70 A Metcalfe Road, Ranui, Auckland
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Akoteu Falemaama Pre-School is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Akoteu Falemaama Pre-School is a Tongan, full-day early childhood service that is governed by the Auckland Tongan Methodist ECE Service Provider, under the jurisdiction of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. It provides for up to 50 children with a maximum of 15 up to two years of age. Most of the children attending are of Pacific heritage and a small number are Māori.
The board of governors is made up of members from the centre and the church community. It includes parent representatives, the pastor, and elders of the church. A new centre manager has been appointed and is responsible for centre operations and administration.
The service provides a bilingual curriculum that supports Tongan language and culture, underpinned by Christian values. Children are viewed as seeds with the potential to grow and blossom in their individuality together with a strong collective sense of identity and culture.
The centre's philosophy emphasises the importance of children receiving love and being nurtured within a stimulating learning environment. A supervisor is responsible for curriculum and teaching. There are three registered early childhood teachers and three support staff.
The centre manager and teachers have made progress in addressing key next steps identified from the 2016 ERO report. Areas for improvement included leadership, staff performance appraisal and privacy at board meetings.
Children are well supported to settle into the centre and are familiar with the centre routines. They experience respectful relationships with teachers and their peers and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. Children have opportunities to work independently or in groups. They follow and explore their curiosity and imagination through play.
The centre is well resourced. Children have access to a variety of resources and equipment, and a shared outdoor space. Teachers have created an attractive, inviting learning environment that supports children's sustained play.
Infants are particularly engaged and focused in their exploration. Teachers maintain a calm and unhurried programme in which younger children have space and time to lead their learning. There are caring tuakana/teina relationships between older and younger children. Teachers have positive relationships with children. Their interactions are nurturing and encouraging.
Some children speak confidently in multiple languages, including Tongan, Samoan and English. Teachers can speak and support children's languages, reaffirming their cultural identities. Teachers use several languages with children to increase vocabulary and promote oral language.
Children have opportunities to participate in literacy, mathematics and science experiences. Teachers should continue building their knowledge of how to extend children's understanding of science.
The service's commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand is enacted well by teachers and modelled for children. Children are learning to use te reo Māori through waiata and basic words.
Assessment and planning practices are effective. Planning priorities and intended learning outcomes for children identify effective teaching practices to support children's learning. Individual records of children's learning celebrate their personalities and interests.
Parents/whānau are beginning to contribute to what teachers know about children. Teachers identify children's learning in their curriculum evaluation. It would be useful for teachers to document how they respond to children's learning dispositions and working theories.
Leadership is highly effective in promoting and ensuring improved practices and systems are maintained. A useful internal evaluation process has been established. There is clear evidence that internal evaluation is contributing to improved teaching practices that contribute to positive outcomes for children. Teacher appraisal systems meet Teaching Council requirements. Teachers have identified strategic priorities and are systematically working towards achieving these.
Key next steps for ongoing improvement include:
increasing support for infants and toddlers to develop self-managing skills
improving teachers' knowledge and understanding of effective assessment practices and teaching strategies that focus on enhancing dispositional learning
evaluating the impact of curriculum experiences and teaching practices on learning outcomes for children
planned opportunities for teachers to talk about their practices and to build shared understandings about effective teaching approaches.
Before the review, the staff and management of Akoteu Falemaama Pre-School 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.
Since the on-site phase of this review, centre managers have taken steps to improve several aspects of health and safety procedures including administration of medication.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
24 January 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 |
Ranui, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25088 |
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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 |
50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
24 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 14 Boys 10 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Tongan other Pacific groups |
4 17 3 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
September 2019 |
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Date of this report |
24 January 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2016 |
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|
Education Review |
June 2011 |
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Education Review |
February 2008 |
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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.
Akoteu Falemaama Preschool is part of the Vai 'O e Mo'ui Church in Henderson, West Auckland and operates under the national synod of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, Vahefonua Tonga O Aotearoa. Included under the national synod is the Auckland Manukau Tongan Methodist Parish, who is the appointed service provider for Akoteu Falemaama Preschool as well as six other Tongan centres. Positive relationships and strong links between the church, community and preschool are evident.
Akoteu Falemaama literally translates as the "house of light" and aims to offer children and families a safe, nurturing and stimulating educational environment to grow and learn. Tongan language and culture are the basis for the curriculum.
The community-based preschool offers full day care and education and can cater for 50 children, including up to 15 under two years of age. Two qualified teachers are well supported by other staff in training or in support roles.
The preschool is governed by a board of trustees consisting of church and community members, parents, the centre manager and the service provider. A well implemented action plan helped the board and centre leaders respond to the areas for development identified by ERO during the 2011 review.
Children make independent choices about their play and enjoy exploring with and alongside each other. Their play flows well between the indoor and outdoor spaces. The programme is now more child led. Mat times and meal routines are responsive to children's preferences and level of engagement.
Children are confident and take a lead role in cultural routines such as lotu. They readily offer suggestions and choices for mat time songs and activities. Children are familiar with the range of languages used at mat time, and move easily between Tongan, English and te reo Māori.
The attractive and spacious centre environment is respected by children and adults. Significant and successful review of, and input into, the presentation of play areas invites children to participate and explore. Tongan themes and decor provides children with familiar and relevant resources. The designated area for children up to two years is well used to give the youngest children time together in their own space. At other times, they are well supported by teachers as they play happily alongside older children.
The curriculum is very responsive to children and reflects the preschool philosophy to immerse children in the Tongan culture. Teachers' focus on literacy and numeracy learning is also well reflected in wall displays and resources. Children's lunch boxes reflect teachers' successful promotion of healthy eating with families.
Staff work well together and are affectionate and caring towards children. They consistently use Tongan language in their interactions with children. Teachers have begun to plan the programme in response to what they notice about the interests of children. Teachers should use what they know about these interests to extend children's play and thinking through better use of their interactions with children. They also need to consider how they can better document children's learning over time.
Teachers are beginning to embed what they have learnt from the wide range of professional learning they have undertaken over several years. The board is providing external mentoring support for them to do this. Personnel policies and practices to support staff development are in place.
Good management and governance systems provide a sound base to guide the preschool's operation. The board of trustees have good oversight and are committed supporters of the preschool. Priorities from the recently developed strategic plan now need to be determined and planned for annually.
The establishment of very useful centre evaluation practices are resulting in positive changes. The shared leadership of regular and emergent review is growing collaborative practice. Teachers are using good questions to guide review and are seeking input from the centre community
Members of the board and centre leaders agree with ERO that next steps for the preschool include:
using mentoring support for staff to embed new practices and build leadership capability
holding regular appraisal meetings with staff and updating the appraisal process to include Education Council requirements
establishing an in-committee process for board meetings and ensuring that in-committee minutes are kept securely.
Before the review, the staff and management of Akoteu Falemaama Pre-School 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.
The next ERO review of Akoteu Falemaama Pre-School will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
28 April 2016
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 |
Ranui, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25088 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
22 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 11 Girls 11 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Tongan Samoan |
2 18 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
50-79% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
28 April 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
||
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.