556 Fraser Street, Greerton, Tauranga
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Friends on Fraser Educare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Friends on Fraser Educare is an all-day early learning service situated in the Tauranga suburb of Greerton. It is a privately-owned centre with a current roll of 21 children, 17 of whom are Māori. Friends on Fraser Educare is licensed for 25 children, including five under two years of age. This small, mixed-age centre offers a family atmosphere and natural outdoor environment.
Since the 2016 ERO evaluation the centre has maintained stable staff and focused on improving the outside environment.
The philosophy of Friends on Fraser Educare aims for children to be nurtured in a ‘loving, respectful and stimulating environment that will build their self-esteem and self-confidence ‘.
Shared governance and leadership promote collaborative decision making. The centre philosophy has been reviewed and is woven through the programme in action. The strategic plan provides ongoing direction. A wide range of professional learning and development is accessed and is responsive to centre needs and teacher interests. Teachers' strengths and interests are recognised, and their views and ideas valued.
Children engage in wide range of activities where they can problem solve and explore their environment. Bi-cultural practices are valued and well implemented. Parents are welcomed and actively involved in the daily life of the centre. Individual children's portfolios record and affirm their successes and challenges. Well-resourced areas of play motivate and encourage sustained play. Trips and excursions into the local community extend children’s interests and knowledge of the world around them. A sense of belonging is nurtured during and after transitions into and within the centre, and when moving to school. Children have many opportunities to make sense of the natural, social, physical and material worlds.
Teachers' relationships with children and their whānau are nurturing, affirming and responsive. Children care for others wellbeing and support them to know and understand their environment. Teachers recognise and value the importance of children learning through sustained play in a calm and unhurried environment. They provide provocations to encourage children to make choices about their learning. Children’s self-management and independence are promoted to support their engagement in the learning environment. They demonstrate confidence and have a strong sense of belonging within the centre.
Children up to two years of age have easy access to an environment that is well resourced and provides time and space to explore. Daily rhythms and routines are well followed and give children a sense of security. Children with additional needs benefit from an inclusive environment.
The 2016 ERO evaluation identified areas for improvement in planning, assessment and evaluation, self-review and extending children’s culture, language and identity. These remain priorities and need to be addressed.
In addition to this leaders and teachers need to develop their knowledge and understanding of Te Whariki 2017 to strengthen the centre-wide practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Friends on Fraser Educare 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:
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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to staff appraisals and hazard identification. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
a system of regular appraisal needs to be implemented
there is a hazard identification process in place that includes an analysis of accidents.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008; GMA7, HS12]
Since the onsite phase of the review the service has provided evidence to ERO that there is now an appraisal process in place to be implemented and hazards to the safety of children are now eliminated, isolated or minimised.
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
10 February 2020
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.
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Location |
Greerton, Tauranga |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
40291 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
22 |
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Gender composition |
Female 13 Male 9 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
17 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2019 |
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Date of this report |
10 February 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2016 |
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Education Review |
September 2013 |
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Supplementary Review |
June 2010 |
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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.
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Friends on Fraser Educare is a privately owned education and care service located in the suburb of Greerton in Tauranga city. The centre provides a mixed-age programme for children from three months to school age. The two centre owners teach at the centre, with one undertaking the position of centre manager. The centre is licensed for 25 children, including five up to two years of age. The current roll of 20, includes 13 Māori children.
Since the previous ERO review in 2013 roll numbers have remained relatively stable and there has only been one change in the teaching team. Teachers have participated in a range of professional development initiatives to further develop their understanding of effective approaches to early childhood education and care.
The centre's philosophy makes a commitment to providing a nurturing, loving, respectful and stimulating environment that builds children's self esteem and self confidence.
The 2013 ERO report identified a need to strengthen aspects of the centre's self-review processes. While some progress has been made in addressing this, there remains a need for centre leaders to continue to develop self-review practices. This should better enable them to evaluate the effectiveness of centre operations.
Friends on Fraser Educare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
The centre provides a broad and rich programme. The programme is a good balance of child-initiated and teacher-led activities. Features of the programme include:
frequent excursions into the wider community, including regular visits to the local library, enable children to experience learning in meaningful contexts
many opportunities for children to explore and experience safe physical challenge in the outdoor environment
access to an appropriate range of resources and equipment that allow children to choose and direct their own play and learning
a recent focus on incorporating environmental sustainability in the programme.
Attractively presented individual portfolios provide whānau with a record of children's participation in the programme. They are easily accessible for children to read and revisit previous experiences.
A vision for incorporating bi-cultural practice within all aspects of the centre's operations has been developed. Clear expectations of how this could be implemented are needed. This approach should maintain and enhance Māori children's knowledge of their language, culture, and identity as Māori.
Infants and toddlers enjoy caring and nurturing relationships with teachers. Teachers communicate effectively with parents to support their care preferences. Parents appreciate the effective strategies teachers implement for managing children's care and developing social skills. There are many opportunities for them to interact with the older children in this mixed-age setting
Positive and caring interactions support children's sense of belonging and wellbeing. A special feature of the centre are the positive and affirming relationships that teachers have with children and whānau. They are welcoming of children and develop strong partnerships with whānau that enhance children's care and learning. There are many opportunities for whānau to participate in centre events and celebrations.
Teachers actively involve themselves alongside children in meaningful play that supports their learning and understanding. There are examples of effective strategies used to support children's thinking and problem solving skills. Leaders should now give priority for supporting consistent implementation of this effective practice.
Centre leaders provide a safe and caring environment for children, and support for whānau. They have developed a comprehensive framework to guide centre operations. These policies are regularly reviewed in consultation with teachers and parents. Positive teacher-child ratios contribute to a calm and settled environment for children. Leaders promote an inclusive culture and access appropriate support and guidance for children with special needs. They promote high levels of staff collaboration and model effective practices for teachers.
The key next steps for the centre are to strengthen teacher capability in:
assessment, planning and evaluation processes to support teachers to better respond to extending children's learning
teaching interactions to more intentionally focus on extending children's learning
extending practices that acknowledge and celebrate Māori children's language, culture and identity
further developing self-review practices to support leaders to make more informed decisions about centre development.
Further developing self-review practices is likely to support leaders to make more informed decisions about centre development.
Centre leaders' access external professional development for teachers to develop a shared understanding about effective teaching and learning, and self review at Friends on Fraser.
Before the review, the staff and management of Friends on Fraser 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Friends on Fraser will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
8 December 2016
|
Location |
Tauranga |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40291 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
20 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 11 Boys 9 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other |
13 4 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:2 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
October 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
8 December 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
September 2013 |
|
|
Supplementary Review |
June 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2009 |
||
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.
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.
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:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.