Six of the seven worst-performing childcare centres in New South Wales are located in western Sydney, according to the latest data from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Nearly 400 centres across the state have been identified as failing to meet the National Quality Standards (NQS), with the number requiring significant improvement more than doubling in the past three months.

As of April 14, approximately 7 percent of childcare services in NSW are not meeting the NQS, which set benchmarks for early childhood education and care. Meanwhile, 74 percent of centres meet the standards, and 19 percent exceed them.

The seven centres rated as requiring significant improvement primarily face concerns related to children’s health and safety. Six of these are situated in Greater Western Sydney, including Mini Masterminds at Olympic Park, Tallawong Early Learning, Gregory Hills Montessori Academy, Teddy Bear Cottage in Warragamba, Leppington Montessori Academy, and NSW Academy of Early Learning in Casula. The remaining centre, Grenfell Preschool in the Central West region, has held a similar rating since July of last year.

Grenfell Preschool recently underwent a change in governance, appointing a new board in December that is collaborating with the NSW Early Learning Commission (ELC) and staff to address areas of concern including governance, leadership, and health and safety. An assessment visit in March noted positive developments, and the preschool is currently awaiting an updated rating.

Leppington Montessori Academy has also undergone recent changes, including a change in ownership and rebranding since its last ACECQA rating in January. The centre has applied for reassessment following these changes.

Some centres have contested their ratings. Tallawong Early Learning disputed the classification of requiring significant improvement, stating it had made physical improvements and addressed concerns raised by the commission. Mini Masterminds confirmed it has completed a comprehensive review in response to the regulator’s recommendations and implemented measures to improve service quality, also requesting reassessment from the ELC.

No comment was received from Gregory Hills Montessori Academy, Teddy Bear Cottage, or NSW Academy of Early Learning by the time of publication.

The findings come amid broader scrutiny of childcare services in NSW, following reports that hundreds of centres have been fined or sanctioned for serious breaches involving inadequate supervision, exposure to hazards, inappropriate discipline, and incidents of children escaping from care. These issues underline ongoing challenges in maintaining consistent quality and safety standards across the state’s childcare sector.