| Contents | 
| What is the National Quality Standard and why would we want to exceed it? | 1 | 
| Introduction | 1 | 
| What is the National Quality Standard? | 1 | 
| What is the assessment and rating process? | 2 | 
| How is the rating determined? | 3 | 
| 'Exceeding' themes | 4 | 
| Why would you want to exceed the standard? | 6 | 
| How do I convince my team that doing all this extra work is a good idea? | 7 | 
| Setting a realistic timeline | 7 | 
| Seven quality area folders | 8 | 
| Observe, discuss and sight | 8 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 1 | 10 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 10 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 14 | 
| Child development strategy | 14 | 
| Developing an intentional teaching strategy | 15 | 
| Guidelines for documenting children's learning | 16 | 
| Mid-year reports | 18 | 
| Developmental assessment | 19 | 
| Learning outcomes for families | 20 | 
| Planning guidelines | 20 | 
| QA1 reflection questions | 21 | 
| Exceeding QA1 checklist | 21 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 2 | 23 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 23 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 26 | 
| Physical activity strategy | 27 | 
| Hygiene and medical conditions strategy | 28 | 
| Child safe standards | 29 | 
| First-aid kits | 33 | 
| Emergency evacuation drills | 34 | 
| Risk management plan | 35 | 
| QA2 reflection questions | 37 | 
| Exceeding QA2 checklist | 37 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 3 | 39 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 39 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 42 | 
| Developing a physical environment strategy | 43 | 
| Sustainability strategy | 44 | 
| Daily playground checklist | 46 | 
| Room layouts | 47 | 
| QA3 reflection questions | 47 | 
| Exceeding QA3 checklist | 47 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 4 | 49 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 49 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 52 | 
| Developing a staffing strategy | 53 | 
| Continuity of educators strategy | 54 | 
| Staff mentoring strategy | 55 | 
| Staff orientation checklist | 56 | 
| QA4 reflection questions | 57 | 
| Exceeding QA4 checklist | 57 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 5 | 59 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 59 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 62 | 
| Developing a relationships with children strategy | 62 | 
| Developing a behaviour management strategy | 63 | 
| Transition strategy | 64 | 
| Orientation strategy | 65 | 
| Children's survey questions | 65 | 
| Managing challenging behaviour | 66 | 
| Rights of the child | 67 | 
| QA5 reflection questions | 69 | 
| Exceeding QA5 checklist | 70 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 6 | 72 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 72 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 75 | 
| Developing a communication with families strategy | 76 | 
| Developing a partnership with community strategy | 78 | 
| Community outreach strategy | 79 | 
| Sharing information with families | 81 | 
| Program plans | 83 | 
| QA6 reflection questions | 84 | 
| Exceeding QA6 checklist | 84 | 
| How to exceed Quality Area 7 | 86 | 
| Are you meeting or exceeding the standard? | 86 | 
| Preparing for assessment and rating | 89 | 
| Developing a governance strategy | 90 | 
| Developing a philosophy | 90 | 
| Prescribed information on display and archiving | 90 | 
| Administrative systems | 92 | 
| ACECQA reporting | 93 | 
| Staff induction strategy | 93 | 
| Staff records | 94 | 
| Developing a grievances and complaints strategy | 94 | 
| QA7 reflection questions | 96 | 
| Exceeding QA7 checklist | 97 |