Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement at Gowrie

At Gowrie, culture is always front of mind. With our 85-year legacy of reflecting on practice and being innovative in our approaches, we know that culture is the foundation of high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC).

Continuous improvement in ECEC is an ongoing journey of noticing what works, recognising what doesn’t, and making thoughtful changes in response. For educators, leaders and teachers, continuous improvement provides a way to respond to the changing needs of children, families and communities.

How organisational values drive continuous improvement in ECEC

At Gowrie, continuous improvement is more effective when it is an inherent part of our culture. This means there’s a shared understanding across the whole organisation of why it is important, and also how you go about it. We do this by identifying specific values and behaviours that underpin and prioritise our commitment to improving quality.  This means that the organisation needs to have values which underpin and prioritise improvement. Our values are:

• Curiosity – meaning that we are genuinely open-minded, and willing to make changes based on mistakes or new learning.
• Authenticity – meaning that we are inclusive and promote idea-sharing and collaboration.
• Commitment – meaning that we are constantly seeking to provide high-quality services and promote best outcomes for all children, staff and learners.

These values provide us with a compass to guide us on our journey of continuous improvement.

Promoting a culture of growth at Gowrie

To make these values tangible, we are intentional in the way we embed them. One way this is put into practice is through our annual engagement survey, where we reach out to all staff—upper management, educators, service leadership, casual staff and cooks—to gauge their perspectives on all elements of the organisation. As a tool for continuous improvement, this survey provides a pulse check on what we’re doing well and what we could improve on. This process is an important opportunity to ensure that every voice in the organisation is heard.

The survey is designed to seek not only feedback but also ideas and solutions, ensuring that staff feel empowered to input ideas and shape how we respond to challenges and manage change. For this to work, boards and executives maintain a posture of genuine openness by embracing new ideas that help shape future directions.

In 2025, 86% of our staff responded to the survey, with the results showing:

• 92% said Gowrie Victoria is a truly great place to work
• 80% said that the Gowrie Victoria puts its values into practice
• 97% said that Gowrie is a safe place to work

Staff voice areas where changes could be made, allowing us to have reflective discussions and come up with practical ways to affect change. The identified areas for reflection are responded to at a service and organisational level, with action plans developed among teams. By responding to feedback at both the local service and broader organisational levels, we ensure that decision-making is a shared responsibility, leading to meaningful and sustainable progress driven by our team members.

Balancing support with accountability

Another key part of our culture of continuous improvement is the implementation of the annual Individual Performance and Reflection Plans (IPRP). These plans see each staff member meet regularly with their leader, to come up with goals to improve on, personal strengths, and actions to achieve the goal. Instead of IPRPs being seen as a “tick the box” experience, they’re valued as something which provides time to collaborate, reflect on organisational goals, and build individual capacity.

A culture of continuous improvement relies on both encouragement and responsibility, where a balance of support and accountability is sought. This balance at Gowrie is achieved because we aim to provide:

• Clear goals and expectations: Staff need to know what high-quality practice looks like, and how it connects to the organisation’s vision and values.
• Regular, constructive feedback: Feedback should be specific, timely and framed around growth. It’s not about pointing out flaws, but about recognising strengths and naming opportunities.
• Access to tools and resources: Whether it’s professional learning, mentoring, or time to collaborate, improvement can’t happen without practical supports in place.
• Shared responsibility: Each team member has a role in improvement, and this responsibility is supported by open communication and trust.
• Recognition of progress: Celebrating even small steps reinforces that growth is valued just as much as outcomes.

The impact of continuous improvement at Gowrie

At Gowrie, our culture of continuous improvement is about our commitment to growth, being responsive, and collaborating at all levels of the organisation. When our values guide decision-making, when we listen to our people, and when we balance support and accountability, quality becomes something we are always looking forward to.

Reflective questions for services:

• How do we show our commitment to continuous improvement?
• What organisational values guide your daily practice?
• How do you ensure that all staff have a voice?
• How does feedback contribute to continuous improvement?
• What structures do you have in place to ensure all staff are on a journey of continuous improvement?