LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO
For this assessment, you will maintain a Leadership and Operational Management Portfolio, based on the National Quality Standard seven (7) Quality Areas as a tool to evidence your leadership and management practices and achievement of placement activities and outcomes. The portfolio is a working document that should be maintained and updated daily to display evidence of activities, observations, and opportunities from throughout your placement.
Ensure your Leadership and Operational Management Portfolio includes:
- An overview of the leadership and management context of the service.
- 3-5 pieces of evidence of skills and abilities for each NQS quality area, and descriptor. For example:
Ensure that your portfolio includes references to literature and theoretical perspectives as well as the use of vocabulary in accordance with the professionalism of an early childhood teacher.
Note:While using digital images to articulate your understanding throughout your portfolio is encouraged,you must ensure you adhere to the host services policies and procedures.
MY TEACHER EXPECTATION HOW I CAN WRITE THIS PART
Service Overview (NOTE: Add more information)
Leadership is most accurately described as an interactive process in which the leader involves colleagues in effectively addressing the needs of children and families. In early childhood education, there is a presumption that leaders will adopt a consultative style in their methodology (Rodd, 2013).
At Explore and Develop, operations and management are divided among five people with different responsibilities.
For example, training and continuous professional development (Management will organise regular training or workshops for educators).
Evidence Service organised a Zoom webinar with Belinda Huntriss. In the webinar, Belinda shared information about Aboriginal history and how to implement Aboriginal culture in childcare service settings. The information is then emailed to all educators.
Policy: Management regularly updates policy with feedback from educators and families.
Risk Assessment is essential in childcare settings to maintain safety and a well-managed environment. At risk assessment, Leadership is responsible for setting policies & procedures and ensuring all staff follow the risk assessment policies, prioritize safety and report hazards. To help all staff understand risk assessment and emergency procedures, the leader provides training for all staff and ensures compliance.
Management Responsibilities in Risk Assessment are conducting regular risk assessments, implementing risk controls, maintaining documentation of hazards, injuries, or close calls, implementing corrective measures, and notifying parents and team members about hazards and safety protocols.
Emergency Drill
Leadership & Management Duties in Emergency Drills at Childcare
Leadership Responsibilities (Director, Nominated Supervisor):
Formulate and implement emergency plans by regulations.
Train staff on their roles and procedures during emergencies.
Inform families regarding emergency preparedness measures.
Assess and enhance drills based on feedback received.
Management Responsibilities (Educators, Room Leaders):
Carry out emergency drills with composure and efficiency.
Oversee and comfort children throughout the process.
Adhere to evacuation or lockdown protocols, ensuring all children are accounted for.
Document and report any issues encountered for future improvement.
Post-Drill Actions:
Conduct a debriefing with staff, review documents, and modify procedures as necessary. To ensure transparency, update families about the drill’s results.
Information I write but My teacher asked additional writing
NQS 1
QA-1.1.2
Daily Program create based children needs, intrest, child ability, child voice, family input and intentional teaching.
NOTE: Add more information include educational theories, how you apply this information during your work placement and another information can relate to this quality area.
QA-1.2.1 Intentional Teaching
Teaching children about Harmony Day. Educator provide colour panting and asked childre to participate do made hand print as a part “Everyone Belongs” art and Craft
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QA-1.3.3 Information for families
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QA-2
QA-2.1.3 Healthy Lifestyle.
Children engage with physical activities.
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QA-2.2.1 Supervision
To ensure the safety, well-being, and development of children outdoor supervision is essence. Leader and management regular review and asked feedback from educator
NOTE: Add more information include educational theories, how you apply this information during your work placement and another information can relate to this quality area.
QA-2.2.2 Incidence and Emergency Management
To manage emergencies and incidents in a way that prioritises children’s health and safety educators and staff require to have clear procedures, training, and policies.
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QA-3
QA-31.1 Fit & Purpose
Child-sized furniture to support children’s comfort, safety, and independence.
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QA-3.1.2 UpKeep
Educator regular check outdoor environment to make sure outdoor play area are safe, engaging and developmental peroperate for children.
NOTE: Add more information include educational theories, how you apply this information during your work placement and another information can relate to this quality area.
QA-3.2.2 Resources support play-based learning
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QA-4
QA-4.1.1
Across the centre we have 5 float rosters to cover programming, lunches, PD, reflection pairs and study. Our AP & NS created these together and update them in line with enrolments, when trainee studies are completed etc. The float positions are held by the same educators, so that children are able to maintain relationships with familiar educators. Educators are consulted before changes to rosters are made for their input to trial & confirm that the changes work.
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QA-4.1.2
In an aim to provide continuity of care for children, we have offered The FluVax annually since 2016 for team members who choose to receive the vaccination. These are organised and paid for by the Service and given to educators by an ex-family member who is a doctor at a local General Practice. Most educators take up this offer as it contributes to maintaining their health throughout flu season and creates continuity of educators in the centre. Since 2022 we also offer Covid boosters.
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QA-4.2.1
Families have approached educators about preschool programs and what this looks like in the centre. After discussion with the team, they too, wondered what this looks like. From here, our EL and teams began writing a monthly newsletter Preschool Month in Review focusing on key learning areas in each preschool room. Now, our educators write it themselves, sharing photos & learning stories to families and the team. Younger rooms draw inspiration from these & use these ideas in their programs
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QA-5
QA-5.1.1
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QA-5.1.2
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QA-5.2.2
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QA-6
Element 6.1.1 Engagement with the service: Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in the service and contribute to service decisions.
Explore and develop service, considering how to gain more family input into our curriculum, teaching practices, improvement, etc. We began making hallway displays accompanied by surveys/feedback forms. Based on this, family feedback and adaptations are considered, e.g., visual displays about the philosophy/KWS/sustainability in practice. Family feedback on their core values and beliefs is incorporated into our philosophy.
This element aligns with Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems theory. The theory acknowledges the family as a part of the child’s microsystem or disadvantaged microsystem, or the closest and most active place where the child develops. Strong links between home and early learning settings are established when families are welcomed?into service, invited to practices, cultural practices are included, and they are included in decision-making. This forms a mesosystem of supportive connections that positively?impact the child. For instance, at my?placement, children invited their families to contribute programming ideas and attend events such as cultural days. These interactions between educators?and families demonstrate the service’s ongoing respect for and belief in families’ vital role in a child’s learning and how this enables strong partnerships fundamental to holistic development (Guy-Evans, 2024)
By fostering family participation and creating a welcoming environment for parents. Ika welcomed families during drop-off and pick-up, showing warmth and respect. This encouraged collaboration, highlighted the family’s role in the child’s learning, and saw how educators used this feedback to adapt routines and incorporate cultural traditions, demonstrating a commitment to partnership with families, sharing learning goals with parents, and asking for input from families.
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QA- 6.1.2 Parent views are respectet: The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected, and families share in decision-making about their childs learning and wellbeing.
Reflecting on making more meaningful events for families, we now ask families & educators to share celebrations of significance to them. Each year, the events calendar includes a diverse range of events & dates nominated by them, celebrating what is most relevant to their culture. To assist in planning events, a parent volunteered to be the event coordinator & helped in planning events such as a ‘Mums Night’ by booking a venue to suit all needs, making flyers, etc.
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QA-6.2.2 Access and participation
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QA- 6.1.3 Families are supported: Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing.
Throughout the year, we communicate with families about their parenting needs & ask which workshops they would like to participate in to support their parenting and/or well-being. From discussions & feedback received, we shared specific articles from Happy Families, such as “impulse control” & “emotional wellbeing”and hosted workshops from external agencies on toilet training and School readiness.
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QA-7
Standard 7.1: Governance supports the operation of a quality service.
Service philosophy and purpose: A statement of philosophy guides all aspects of the services operations.
The team and other stakeholders often revisit the philosophy. During the 2024 PD day, we discussed the principles and practices of the EYLF V2.0 and looked at how these could be represented in the center’s philosophy. The wider team are now reviewing the new philosophy statements and noting those they would like more support to demonstrate in practice.
During the 2024 staff professional development day, classroom teams considered how they could reflect the center’s philosophy within their team values. These were written as action statements, clearly describing how individual educators would put these values into practice. Team values are discussed and refined during monthly room meetings, ensuring these reflect the centre’s philosophy and values.
As a student during placement, I had the opportunity to familiarise myself with the service philosophy and how this shaped my daily routine. Engage in team conversations or meetings around philosophical concepts or programme development. Show a constant professional demeanor that embodies the principles of the service, including safety, respect, and inclusivity.
Lev Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory permeates the service’s philosophy, which is based on the belief that learning is inevitably social and cultural. This global philosophy encompasses group learning, creating solid relationships that can be significant for children, and respecting cultural identitya practice that corresponds with Vygotskys ideology that children learn in collaboration with people who?have more experience in their community. This correlates with NQS 7.1.1, which states that the service philosophy must underpin the service’s delivery the curriculum and educator interaction with children (Mcleod, 2025)
Element 7.1.3: Roles and responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood, and support effective decision making and operation of the service.
New team members complete online induction modules explaining our policies and procedures before employment. We noticed that new educators took time to learn practical skills, such as their roles during the day, cleaning procedures, etc., so we reflected on how to best support them. From this, we made a “Mentor checklist,” which is given to an assigned mentor. Over time, they work through each procedure together so it is seen in practice or ask questions where needed.
With new educators taking on leadership roles, they were unsure of the expectations. Our EL revised and reshared the role descriptions and has rostered time off the floor for the educators. Our EL holds formal meetings with the leaders, who discuss their roles at least monthly, documenting these on OWNA. The meetings discuss their goals and progress. From here, they can create new goals and revise roles if required.
As student I am completed my induction through application in which the services code of conduct, responsibilities for child protection, and supervision?protocols were explained and work under the guidance of my mentor educator, following daily routines like helping to set up learning environments, observing the children, and working in?small group interactions with supervision. Through this, I feel that these are all reflecting upon my knowledge?of Element 7.1.3 where I have been able to demonstrate in its surety that I understand the need to work within the constraints of my role and assist in the ongoing safe and smooth running of the service.
NQS 7.1.3 supports Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems Theory, stating that all interactions with their microsystems impact children. For example contributed to a predictable and consistent learning environment by understanding my responsibilities in the placement such as supporting routines,?supporting observations and maintaining professional boundaries (Brodie, 2024)
QA-7.2.2 Educational Leadership
NOTE: Need full information include educational theories, how you apply this information during your work placement and another information can relate to this quality area.
Can you give me example which picture should I add on this part