NDNA’s Quality Improvement Programme is Finalist for Two National Awards

Finalist for Two National Awards15 September 2009 – National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) were finalists for two categories at the prestigious Charity Times awards for its quality improvement scheme e-Quality Counts at a glamorous awards ceremony on 9 September 2009.

One of the sector’s first online quality improvement schemes, the innovative e-Quality Counts system was announced as a finalist in two categories ‘Best Use of Technology’ in recognition of the programmes innovative use of IT, and ‘Corporate National Partnership of the Year,’ in light of bringing together the specialisms of NDNA with the Virtual College to develop an online solution for childcare providers to self evaluate the quality of their provision.

Since its launch last year, e-Quality Counts has supported many nurseries to develop and enhance practice.Mapped to the Early Years Foundation Stage, the Common Core, Every Child Matters and the Quality Improvement Principles, innovative features of the system include online mentoring, training, and the ability to upload documentation and evidence at the touch of a button. Nurseries working toward the scheme undertake development in up to 15 areas including management, nutrition, observation and reflection of practice, the nursery environment and equality and inclusion. The Charity Times Awards highlighted that they received a record number of entries for the 2009 Awards.

Stella Ziolkowski, Director of Quality and Workforce Development comments: "We are absolutely thrilled to be named finalists for two categories within these prestigious awards, especially after hearing that there was a record number of entries this year! e-Quality Counts has received some excellent feedback from settings, who say that they have found the online system and mentoring to be a great way to develop quality and helpful in completing the self evaluation process. We are very proud to have been finalists for these awards."