Childcare Quality Improvement & Self Evaluation

In early years, Quality Counts.

Quality Counts logo Raise outcomes for your nursery children and be well-prepared for your next inspection with NDNA's Quality Counts quality improvement scheme for nurseries. 

To suit all budgets, there are three pathways to choose from which will support you to raise your nursery inspection outcome and gain the skills to embed quality and self evaluation throughout your early years setting.

And with 97% of nurseries now judged to be good or outstanding at their latest inspection (June 2019), Quality Counts Certification, a registered certification mark, will make sure you stand out from your competitors.
Nurseries all over the world have been awarded with our Quality Counts certification; Bahrain, Dubai, Hungary and Thailand. If you're based outside of the UK, email international@ndna.org.uk for more information. 

Benefits of achieving Quality Counts accreditation:

  • Demonstrate better outcomes for children at inspection
  • Show parents and professionals your commitment to developing high quality practice for all children
  • Stand out from the competition by promoting your quality award to new parents
  • Attract and retain high quality staff 
  • Improve teamwork, morale and communication. 

Read how Teepee Day Nursery in Bracknell celebrated achieving the full certification mark.

See how children at Oswestry Prepcare Day Nursery celebrated achieving the full certification mark.

Pathway one

Journey to Excellence

Get a 160 page manual to quality and 26 self-assessment templates.

Find out more

Download: Quality Counts leaflet

Pathway two

Online Audit and Review

Assess your setting’s processes online and reflect on all aspects of your practice. 

Find out more

Awarded settings

Fledglings Nursery, Preston
See a list of all our settings currently awarded with Quality Counts Certification.

See all awarded settings here

Pathway three

Certification Mark

Full accreditation with access to: a mentor, online audit, training and assessment.

Find out more

Blog post

Practitioner with children at nursery
Read our blog post on quality in early years by early years consultant, Liz Elsom.

Read blog

NDNA’s new Quality Counts system is very good. The audits, details and exemplifications were clear to use when making judgements and evaluating our practice.

- Hilary Sharples at Ashbridge School

Related quality improvement training:

Developing Outstanding Practice - Discover a range of strategies to develop and enhance your practice.

Book an inset day course here or find a course near you here or view the online course here

Quality Teaching In Early Years - Enable early years practitioners to raise the quality of their teaching and support children to make the best possible progress across the EYFS.

Book an inset day course here or find a course near you here or view the online course here

Contact the Quality Counts team by emailing qualitycounts@NDNA.org.uk.


Start your journey here