8 Queen Street, Waitara
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Learning Adventures Waitara, previously known as Bubbles Waitara, is owned and operated by Evolve Education Group 5 Ltd (Evolve). The centre was purchased by Evolve in October 2016. A Ministry of Education licensing visit in January 2017 resulted in it being placed on a provisional licence. A full licence was re-issued in May 2018.
The service is licensed for 60 children aged over two years. Of the 63 children enrolled, 38 are Māori. Full-day education and care is provided in the purpose-built facility. Most teachers are qualified.
Governance and management is undertaken by Evolve. An area manager, appointed in 2017, has overall responsibility for all Evolve early learning services in this region. Since the November 2014 ERO report, a new centre manager has been appointed with oversight for day-to-day operation. There has been a high turnover of staff. The service is recruiting to fill current vacancies.
The philosophy emphasises the importance of tamariki being confident socially, physically, emotionally and culturally.
The previous ERO report identified significant areas requiring development. This included: strategic and annual planning to better inform centre priorities for teaching and learning; inquiring into the effectiveness and suitability of the formal "Topclass" literacy and numeracy for older children; and further strengthening the appraisal process. Non-compliance with regulations was also identified.
A Ministry of Education funded programme of support, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) was provided in November 2015. Additional professional development was also accessed. Progress is evident and areas of compliance have now been addressed.
This review was part of three in the Evolve organisation.
Children actively participate in a play-based learning programme in the well-resourced centre. They make decisions about who they play with and where. Teachers work alongside them guiding and supporting their interests. Positive interactions and the use of rich oral language extends children's developing vocabulary. Literacy and numeracy are valued and well integrated into the programme. Children's sense of belonging is promoted.
Recent professional development supports teachers' knowledge about, and understanding of, working with the service's youngest children. Leaders agree that this should continue to be a focus of professional learning to further strengthen practice.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are valued parts of the programme. Children are offered many opportunities to experience te ao Māori.
Group planning is based on children's interests. Intentional teaching extends identified interests and strengthens links to home settings. This teaching approach is a recent development and ongoing support is provided by the area manager.
'Pukapuka' books are used well by teachers to record aspects of children's engagement in the programme and developing friendships. Next steps for leaders are to build teachers' capacity and develop procedures to support consistent assessment practice. These include:
regularly planning for individual children in a way that recognises their cultures, languages and identities
formally seeking and planning to meet parents aspirations for their children's learning
planning that adds challenge and complexity to children's learning and record their individual progress over time.
Increased monitoring and evaluation of assessment, by leaders, is required to ensure centre expectations are being effectively implemented. This is a priority.
Regular visits by the area manager are valued by centre leaders. To strengthen support, visit reports should be more comprehensive and evaluative. It is timely for Evolve to promote deeper understanding of the shifts in practice required to fully enact the intent of Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum.
Comprehensive systems and processes are in place to effectively support children's transitions into the centre and on to school. Useful information is available for families and children about local schools.
A focus on improvement is evident. The appraisal process has been strengthened to better support growth in teacher practice. Professional development is valued and aligned to centre priorities. Leadership is supported by the area manager. Strategic and annual planning reflects centre priorities for teaching and learning.
New ownership in 2016 prompted an in-depth review of the centre philosophy. Wide consultation has taken place and has informed decisions about the development of this process. Teachers are working to embed the philosophy in their practice. A suitable internal evaluation framework is in place that should support decisions about improvements. Teachers have yet to evaluate the impact of changes on outcomes for children. Leaders agree there is a need to build capacity in evaluation. At governance level internal evaluation is used well to support improvement.
Useful systems are in place to monitor health and safety, recruitment and legislative requirements.
At centre level, leaders and ERO agree next steps are to continue to strengthen:
teachers' understanding of working with the service's youngest children
the quality, consistency and monitoring of assessment for learning
understanding and use of internal evaluation for improved outcomes.
At governance and management level, next steps are to strengthen:
area manager visit reports that provide a fuller picture of the centre's performance overtime and next steps for improved outcomes
support for teachers to fully enact the intent of Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum.
Before the review, the staff and management of Learning Adventures Waitara 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 Learning Adventures Waitara will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
15 November 2018
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.
|
Location |
Waitara |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45308 |
|
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
60 children aged over 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
63 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 32, Girls 31 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
38 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
September 2018 |
|
|
Date of this report |
15 November 2018 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2014 |
|
Education Review |
June 2011 |
|
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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Bubbles Waitara requires further development of management systems and the delivery of teaching and learning programmes to be well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Bubbles Waitara is a purpose-built, privately owned centre located in Waitara. It is one of seven services under the umbrella of Bubbles Limited and provides education and care for up to 60 children aged from three to five years. The centre operates between 9.00am to 4.00pm from Monday to Friday. Currently there are 28 Māori children on the roll. A bus purchased with Ministry of Education funding allows greater numbers of children access to daily sessions.
Centre owners are responsible for governance and management of the centre. A programme manager (PM), appointed in April 2014, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the centre, with support from an operations manager. The PM also monitors the quality of curriculum provision and supports teachers’ ongoing professional learning and growth.
ERO's 2011 report identified a number of areas for development and review. The “Topclass” literacy and numeracy programme for older children continues to require review to link to current early childhood theories and practices. Teachers have accessed professional development to support strengthening bicultural awareness and aspects of teaching and learning.
This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the Bubbles organisation.
Children are busy, purposeful, active learners. Teachers increasingly support and encourage emerging interests and foster child-led inquiries and investigations. Early literacy and numeracy experiences are integrated meaningfully through the context of play. Learning and development are celebrated and shared between teachers and parents in informative portfolios and attractive wall displays.
Teachers focus on developing close partnerships between homes and the centre. They work collaboratively to establish a welcoming and inclusive environment in which children are first and foremost valued and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning.
Children are developing skills that support them as capable, confident lifelong learners. Teachers know children well. Children are encouraged to talk, listen and question during interactions with teachers and peers. Flexible routines, including at meal times, meet children’s needs and encourage self management.
Teachers acknowledge and value the cultural identity of Māori learners, linked to place and identity. Te aō Maori is becoming a meaningful part of children’s daily experience. Waiata, pepeha and the use of te reo Māori reflect curriculum priorities. A next step for teachers is to make use of Ka Hikitia: Accelerating Success and Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Māori Learners to further enhance culturally responsive practices.
Children’s sense of belonging is paramount when settling into the centre and moving on to school. The service is successfully establishing positive relationships with local schools so that children’s confidence and capability at the centre transfers to the classroom at school.
Managing change to strengthen centre practices is a focus for the newly appointed PM. Her leadership is supportive and collaborative. Developing systems for planned and spontaneous self review promote ongoing reflection and improvement.
The service philosophy has not been recently reviewed. ERO agrees that philosophy review should include parents' aspirations and agreed curriculum and teaching practice.
The Bubbles 2014-to-2015 management plan requires strengthening. The focus of the plan is on centre operations and a broad teaching and learning objective for the seven centres. Consideration should be given to developing a plan collaboratively with teachers and parents that identies priorities and associated goals to strengthen individual centre operations. This should include governors and managers developing a better understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities.
Management should support teachers to continue developing and increasing shared understanding of formal, in-depth, evidence-based self review to enhance decision-making. Further development should include:
Further strengthening of the teacher appraisal processes to enhance outcomes for children should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Bubbles Waitara 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:
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management and the provision of an effective early childhood education for children. To meet requirements the service needs to ensure that:
To improve current practice, centre management should make sure that all non-registered personnel, including managers and volunteers, are police vetted every three years.
ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Bubbles Waitara will be within two years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region
21 November 2014
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.
|
Location |
Waitara |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45308 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
60 children aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
63 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 39 Girls 24 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Other European |
28 32 1 2 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
N/A |
|
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
21 November 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2011 |
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:
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.