A celebration evening took place at the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education last night to present Manx Quality Awards to childcare settings working in schools and nurseries on the Island.
The College is working with providers across the Isle of Man to quality assure childcare provision and currently offers two awards: the Manx Step into Quality Award, which is an introductory award for settings which are developing Quality Assurance approaches and the full Manx Quality Award, which is a two year process that involves settings identifying in detail how they deliver the highest quality of care for early years children.
Professor Ronald Barr, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Education and Children said:
'I am delighted to be here tonight, to help celebrate the success of these settings in achieving their awards. The Department is committed to ensuring that high quality childcare is available to the people of the Island and these awards are one way in which parents and carers can be certain that the provision they choose for their children offers the very highest standards of childcare and education.'
The Manx Step into Quality Award was awarded to Jurby Pre-school Nursery (The Children’s Centre) and Scoill Vallajeelt Reception. In addition The Children’s Centre’s early years provision in Woodbourne Road and Park Road, Ramsey Stepping Stones Nursery and Ashley Hill School Reception and Year One received a Post Award Verification which means that they continue to be identified as working to the high standards of the Manx Step into Quality Award for another 12 months.
As well as these achievements, the College is delighted to announce that the full Manx Quality Award has been achieved for the first time in the Island.
Tina Moore Coordinator of the Manx Quality Awards said:
'The Ark Community Nursery and Butterflies Day Nursery were part of the original pilot group for Manx Step into Quality Award and then for the Manx Quality Award. Both nurseries have been instrumental in the creation of what is now recognised as a highly effective Quality Assurance Scheme. It is especially pleasing to see them celebrating their success tonight. It is also pleasing to see Ashley Hill School’s achievement recognised as they were also in the pilot group and instrumental in the development of the Manx Step into Quality Award for Year One in schools.'
Victoria House Nursery has also followed in the MQA pilot footsteps and was successfully awarded Year One of the Manx Quality Award.
Cronk Y Berry School Reception and Hopes and Dreams settings in Buchan School, Woodbourne Road and Parklands Nursery have commenced on the Manx Step into Quality Award 2014.
Victoria House Nursery is continuing into Year Two of the Manx Quality Award and Ashley Hill School Reception and Year One combined classes are re-joining the Manx Quality Award this year.
This year both Manx Quality Awards have had a new External Verifier who joined the Awarding Panel and visited some of the successful settings. Bogusia Matusiak-Varley identified that
'the real strength of the Manx Step into Quality and Manx Quality Award is that they are made to the needs of Manx settings and are developing organically as a result of this. What is particularly impressive is the manner in which all parties adhere to the standards and the wide range of evidence that is collected to support standards. You are operating at the highest levels, making sure that every step and standard is supported by evidence.'
The success of these awards has led to their inclusion in the Island’s new Draft Child Day Care Standards and the College looks forward to working with other providers to extend quality assured childcare provision to people in the Isle of Man.
Making yesterday’s presentations were Mrs Chrissy Callaghan School Improvement Adviser, Mr Geoff Draper, Principal of the Isle of Man College for Further and Higher Education, Mr Geoff Moorcroft, Director of Education and Professor Ronald Barr, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Education and Children.
