exceed in QA1
  • Shared definitions of educational excellence
  • Frameworks for critical reflection and collaboration