National Childrens Nurseries Association - All Ireland Centre of Excellence

NCNA / Early Years All Ireland Centre of Excellence Award

What is the All Ireland Centre of Excellence Award:

NCNA members have always recognised and promoted the value of providing quality daycare for each individual child in their care. Quality childcare positively influences children’s earliest experiences in daycare and plays a vital role in their future development. It has long been accepted among childcare providers and parents that NCNA members deliver quality daycare. The All Ireland Centre of Excellence Award acknowledges the NCNA/Early Years members who are providing excellent standards of care for children in Ireland.

The All Ireland Centre of Excellence is not a competition. It is a process through which a Nursery improves the quality of the Nursery.

How is a nursery recognised as being an All Ireland Centre of Excellence?

Childcare services who wish to apply for this award undergo a rigorous process of self evaluation with the support of Advisory staff from NCNA or Early Years. They are then visited by NCNA / Early Years staff who are experts in the field of Early Childhood Care and Education to validate that the nursery is operating to the high standard required of an All Ireland Centre of Excellence. Successful applicants will receive "The NCNA/Early Years All Ireland Centre of Excellence Award" for display. The award demonstrates to parents, visitors and members of the public a commitment to quality and success in implementing and maintaining consistently high standards of excellence.

How do I as a Parent know if a Nursery holds the All Ireland Centre of Excellence Award?

Look at the Member Listing section by clicking here where it will be displayed if a nursery has achieved the Award.

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  Siolta & Aistear

  Siolta is the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education. Síolta has a number of key characteristics, which are of importance in gaining an understanding of how the Framework operates. These characteristics ensure that the vision of the Framework can be realised and have the maximum beneficial outcomes for all ECCE stakeholder. Aistear is the new curriculum framework for all children from birth to six years. It can be used in childminding settings, sessional services, full and part-time daycare settings, infant classes in primary schools, children’s own homes.