Quality improvement
The Pre-school Learning Alliance has over 20 years' experience delivering successful quality improvement initiatives. It has a record for developing flexible programmes tailored specifically for the early years sector.
Reflecting on Quality
The award has given us a sense of pride in our acheivements and a benchmark from which to keep improving. We recently had an Ofsted inspection and the inspector commented on how comprehensive the scheme is.
Children's Centre, August 2007
All changes have been thought provoking and encouraged reflection on individuals and practice. The inspector commented that 'outstanding' was greatly influenced by the setting taking part in and completing the Pre-school Learning Alliance Quality Assurance scheme.
Pre-school, May 2008
Reflecting on Quality has been designed to support settings to become involved in quality improvement based on the Alliance's core principles and beliefs that:
- parents are children's most important teachers and practitioners work in partnership with them
- children learn through play and by becoming involved in activities
- learning takes place in social groups and the early years setting is a learning community for children and families
These principles are reflected in the scheme which supports:
- involvement of parents and children in the quality improvement process
- practitioners' active work-based learning
- positive communication that encourages practitioners to share new learning about effective practice
The scheme supports the observe — reflect — improve — review process and involves the following aspects of continuous quality improvement:
- listening to parents and children's views on quality
- enhancing what is done to promote the best outcomes for children
- developing a clear vision and sense of purpose
- adopting a whole setting approach
- sharing knowledge and the development of a learning culture
- commitment to continuous professional development
- reflection and self-evaluation as a continuous process
- identification of strengths and the prioritisation of areas for development
- sharing and celebrating effective practice within and between settings
Resources
Reflecting on Quality includes a range of resources to support self evaluation and quality improvement. These can be used flexibily on their own or with other materials.
- Planner to help you involve the whole setting including parents and children to help in the quality improvement process
- Guidance on what you need to do at each stage
- Prompts and guidance on individual and group activities that encourage talking, listening and thinking about the quality of the services you provide
- Mentoring guidance
- Templates to help you record your progress and create evidence of your involvement in quality improvement
- External verification, assessment and accreditation to recognise and celebrate quality improvement