Western Sydney's Airlie Preschool recognised among top 1% with rare second 'Excellent' rating

Uniting congratulates Uniting Airlie Preschool Oatlands on its exceptional second ‘Excellent’ rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

ACECQA’s recent assessment specifically praised the Western Sydney preschool's outstanding commitment to celebrating culture and diversity, partnering with children and families, and showing sustained focus on professional development and staff support.

“We’re so proud of the leadership, staff, families and children at Airlie who have collaborated to create a safe, inclusive and supportive culture for everyone at this very special preschool,” said Head of Uniting Early Learning, Nadia Petrovski.

The ‘Excellent’ rating is the highest qualification under the National Quality Framework (NQF) and fewer than 1% of services nationally are currently rated at this standard. Among those, fewer than 10 have achieved it multiple times as Airlie has done.

“An important part of the qualification is the recognition of the value the preschool brings to the wider North Parramatta community,” said Nadia. “For example, Airlie has extended the concept of ‘grandparents’ to link children with brand new ‘grandfriends’ in the neighbourhood. These inter-generational friendships can last long past an afternoon’s play.

“Airlie has also established a bush tucker garden, which offers the opportunity for the local Dharug Elders to share simple insights into First Nations stories, the culture of giving and taking, and the importance of nature and sustainability.

“The particular focus on inclusion support here and across so many of our preschools, working alongside families to make early learning as accessible as possible, is key to enabling every child to reap the benefits of early learning.”

“We're excited that the Airlie team are now playing a leadership role, sharing their insights and experience across the sector. It really is something to celebrate,” said Nadia.

The ‘Excellent’ rating is awarded by ACECQA to children’s education and care services across Australia that deliver exceptional performance across all National Quality Standards (NQS), whilst also demonstrating sector leadership and a commitment to continual improvement.