Leaders of tomorrow

KU is a values-based organisation. It has a strong culture shaped by the KU Code of Conduct which sets the foundational standards that guide decision-making, actions and a sense of inclusive community. These aren’t just words on a page or on the organisation’s website; KU’s 2022 Employee Engagement Survey indicated 94% of staff believed we live our values.

The 2022-2024 Leadership Plan was developed with those values in mind and reflects KU’s vision for a thriving for purpose organisation, where all staff feel included, engaged and seen.

KU’s Leadership Plan is divided into four sections and includes Our People; Leadership, Learning and Development; Governance and Systems; and Sector Leadership.

Our People encompasses everything from recruitment to recognition programs, while Leadership, Learning and Development comprises external leadership growth and secondment opportunities. Governance and Systems incorporates streamlining decision making and sharing knowledge and, finally, Sector Leadership is about furthering KU’s quality agenda and the status and standing of the early childhood sector as a vibrant career choice.

Because the strategic plan links to talent and succession planning, targeted leadership and management training programs are fundamental. Not only for our early childhood education professionals, but all of those who are in KU’s Central Office and support teams.

Off the back of very unexpected global challenges which have driven significant changes in the way KU operates, investment in leadership will enable employees to deal with future seismic shifts so the organisation can continue delivering exceptional business outcomes as well as the highest standards of practice in early education and care.

After 127 years as a sector leader, this focus on developing skills will ensure KU is positioned to move forward confidently toward another hundred-plus years of social impact.

KU AIM Mini MBA

In 2022, sixteen high-potential managers became the inaugural cohort of participants to undertake the KU Australian Institute of Management (AIM) Mini MBA.

The program consisted of five full-day workshops at KU’s Central Office with AIM Faculty Lecturer, Dr Richard Carter, an organisational psychologist, management educator and leadership development consultant.

A variety of topics were covered with an emphasis on familiarisation with tools enabling employees to be better equipped to tackle real-world business challenges. For instance, SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; Gantt Charts; cost-benefit analysis; breakeven analysis; and PESTEL analysis, which reviews opportunities from political, economic, sociocultural, technological, environmental and legal perspectives.

To consolidate the course material, individuals collaborated with their peers in multi-disciplinary teams while working on innovation projects that would have the very real possibility of shaping the future of KU.

Throughout the program, participants received personal one-on-one coaching from Cathy Singleton, an experienced executive leadership coach who specialises in supporting individuals to manage themselves, their teams and their changing environment with grace and skill.

So successful was the program that two cohorts will be selected to undertake the course in 2023. One will be in a hybrid learning environment (mix of face-to-face and online) while the second will be 100% online to accommodate flexible working arrangements.

Teacher Accreditation update

In 2021, KU launched a pilot project offering Teacher Accreditation support to help teachers navigate the process of accreditation in NSW and registration in Victoria and Queensland.

By the end of that year, an evaluation showed uptake in teachers who were maintaining their Accreditation and, in particular, by teachers at Provisional level who were working towards a Proficient level of Accreditation.

In all, KU supported and was able to congratulate a total of six early education teachers who gained Proficient Accreditation in NSW.

This success gave confidence for the program to be rolled out in earnest from January 2022.

One of the biggest reported benefits is that teachers employed by KU no longer require NESA to allocate a Teacher Accreditation Supervisor to oversee their work when submitting for evidence for Proficient Teacher. Instead, the role is carried out by one of KU’s Teacher Accreditation Supervisors.

In the first year of fully fledged operation, eight teachers gained Proficient Accreditation in NSW, one teacher gained Proficient Registration in Queensland, three teachers gained Proficient Registration in Victoria and 50 teachers were supported to meet maintenance of Accreditation requirements.

Secondary benefits have come to light in the past 12 months including retaining graduate teachers and attracting new staff.

2022 launch of HALT certification

The Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) certification is a lengthy process (usually taking 12 to 24 months) which recognises exceedingly effective, innovative, and exemplary teaching practices against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

It’s surprising to learn, despite the sector employing many seasoned and consummate professionals, there are no early childhood teachers recognised at HALT levels nationally.

In 2022 KU put the wheels in motion to change that. An expression of interest went out to all KU teachers, offering to support them to achieve HALT certification if it was a milestone they would like to achieve in their career.

But it was more than just wanting to aid loyal employees, KU’s HALT certification program contributes to increasing professionalisation in the sector. It’s something that KU has long advocated for. By having early childhood teachers recognised for their specialist skills alongside their colleagues in schools, raises the status of the early education sector as a profession.

The HALT network allows certified teachers to create a community of practice with like-minded professionals. The program also enables leaders to collaborate widely with colleagues both within KU and externally and with other areas of education (primary and secondary).

We look forward to future reports announcing KU’s HALT certified teachers.