Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell

Education institution number:
80051
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
51
Telephone:
Address:

25 A Gilling Place, Cromwell

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Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell - 08/05/2018

Here is the latest report for the Governing Organisation that this service is part of.

 

1 Evaluation of Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell

How well placed is Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell 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

Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell is licensed to provide education and care for up to 44 children from 8.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. This includes up to 12 children under two years old.

The centre's philosophy, along with the local environment and history is clearly visible and reflects the valued teaching practices. This is guided by a well-considered vision that sets a clear commitment to quality early childhood education for all children. The core principles of the centre are underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Seven of the nine teachers are early childhood-trained and qualified and two more are 'in training'. The centre manager was appointed in 2017. The centre is committed to developing its bicultural practices and recognises the importance of integrating Te Whāriki, the Early Childhood Curriculum, across the teaching and learning programme. The centre provides good quality education and care in a secure child-oriented environment.

The centre has responded well to meeting the next steps in its 2015 ERO report. Links with other early childhood services in the area have helped to support and encourage ongoing professional development and dialogue for teachers.

The Review Findings

Children succeed in a learning environment where language, culture and identity are valued. The curriculum is responsive to the strengths, needs and interests of children. Parents and whānau are involved in their child's learning through the effective use of digital learning portfolios. Early literacy and numeracy is well supported by teachers, with a strong focus on building oral language skills for children.

Children benefit from a range of interesting learning opportunities within a broad-based curriculum. They are encouraged to care for and respect the resources and environment. The environment offers challenges and interest that provoke curiosity for children.

Teachers know children and their families/whānau well. Centre and home links are well established. Children's language development is nurtured and sustained through meaningful interactions with their peers and with adults. Teachers are reflective and critique each other and their own teaching practices in order to improve.

Infants and toddlers experience positive, sensitive and responsive interactions with their teachers. Relationships that are secure promote the development of children's positive sense of self. Teachers maintain a calm and unhurried pace in which younger children have space and time to lead their learning. Responsive caregiving supports infants' and toddlers' need for strong and secure relationships.

Teachers provide a bicultural programme that includes kaupapa Māori concepts such as manaakitanga, wairuatanga, whānaungatanga and kaitiakitanga. Teachers are confident to use te reo Māori which reflects the competencies in Tātaiako (cultural competencies) for teachers of Māori learners. Leaders support staff to undertake further study to develop and grow their own cultural competency and proficiency with te reo me ona tikanga Māori. They provide and resource professional learning opportunities for teachers to increase their skills in other learning areas.

Key Next Steps

Barnardos management / leadership team and ERO agree, that the key next steps to improve outcomes for children are to:

  • strengthen internal evaluation processes by ensuring that an evaluative question is used alongside relevant and specific indicators
  • develop a centre-based annual plan that aligns to the Barnardos strategic plan, and include detail as to how the goals will be achieved
  • further strengthen the appraisal process
  • build consistency in the quality of learning stories to show what teachers will do to support further learning for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell 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 Barnardos Early Learning Centre Cromwell will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

8 May 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

LocationCromwell
Ministry of Education profile number80051
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for44 children, including up to 12 aged under 2
Service roll61
Gender composition

Boys: 31

Girls: 30

Ethnic compositionMāori: 
Pākehā:
Other:

54 
5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

50-79%
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:5Meets minimum requirements
Over 21:1Meets minimum requirements
Review team on siteJanuary 2018
Date of this report8 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewMarch 2015
Education ReviewAugust 2011

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.

Barnardos KidStart Childcare - Cromwell Early Learning Centre - 05/03/2015

1 Evaluation of Barnardos KidStart Childcare - Cromwell Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Barnardos KidStart Childcare - Cromwell Early Learning Centre 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

This community-based Barnardos centre is licensed for 44 children aged from 0-5 years. The centre is open for the full day. Most children begin in the infant/toddler room and then move into the over two-year-old room. The centre has a close relationship with its neighbouring primary school.

A senior Barnardos teacher was appointed as the centre manager in January 2014. Most of the other teachers are experienced, fully qualified and have worked at the centre for some time.

A special feature of the centre is its spacious and interesting play/garden area. This is an exciting place for children to explore and be physically challenged.

In the last year, teachers have made steady progress in addressing the recommendation in ERO’s 2010 report. This was to improve the way they plan, assess and evaluate children’s learning.

The Review Findings

Children and their families are made to feel very welcome. Teachers know the children well and are respectful and caring in their relationships. They listen carefully to children’s ideas and contributions. They sensitively ensure that full-day children can find a balance of quiet and busy times and places within the centre.

Children also benefit from the way:

  • teachers intentionally build on and extend their language and thinking
  • the seamless centre routines are used as opportunities for learning and fostering children’s independence
  • teachers deliberately foster their social skills, such as working with others
  • their ideas, choices and views about their learning are valued.

Children experience many well-planned and interesting learning opportunities.

This is evident in the:

  • strong focus on appreciating the living world, such as caring for animals and the garden
  • natural inclusion of te reo Māori and te ao Māori in the day-to-day programme
  • way local people, places and things are used to enrich children’s learning
  • way teachers’ passions for different learning areas are used to excite and extend children
  • inclusion of mathematics and literacy in everyday play.

Teachers thoughtfully consider the interests and needs of particular groups of children. Examples of this include the:

  • transition to school, forest exploration and movement programmes to engage and extend older children
  • genuine effort to learn about and value children’s different cultural backgrounds and life experiences.

The needs of each infant and toddler are very well met by primary caregivers who work in a calm, unhurried and respectful way. They sensitively notice and respond to children’s nonverbal cues and encourage their emerging oral language. The transition into the older-children’s room happens when it best suits each child.

Children’s profile books show that teachers value the children’s language, culture and identity. In the best examples, these showed how teachers add complexity to children’s learning over time and respond to parents’ wishes about their child’s learning.

The new centre manager has implemented well-considered change, promoted shared leadership and provided strong direction for teachers. Considerable work has been done towards increasing everyone’s understanding of te ao Māori and making this evident in centre programmes.

Teachers work well as a team and value each other’s strengths. They think carefully about what they do and how they can improve. They frequently use self review as a tool to guide improvements in the centre. Centre leaders and teachers identify self review as an ongoing focus.

The centre manager and teachers receive regular and useful support from key people in the Barnardos organisation. Recent developments include an improved appraisal system and self-review framework. There are efficient and effective systems in place to ensure smooth day-to-day operations and good health and safety practices. Feedback from staff and parents is regularly sought and used when developing plans for future improvement.

Key Next Steps

The next steps are to:

  • review the centre’s philosophy to ensure that it clearly reflects teachers’ and parents’ priorities for children’s learning
  • be more explicit about intended group learning and the strategies teachers will use to achieve this
  • consistently show in children’s assessment, their next steps for learning, and how teachers have supported children to make progress over time.

The centre has a useful three-year development plan. The next step is to develop an annual plan that shows how they will achieve each year’s goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Barnardos KidStart Childcare - Cromwell Early Learning Centre 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 Barnardos KidStart Childcare - Cromwell Early Learning Centre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern

5 March 2015

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Cromwell

Ministry of Education profile number

80051

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

44 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Service roll

66

Gender composition

Girls: 37

Boys: 29

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Other

5

56

4

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

December 2014

Date of this report

5 March 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

August 2011

 

Education Review

August 2008

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.