WINNERS FEATURE Absolute joy to see awards back
More nomination records broken CHIANG LIM T was an absolute joy to see the Excellence in Early Childhood Education Awards for 2021/2022 held on a beautiful Saturday, March 26, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency at Sydney’s Darling Harbour. Not only were two more records broken as the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW hosted almost 550 people in attendance as well as a 40.9% increase in the number of nominations received. I believe the fact that we had so many people together in one place after the experiences of the last two years of COVID-19 pandemic must have imbued even greater confidence as we look to our futures while living with COVID. ACA NSW is also extremely proud of the fact that these Awards continues to be open to all 3,357 long daycare services across NSW while being blind to sizes, brands, governance structures and locations. And it certainly will continue to not be limited to ACA NSW members either. This particularly guarantees that the Excellence in Early Childhood Education Awards remain the biggest and only awards program that is universal and impartial to Approved Providers, educators, teachers and support staff who work so tirelessly at their long daycare services. It may also just be the largest of its kind for the sector across Australia. This also makes the Excellence in Early Childhood Education Awards the most respected of all by parents and families as they discern between services and draw understandings of the extraordinary offerings of long daycare services for their precious children. What these annual Awards also provide is an opportunity to “peek” into what excellence tangibly looks like among the best of the best services. With an unashamed convergence toward beneficial outcomes for children and their families, all award categories provide every nomination the opportunity to highlight their successes for celebration. These Awards also provide inspiration from others to draw from so that all of us can strive even further and higher in our individual and collective aspirations. All finalists and winners of this year’s Excellence in Early Childhood Education Awards must be extremely proud of their success and their services. And most importantly, we celebrate the many people who make all our long daycare services’ successes become realities for the children under their care and for their families. And we won’t even let a global pandemic impede us!
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Chiang Lim is CEO, Australian Childcare Alliance NSW. Visit www. nsw.childcarealliance.org.au
HONOR ROLL: All 2021 WINNERS Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
Annika Terry
The Rumpus Room - Darling Street, Broadmeadow
Children’s Wellbeing & Health Program Excellence
Bambini of Lilyfield
Community Involvement Program Excellence
Bridge St Kids Early Learning Centres
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
Haylee Drieman
Environmental Program Excellence
Gumnut Kidz Kindergarten Narrabeen Children’s Centre
Excellence in Food & Menu Design
Sustainable Play Preschool
Excellence in Indoor Learning Environment
Bambini of Lilyfield
Excellence in Outdoor Learning Environment
Bambini of Lilyfield
Family Involvement Program Excellence
Clovel Childcare & Early Learning Centres - Merrylands
Inclusivity Practices Program Excellence
Gilgandra Preschool
Large Community Service (40 places or more)
Hunter Valley Grammar School Early Learning Centre
Large Private Northern Metropolitan Service (40 places or more)
Little Zaks Academy - Epping 2
Large Private Regional Service (40 places or more)
The Rumpus Room - Pelican
Large Private Southern Metropolitan Service (40 places or more)
All Star Early Learners
Large Private Western Metropolitan Service (40 places or more) Male Educator Excellence Award
Oakville Preschool Learning Centre Alec Peters
Metropolitan Educational Program Excellence
Toybox Early Learning Bambini of Lilyfield
Metropolitan Educator Leader Excellence Award
Melissa Traversa
Mikids - Northern Beaches
Metropolitan Female Educator Excellence Award
Melinda Singleton
Little Zaks Academy - Epping 2
Metropolitan Program illustrating ‘My sustainable world’
JumpStart 4 Kids - Blacktown
Metropolitan Program illustrating ‘Stimulating children’s senses’
Starkingdom Childcare Centre & Kindergarten
Multicultural Program Excellence
Gilgandra Preschool
Program illustrating ‘Being a good sport’
Oakville Preschool Learning Centre
Program illustrating ‘Communication with children’
Clovel Childcare & Early Learning Centres - Liverpool
Program illustrating ‘The confident child’
All Star Early Learners
Program illustrating ‘The creative child’
Innovative Early Learning - Artarmon
Program illustrating ‘We are all Australians’
Clovel Childcare & Early Learning Centres - Merrylands
Regional Educational Program Excellence
Gilgandra Preschool
Regional Educator Leader Excellence Award
Sarah Bilton-Smith
Hunter Valley Grammar School Early Learning Centre
Regional Female Educator Excellence Award
Ashleigh Oldfield
Pied Piper Preschool
Regional Program illustrating ‘My sustainable world’
Kookaburra Early Learning Centre
Regional Program illustrating ‘Stimulating children’s senses’ Service Support Person Excellence Award
Little Treasures Preschool & Early Learning Centre Natarsha Stuart
Clovel Childcare & Early Learning Centres
Small Private Metropolitan Service (39 places or less)
Clovel Childcare & Early Learning Centres - Merrylands
Small Private Regional Service (39 places or less)
Developing Dreams Early Learning Centre - Chain Valley Bay
Team Excellence Award - Metropolitan Service
Oakville Preschool Learning Centre
Team Excellence Award - Regional Service
Gilgandra Preschool
Young Female Educator Excellence Award (25 years or less)
Xanthe Young
Explore & Develop Leichhardt
Young Male Educator Excellence Award (25 years of less)
Yifan Hu
Goodstart Early Learning - West Pymble
WESTERN SYDNEY BUSINESS ACCESS APRIL 2022
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