Mapping Get Grubby to the National Quality Standard and Early Years Education Framework

Get Grubby is a cross-curricula program designed to support early childhood centres meet the requirements of the National Quality Standard and to assist in the achievements of many of the 'child' and 'educator' outcomes for The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia: Belonging, Being & Becoming.

To support educators, we have mapped the program’s key activities unit by unit - including those which are suggested for centres to implement as a whole - to the Standards and Outcomes.

The list is indicative, not exhaustive. Experienced educators will be able to see the relevance between other Get Grubby activities and the Standards and Outcomes.

A full table of how the Get Grubby activities map to these policy documents can be downloaded below as an Excel spreadsheet. There is also a quick guide to each unit on each unit page.

National Quality Standard

The National Quality Standard is a key aspect of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, which was established in 2009 by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). It sets a national benchmark for the quality of education and care services. It also gives services and families a better understanding of a quality service.

We have listed only the most relevant standards below, to assist cross-referencing of the tables on the Unit Pages.


Quality Area 1: Educational program and practice

This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on ensuring that the educational program and practice is stimulating and engaging and enhances children’s learning and development. In school age care services, the program nurtures the development of life skills and complements children’s experiences, opportunities and relationships at school, at home and in the community.

Standard 1.1: An approved learning framework informs the development of a curriculum that enhances each child’s learning and development.

Element 1.1.1: Curriculum decision making contributes to each child’s learning and development outcomes in relation to their identity, connection with community, wellbeing, confidence as learners and effectiveness as communicators.

Element 1.1.2: Each child’s current knowledge, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program.

Element 1.1.6: Each child’s agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions and influence events and their world.

Standard 1.2: Educators and co-ordinators are focused, active and reflective in designing and delivering the program for each child.

Element 1.2.2: Educators respond to children’s ideas and play and use intentional teaching to scaffold and extend each child’s learning.

Quality Area 2: Children’s health and safety

This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on safeguarding and promoting children’s health and safety.

Standard 2.1: Each child’s health is promoted

Element 2.1.1: Each child’s health needs are supported.

Standard 2.2: Healthy eating and physical activity are embedded in the program for children.

Element 2.2.2: Physical activity is promoted through planned and spontaneous experiences and is appropriate for each child.

Quality Area 3: Physical environment

This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on the physical environment and ensuring that it is safe, suitable and provides a rich and diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and development.

Standard 3.2: The environment is inclusive, promotes competence, independent exploration and learning through play.

Element 3.2.1: Outdoor and indoor spaces are designed and organised to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.

Standard 3.3: The service takes an active role in caring for its environment and contributes to a sustainable future.

Element 3.3.1: Sustainable practices are embedded in service operations.

Element 3.3.2: Children are supported to become environmentally responsible and show respect for the environment.

Quality Area 5: Relationships with children

This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on relationships with children being responsive and respectful and promoting children’s sense of security and belonging. Relationships of this kind free children to explore the environment and engage in play and learning.

Standard 5.2: Each child is supported to build and maintain sensitive and responsive relationships with other children and adults.

Element 5.2.1: Each child is supported to work with, learn from and help others through collaborative learning opportunities.

Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on collaborative relationships with families that are fundamental to achieving quality outcomes for children and community partnerships that are based on active communication, consultation and collaboration.

Standard 6.2: Families are supported in their parenting role and their values and beliefs about childrearing are respected.

Element 6.2.1: The expertise of families is recognised and they share in decision making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.


Belonging, Being & Becoming

The Council of Australian Governments has developed this Framework to assist educators provide young children with opportunities to maximise their potential and develop a foundation for future success in learning.

We have listed only the Outcomes most relevant to the Get Grubby Program below, and used identifying letters to assist cross-referencing from the tables in the unit pages.

OUTCOME 1: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY

Children feel safe, secure, and supported

Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency

Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identitiesChildren learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect

OUTCOME 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLD

Children respond to diversity with respect

Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation

Children become aware of fairness

Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

OUTCOME 3: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF WELLBEING

Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing

Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing

OUTCOME 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVED LEARNERS

Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity

Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating

Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another

Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials

OUTCOME 5: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS

Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts

Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work

Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking

We also offer discounted rates for government departments, local councils, not-for-profits and private organisations who are purchasing subscriptions for multiple centres. Please contact us to find out how we can work with you to provide fantastic sustainability education for your children.