Pokeno Playcentre

1 Evaluation of Pokeno Playcentre

How well placed is Pokeno Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Pokeno Playcentre provides a parent-led early childhood education and care service, operating three mornings a week for children from birth to school age. The centre is licensed for 28 children with a maximum of 20 under two years of age. The current roll is 20 children, 2 identify as Māori, and there are also children from Europe and South America.

The playcentre is one of 17 centres in the Counties Playcentre Association (CPA). The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) and the CPA provide governance oversight for the centre. This includes strategic direction, management support, documentation and adult education programmes. In addition, the centre receives regular visits from experienced personnel who offer advice guidance and support to centre members. The NZPF is currently undergoing restructuring, and this has implications for CPA governance actions in the future.

The playcentre philosophy aims to provide a rich learning environment that is safe and fun, and recognises children's interests. It encourages parents to learn with and alongside their children.

Members have responded positively to some of the recommendations in the 2013 ERO report. Centre members have developed a strategic plan that outlines areas for ongoing development and an annual plan that guides centre operations. Further work is required to develop a planning process that extends and adds complexity to children's learning.

This review was part of a cluster of five reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Children are empowered by a programme that follows their interests and enthusiasm. The numerous areas of play set up by parents give the children many opportunities to extend their thinking, solve problems and learn social and self-management skills. An emphasis in the centre on visual art and imaginary play fosters children's creativity. Literacy and mathematical learning is integrated into the children's play. Children's rights are respected. They are given choices and are involved in decisions that affect them.

The indoor environment is inviting for children. All areas of play are well maintained and resourced. The outdoor environment provides many opportunities for children to explore and develop their physical skills.

Parents are at the beginning stages of enacting culturally responsive practices that promote Māori children's sense of belonging and give other children a greater understanding of their bicultural heritage. Centre leaders are very supportive of children learning te reo Māori and about the Māori world. They promote te reo Māori amongst parents using a 'word of the week' strategy. Some parents use Māori words and phrases when talking to children. The centre has bilingual signage and resources such as books written in te reo Māori that also promote a greater sense of belonging for Māori children.

Parents are committed to supporting their children, and providing quality, fun and enjoyable activities that lead to learning. Interactions between parents and children are positive, caring and affirming. ERO observed high levels of parent engagement with their own and others children. Adults listen to children and add to their conversations and discussions. Babies and toddlers benefit from interaction with older children. There are shared understandings about managing children's behaviour in a positive and respectful way that builds their confidence.

A CPA liaison worker provides support for supervising centre sessions. She models good practice through positive learning conversations and interactions with children and adults. A centre support worker regularly visits the centre to provide members with advice and guidance and support with aspects of playcentre training. The centre education officer has maintained continuity of day-to-day centre operations through a period of challenge and change. She is encouraging emergent leadership and building the confidence of new members as they take increasing responsibility for centre management. This shared leadership approach is contributing to centre sustainability and fostering ongoing commitment to training amongst centre members.

Relationships among centre parents are strong and inclusive. New members are warmly welcomed as part of the centre community. End of session evaluation and planning sessions celebrate all children and are an opportunity for everyone to have input into planning activities for the next session. Communication is enhanced through the use of social media. There is strong informal support for parents undertaking playcentre course work.

Leaders have a good understanding of the place and purpose of self review. Ongoing spontaneous self review, particularly of the areas of play, has led to a richer environment for children to play and learn.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre leaders agree that they now need to strengthen the following areas.

Strategic and Annual Planning, Self-Review

• Strategic and annual planning need to be strengthened so that these processes provide a sound foundation for ongoing review and improvement. There needs to be stronger links between the strategic and annual plan and the strategic plan needs to have a greater emphasis on ongoing curriculum improvement.

Assessment and Planning

• Learning stories for children should focus more specifically on recognising the learning that has occurred as a result of involvement in an activity. This may be expressed as a disposition, a skill or new knowledge. The learning story might also suggest how this learning could be extended. Learning stories could then also be a record of children's learning and progress over time.

• Planning and evaluation should make greater use of the goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. This should assist parents to add complexity to their children's interests and learning.

Interactions with Children

• Parents need to take a more deliberate approach to extending children's language and ideas when they are supporting their play.

Te Ao Māori

• Parents should investigate ways to include aspects of local Māori history and sites of significance in the programme. This is necessary to enhance Māori children's sense of identity and belonging, and further promote New Zealand's bicultural partnership.

Environment

• Parents should consider developing a quiet space specifically designed for infants and their mothers where they can interact in a calm, less hurried way.

Recommendation

ERO recommends that CPA:

• develops strategies to ensure that its centre members are kept up-to-date with obligations and expectations in relation to current regulatory requirements and policies.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Pokeno Playcentre completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration. 

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)

• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)

• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)

• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

In order to improve current practice the centre needs to strengthen measures which prevent injury in the event of an earthquake. [Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, HS 6]

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Pokeno Playcentre will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty

30 June 2017 

The Purpose of ERO Reports

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning. 

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service 

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:

• Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
• Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
• Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
• Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.

ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.

A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.

For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.