3. Educational program documentation for approved providers

The following text contains short extracts from different sections of the information sheets for employers. They may be useful for discussions with employers about documentation and processes at your preschool or centre.

Did you know?

There is no one way to meet documentation requirements under the NQF. Approaches to documentation should reflect the children, families and communities of your service. To ensure documentation is meaningful and authentic for children’s learning to be made visible, educators, teachers and service leaders use their professional judgement in selecting methods that best reflect the intent and purpose of the documentation.

Approved providers should provide support to educators, teachers and service leaders and collaboratively set expectations to ensure documentation meets legislative requirements as well as to encourage continuous improvements of programs and practice.

Approved providers should also empower and encourage educators and teachers to explore a range of styles and methods to determine what works best for their unique setting including the children, families, service and community.

In settings or collaborating on processes to meet the requirements of the National Law, National Regulations, NQS and align with the approved learning framework it is important to:

  • consult with and empower educators, teachers and service leaders to build ownership of andcommitment to agreed processes and expectations for documentation
  • focus on the primary purpose of documentation
  • ensure expectations/benchmarks are sustainable, reasonable and achievable
  • eliminate or minimise duplication
  • ensure documentation practices complement (rather than hinder) educators’ and teachers’ engagement in valuable learning experiences and interactions with children
  • ensure that educators, teachers and service leaders have the appropriate resources (including time and professional development) to successfully undertake the documentation.

To ensure that documentation processes remain fit for purpose, sustainable, contemporary, meaningful and continue to meet the legislative and quality standards, it is worthwhile to implement regular collaborative practices and provide time for educators and teachers to focus on and streamline documentation processes.

Listening to and empowering educators, teachers and service leaders is a key component to ensure documentation methods are manageable, implementable and reflect their pedagogical and philosophical approaches.

To ensure documentation expectations are met, educators and teachers should be provided with adequate non-contact time to effectively document and plan for children’s learning.

Approved providers should refer to relevant employment awards for educators and teachers in relation to non-contact allocations for staff members responsible for educational documentation and consider the varied roles and workload of each educator and teacher.

Excessive and/or duplicative documentation practices may be overwhelming or burdensome and have negative impact on educators and teacher wellbeing.

Excessive and/or duplicative documentation also undermines the aims of the NQS by diverting educator and teacher energy and time to administrative work, rather than planning and assessment of rich learning experiences.

Educational leadership

It is important to consider how the role will continuously support educators and teachers and ultimately improve outcomes for children and families.

If the educational leader has a strong voice in the decision making of the educational program and documentation, they are more likely to be successful in their role and fulfill their responsibilities under the National Regulations.

How to avoid duplication

What should you do if you’re directed to undertake duplicative or excessive practices related to the NQF Educational Program documentation?

  1. Identify any duplicative or unnecessary documentation. You may find the reflective questions from the informationsheet helpful.
  2. Work out how the process or requirements can be improved (for example using the same document to satisfy several required records).
  3. Approach your employer/manager and draw attention to the information sheet. Discuss your suggestions for how documentation can be reduced, removed, combined and/or used for multiple purposes while meeting legislative requirements.

If the issue remains unresolved, encourage all staff at your service to make a written request for a review of practices at your workplace based on the official advice in the information sheet. Contact your union organiser for support with this.

Let’s eliminate duplicative and excessive practices together

The information sheets form part of an ongoing process the IEU has undertaken with several government and regulatory authorities, with a view to addressing, at a structural level, processes that lead to excessive teacher workloads.

Access the information sheets here:

The common theme is that a teacher’s professional judgement should be paramount in determining what constitutes an appropriate level of documentation for teaching and learning, administrative and data collection processes.

The IEU is constantly working with employers, regulatory authorities and government to achieve positive industrial and professional outcomes for members. Encourage your colleagues to join their union to ensure the voice of the profession is heard at every level and in every forum.

Lisa James
Veronica Yewdall