Shorter A&R Notices: 6 ways it could be better

Early Learning Services in NSW are receiving only 5 days notice for their Assessment and Rating visits; significantly less than the previous 3 months. It’s a big change! And one which centre leaders might be nervous – or even unhappy – about. Everyone would always like more time, but I think that when thinking about it objectively, the shorter time frame will benefit us all.

1. Your self-assessment needs to be up to date NOW, with a concrete procedure developed for keeping it up to date.

The self-assessment is still a relatively new process. It’s a hefty document, and one which you might be tempted to just ‘get it done’ and set it aside until you’re made to look at it again. The department’s intention for the self-assessment to be a ‘living document’ has arguably struggled to take hold, but now with 5 days notice… we have no choice! In the long run, the 5 days removes the pressure of crunching to finish the document, and requires it to already be done and with a process in place for updating it. Service’s hands have been forced into this, but I think long term it is for the best. It requires more discipline, with less of a deadline to wait for before starting, but in the long term it will mean the self-assessment tool will be treated as intended, will be more meaningful, and will be a truer depiction of a centre and it’s journey.

To Do: Get your self assessment done! Stop putting it off and make it a priority. If you’re really strapped for time, Platinum Education can help you. With just a couple of meetings we can get all the information we need to help you craft a self assessment.

2. Lowers the period of heightened stress

Stress builds like a snowball. Only having 5 days means there’s less time for centre leaders to over think and over stress. Everyone stresses in that A&R window. To the point where it can be impossible to know when to stop (there’s always something to do right?) Centres can often even over engineer solutions and ideas once they’re in that ‘action’ mindset to the point where it’s easy to implement brand new practices just in time for A&R. Only having 5 days means centres can realistically finesse what’s already happening, without rushing in new things, ensure existing practices are embedded and consistent across the service.

To Do: Get your practices to a point that if someone were to assess them tomorrow, you would be comfortable they would work. Make a list of any practices which might need work, and start working on them today. If you need help seeing what needs work, we can come out and complete a mock A&R, and leave you with a list of priorities, and the resources needed to get them done.

3. Assessors understand that the 5-day window will present a REALISTIC day-to-day operation of a service

Assessors (when visiting a centre with a 3-month window) are often be greeted with more educators than would usually be present, and every key player in a services operation with every single thing in a row. This will likely not be the case if a centre is only being given 5 days’ notice. This can of course be a huge point of stress for centre leaders especially (imagine being on holiday overseas and you hear your centre is due for A&R in 5 days without you), but if it’s understood that assessors will not be expecting a centre at their absolute best-case-scenario, and a centre has contingencies for educators and leaders being away (which there should be anyway) then no dramas! Also don’t forget if a leader really wants to, they can contribute in whatever way they can before, by phone or online during or within 5 days.

To Do: Be confident! Once your centre is in a good place, work hard to keep it there.

4. Encourages everyone in your service to always have at least some understanding of the NQS, rather than only in the lead up to A&R

It’s common for leaders to host a big pre-A&R meeting in the 3 months leading up to it to ensure educators are across the process and the standards, and all the practices that have been mentioned in the services self-assessment. Only having 5 days takes away that luxury, and in the long term will mean leaders need to ensure all educators consistent understanding. In the (very) long term, this could actually help alleviate some of the stress leaders always feel, as they often take on all the mental burden, figuring they can just carry it until A&R comes along (which is when it can get downloaded onto everyone else).

To Do: Make sure you’re constantly referring to the NQS’ in the things you share with your team. Whenever you’re having a staff meeting, ensure your explaining how your points relate to the standards. When engaging in professional development, make sure the performance is aligned with the standards.

5. Services may be assessed on only a few Quality Areas, meaning less stress and a more focused A&R experience

Your rating can be seen as a representation of your services quality, and a holistic picture can be quite challenging to put forward for just the day or two of the A&R visit. If a centre is only getting assessed with 2 to 4 quality areas, the weight of assessment and rating is lessened, with opportunities to improve those which need improving, and leave those which don’t. When announcing the ‘improvements’, there has been some uncertainty around timeframes and when the changes are being implemented. Were the new 5-day notice period and partial assessments announced and implemented at the same time, maybe centre leaders would have been more receptive and understanding of the changes.

To Do: As a part of your centre’s quality improvement process, work out which quality areas might need a bit more work than others. Use your self-assessment to see which elements might look a little weaker than others and work hard at getting them up to scratch. 

6. Showcase VS real-life

A&R shouldn’t be a showcase that gets better with more time to prepare for it. Because we’ve always had months in the past, that’s what it has become. If we just shift our thinking about the Assessment & Rating process, only having 5 days’ notice will hopefully (with time) be seen as a change for the better, and when paired with partial assessments and more frequent reassessments, quality will be sustained and consistent.

Embracing the change.

While the shift to a 5-day notice period for Assessment and Rating visits may seem daunting, it ultimately pushes us towards a more authentic and consistent approach. The shorter timeframe encourages realistic evaluations, eases the duration of stress, and allows for a reflection of the true state of our services. The possibility of being assessed on fewer quality areas makes the focus more targeted, meaning improvements are more manageable. Embracing this change can lead to a more genuine representation of our services and a higher standard of early childhood education across the board.