BestStart Herewini Street

Education institution number:
40063
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
80
Telephone:
Address:

20 Herewini Street, Rotorua Central, Rotorua

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ABC Rotorua Central - 16/03/2018

1 Evaluation of ABC Rotorua Central

How well placed is ABC Rotorua Central to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

ABC Rotorua Central is an all-day centre providing education and care for children from birth to school age. The centre is organised in two age specific areas and is staffed with mostly longstanding and qualified teachers. The centre licence allows for a maximum of 75 children, at any one time, including up to 20 under the age of two years.

The centre's philosophy aims for children to be confident, competent life-long learners, prepared for the next stage in life, being socially and emotionally ready and having a willingness to learn. Through the philosophy the centre promotes a home-like environment where the individuality of a child and its family is respected and cultural diversity is celebrated. The centre endeavours to promote bicultural practices, children's curiosity, confidence, inclusiveness and a sense of fun.

The centre is part of the BestStart organisation which is owned by the Wright Family Foundation, a Charitable Trust. BestStart provides comprehensive policy guidelines, strategic direction and financial and business management. Professional guidance and development for staff is provided through appraisal which includes teacher inquiry, internal reviews such as the quality education and care evaluation (QEC) and professional learning opportunities. The centre is supported by business and professional services managers, who work collaboratively with the centre manager. Management also supports the implementation of the company and centre’s visions and strategic goals. Centre goals cover curriculum, programme, communication, consultation, staffing, premises and resources.

Since ERO’s last review in October 2014 a new centre manager and professional services manager have been appointed. Teachers have engaged in professional learning and development to strengthen aspects of bicultural practice and assessment and planning. 

The Review Findings

BestStart provides effective governance for the centre. A key guiding document is the quality Education and Care (QEC) evaluation which drives a model of continual improvement. The QEC is a well-established aspect of self review that informs strategic and annual planning, identifies priorities for professional practice, centre operations and improved outcomes for children.

Leadership effectively promotes a culture of mutual respect and collaboration within the centre. Leaders and teachers have a shared commitment to the centre's philosophy, vision and goals. Through professional sharing, reflective practice and focused learning and development teachers are enhancing their individual and collective capability. Leaders and staff provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for all children and their families. High levels of mutual respect and collaboration contribute to children’s wellbeing and belonging.

Curriculum design effectively promotes learning through play and exploration. The daily programme allows children to make choices and engage in significant periods of sustained and uninterrupted play. Children’s independence and self management are actively encouraged through responsive and flexible routines. The centre's priority for encouraging healthy food and physical activity is well supported by a number of health promoting initiatives. Children demonstrate increasing independence and confidence to communicate their preferences and make decisions about their play and self-care.

There is an increasing presence of te reo and tikanga Māori in the centre. Recent developments include consideration given to the natural environment and the creation of pepeha and waiata specific to the centre. These initiatives along with teachers' inclusion of te reo and tikanga Māori affirm Māori and other children in their identity, and to have a sense of belonging and connection with the local area.

Quality assessment and planning processes are continuing to be developed. Teachers have recently introduced a process for identifying goals for individual children. This process takes account of parents’ ideas and aspirations for their children. The increased use of online communication has enhanced opportunities for parents and wider family to be involved in, and contribute to, children’s learning. Centre leaders and teachers acknowledge the need to continue to develop clear and coherent processes for assessment planning and evaluation. Important considerations in this development include a focus on building on children’s interest and funds of knowledge.

Relationships between teachers and children are consistently positive and respectful. Teachers know all children and their families well through reciprocal and open communication. Respectful practices, gentle and well-paced transitions allow very young children to feel settled and secure. Freedom of movement is also a feature of practice and the environment for children up to two years. Features of teachers practice throughout the centre include:

  • warm and nurturing interactions with children
  • positive transitions from home, within the centre and on to school
  • good-quality models of oral language
  • meaningful integration of literacy and mathematics
  • thoughtful and inviting presentation of learning environments. 

Key Next Steps

An ongoing priority for the leadership team is to strengthen their coaching and mentoring practices. This should grow teachers’ understanding and confidence to consistently implement current best practice. Consideration should be given to:

  • empowerment of children as capable and competent decision makers and learners in all areas of the curriculum
  • developing agreed best practice for working with and supporting children and families for whom English is the second language
  • strengthening learning partnerships with parents to deepen their understanding of play-based learning.

Managers recognise the need to strengthen the appraisal process by formalising observations of teachers' practice, consistent with education Council expectations.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of ABC Rotorua Central 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. 

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of ABC Rotorua Central will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

16 March 2018 

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 

Location

Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

40063

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

85

Gender composition

Boys                      48
Girls                       37

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Filipino
Indian
Chinese
Pacific

32
18
15
12
  4
  4

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49%       50-79%       80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2018

Date of this report

16 March 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

December 2014

Education Review

March 2012

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.

ABC Rotorua Central - 17/12/2014

1 Evaluation of ABC Rotorua Central

How well placed is ABC Rotorua Central to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

ABC Rotorua Central is located in the suburb of Victoria, Rotorua. The centre is licensed to provide all-day and sessional care and learning for 75 children including 25 children under two years old. At the time of this ERO review there were 94 children on the roll including 28 who are identified as Māori and a number of children from other ethnic groups. The centre provides two separate, age-based areas adjacent to each other. One area is for children under two years and the other for mixed ages from two years to school age.

The centre operates under the governance umbrella of Kidicorp Ltd. The Hamilton regional office of Kidicorp Ltd was established in 2012 and provides strong and effective governance, leadership and management support underpinned by Kidicorp’s clear vision and values. There are well-developed and rigorous self review and quality assurance processes as well as professional, administrative and business support by well qualified and experienced personnel.

The recent appointment of a well-qualified professional services manager, an enthusiastic and visionary centre manager and a new head teacher for the under-two area have seen many improvements to centre organisation.

Significant progress has been made with the areas for development identified in the March 2012 ERO report about strengthening self-review processes. There are now effective self-review processes and frameworks that contribute to ongoing centre development and improvement. Recent upgrades to the environment have improved children’s access to the natural world and created an aesthetically pleasing, adventurous environment for children’s learning and care.

Good use is made of the complimentary centre van, without which some children would not be able to attend this centre.

The recently reviewed philosophy places priority on supporting children to be school ready as confident, competent lifelong learners.

The Review Findings

Children are welcomed into a well-planned, interesting and attractively presented environment. They demonstrate high levels of engagement as they explore and investigate the many well-equipped areas.

Children up to the age of two have a separate, safe and home-like environment for learning. They are cared for by experienced teachers who focus on providing them with strong and secure relationships with a designated primary caregiver. The programme is relaxed and teachers maintain a calm slow pace in which younger children have space and time to make decisions about their own learning. There are imaginative, creative spaces that provide children with ready access to the natural world, both indoors and outside.

Accessible, challenging and appropriate equipment fosters children’s confidence and capability. They enjoy many opportunities to share stories, songs and finger plays with their teachers and friends. Centre displays invite them to revisit and share their learning. Teachers in the under two area have developed a specific centre philosophy underpinned by respectful, responsive practices.

Transitions into the centre enable children and their families to experience a strong sense of belonging and well being. Routines are well understood by children and are flexible to allow them to sustain their play and make choices. Children are building their self managing skills and confidence as independent learners.

Children over the age of two enjoy a spacious environment where there are many opportunities to chose from a wide variety of well resourced learning areas. Teachers encourage children to use this environment well to extend their knowledge and foster their wondering and creativity. Children’s social skills are developing as they make friendships and participate in group times as well as times for dramatic and imaginative play in a child-friendly environment.

The ‘Be School Ready’ approach is well integrated into the centre philosophy and contributes to children’s developing understanding of early concepts of mathematics and literacy.

Māori children are able to learn in ways that affirm their culture. Teachers use te reo Māori in context, share waiata and himene with children, and use karakia at the beginning of each day.

One teacher promotes success for children of Pacific cultures by speaking Samoan, and sharing her knowledge and understanding of their culture with them. This teacher is also building the knowledge and understanding of the teaching team about Pacific culture and responsive practices.

Teachers are collegial, enthusiastic and reflective about improving their practice. They are a collaborative and highly professional team committed to working to fulfil the shared philosophy and vision of the centre.

ERO observed models of skilful teaching practice consistently implemented throughout the centre. Particular strengths observed were:

  • children encouraged by teachers to make goals and work to achieve them
  • teachers responding individually and sensitively to children’s care needs and during routines
  • teaching conversations that build children’s understanding of the purpose of their play and the world around them
  • the way children’s interests are followed and the use of open questions to enhance their problem solving skills
  • teachers inviting children to take leadership roles as they learn in small groups.

Teachers meet regularly to share professional learning and plan and assess the programme. Children’s learning is documented in portfolio books, e-portfolios and attractive centre displays. There are clear links from the planning to the programme and portfolio books. Parent aspirations are identified and included in summaries of children’s learning. Parents spoken to by ERO during the review, acknowledge the many positive improvements that have been made to the culture of the centre. They appreciate the friendly, approachable teachers and the homely atmosphere for their children‘s care and learning.

The centre manager's vision is to establish a centre that places priority on what is best for children and their families and whānau. She brings wide experience to her role and has a good understanding of self review practices that lead to centre improvement and development. These skills are contributing to building the leadership capability of the teaching team. She is well respected and sets high expectations for teaching. A positive and professional partnership with the Kidicorp business manager and professional services manager has been established and is resulting in positive outcomes for children and staff.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre leaders agree that next steps for development are to:

  • more strongly identify bicultural practices and links that reflect the stories and places of significance to local iwi, hapu and whānau
  • strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation processes to include children’s individual cultures and identity
  • evaluate the effectiveness of the planning cycle both during and at the end of planning to better identify the strengths and next steps for the planning process.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of ABC Rotorua Central 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of ABC Rotorua Central will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

17 December 2014

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

Location

Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

40063

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

94

Gender composition

Boys 48 Girls 46

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Indian

Chinese

Cook Island Maori

South East Asian

Other Asian

Samoan

Other European

African

Other

28

35

10

5

4

4

3

2

1

1

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2014

Date of this report

17 December 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

March 2012

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.