Amber Grove, Upper Hutt CBD, Upper Hutt
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.
Birchville Kindergarten operates from 8:30am until 2:30pm, Monday to Friday. Daily sessional places are available for children aged two to five years.
The well-established permanent teaching team all have full certification. Since the October 2013 ERO report, teachers and families have worked together to further improve to the outdoor environment to enhance learning spaces for children.
The kindergarten philosophy aligns with principles of Te Whāriki with a particular focus on the natural environment.
Birchville Kindergarten is one of 85 kindergartens and three home-based education and care networks governed and managed by He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Free Kindergarten Association Incorporated (the association). This is a new kindergarten association created from joining the Rimutaka and Wellington Kindergarten Associations in 2014. This is the first review for this kindergarten since the merger.
The board and managers provide governance for the organisation. Senior teachers have delegated kindergartens. Their role is to provide regular support and a range of professional learning and development opportunities for teachers.
In 2012, the Wellington association developed a framework to guide the implementation of its curriculum, Te Manawa. This document outlines criteria for curriculum delivery, including expectations for assessment and planning for children’s learning. Its introduction within this and other ex-Rimutaka Kindergartens occurred during 2015, with each kindergarten adapting it to respond to their community.
The October 2013 ERO report for Birchville Kindergarten identified areas for review and development in relation to planning and assessment, success for Māori children and self review.
This review was part of a cluster of nine reviews in the He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Free Kindergarten Association Incorporated.
The programme is responsive to children's individual and group interests and ideas. Teachers note and discuss ideas to support their learning. Planning includes reference to children’s developing learning dispositions. Personal portfolios record children's progress over time and their participation in the life of the kindergarten. A focus on intentional teaching strategies should support the recently introduced approach to individual plans.
Teachers focus on developing positive relationships between home and the kindergarten. They know children well. Parent involvement is valued. Regular communication with parents has led to increased sharing of aspirations for their child and contributes to programme decision-making.
Children with specific learning needs are welcomed and supported by close partnerships with whānau and external agencies. Teachers have developed an effective system to ensure they are well supported to participate in learning.
Children are confident learners. Teachers support and encourage them to solve problems, take risks and explore through play. The outdoor area has been carefully developed to support an exciting range of challenging learning experiences. Staff actively build children’s skills and understanding of the local natural bush environment through the weekly Ngā Tamariki Ngahere programme.
A range of opportunities are provided for children to learn about their dual cultural heritage. Teachers involvement in professional training supports their developing capability in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and establishing relationships with mana whenua. Staff show a willingness to further explore ways of enhancing culturally responsive practices for Māori learners.
The experienced head teacher and established teaching team work well together. Each staff member plays an active role in the kindergarten’s development. They are reflective and meet regularly to share ideas about teaching and learning. The senior teacher is supporting the team to use a more evaluative approach to promote change and improvement. Internal evaluation is increasingly used to inquire into the effectiveness of curriculum decisions.
The senior teacher provides termly written feedback on agreed development priorities and the quality of teaching and learning. Annual internal evaluation supports strengthening of these termly reports. There is a deliberate focus on outcomes for children and teacher/leader performance.
A strengthened appraisal model is being implemented across the kindergartens. This includes focused goals that build teacher and leader capability and clearer links with the Practising Teacher Criteria. Leaders and teachers at Birchville Kindergarten should continue to strengthen their appraisal practice.
Leaders, teachers and ERO agree the key next steps are to continue to:
develop shared understanding of processes for effective internal evaluation
refine and embed assessment and planning practices
build practices that promote a bicultural curriculum and Māori and Pacific children's success.
The association should continue to support the development of formal critique of teaching practice and strengthening responsiveness to Māori children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Birchville Kindergarten 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 Birchville Kindergarten will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
30 May 2017
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 |
Upper Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5315 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
53 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 34, Boys 19 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Fijian Vietnamese British Other ethnic groups |
3 41 1 2 2 4 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
30 May 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2010 |
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Education Review |
December 2006 |
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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:
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 |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Birchville Kindergarten is located in Upper Hutt and caters for children aged from two to five years. It is an all-day centre and licensed for 40 children. At the time of this review 43 children, including seven Māori and two Pacific, are enrolled.
The teaching team comprises a head teacher and four fully qualified teachers. The kindergarten philosophy emphasises the importance of nurturing children and supporting and extending their learning in a natural environment. Teachers value learning through the natural world.
The Rimutaka Kindergarten Association (the association) governs the kindergarten effectively, and provides senior teacher support. The association is committed to maintaining 100% of teachers being qualified. Clear policy guidelines outline association expectations for developing the programme and managing day-to-day operations.
The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was part of a cluster of eleven kindergarten reviews in the Rimutaka Kindergarten Association.
The kindergarten philosophy is evident in practice. Children’s interests are the starting point. Exploration and discovery are promoted and supported through a thoughtfully resourced environment. Children are encouraged to try new things in their own way, in their own time.
Te Whāriki underpins kindergarten practice. Planning is based on children's emerging interests. Teachers use diaries and profiles to notice and document children’s learning and interests. Effective teaching strategies support children’s learning. Teachers use questioning well to promote thinking and extend play. They encourage children to lead their own learning and set their own goals. An agreed next step is to strengthen the planning and assessment process to clearly show significant learning over time.
Teachers value parent contributions. They consulted with parents when developing their philosophy. Strengthening relationships was the self review for 2012. Good relationships exist between teachers and parents, many of whom stay on and work alongside children during sessions.
Profiles provide parents with a record of their child’s involvement in the programme over time. The teaching team intends to strengthen the use of parent aspirations to drive planning for individuals. ERO agrees with this direction.
ERO’s evaluation considers that the plan to continue to review the quality of relationships through a cultural lens will help strengthen teacher’s ability to respond to the bicultural and multicultural perspectives of families and whānau. Teachers know their children’s strengths and interests well. They establish learning conversations with children, affirming positive play and encouraging independence by giving children time to work out their own issues.
Māori perspectives can be seen in resources and displays. Some use of te reo Māori is evident. The team should define and develop a shared view of what success for Māori children as Māori means in this context.
Promoting success for Pacific children and respecting and including all cultural identities have been identified as appraisal goals for teachers. Use of the Ministry of Education Pasifika plan is likely to assist the process.
Teachers clearly recognise the value of providing an inclusive education. Children identified as requiring extra support are well supported. Individual plans (IPs) are developed collaboratively with parents and whānau to maximise children’s learning opportunities. However, goals are not well monitored. Teachers should strengthen their documentation systems and monitor IPs on a more regular basis to see if goals have been achieved and to appropriately identify new goals.
Teachers support children's transition to school well. The kindergarten is part of the Upper Hutt Professional Learning Community (UPLC) which is an association-led initiative for its kindergartens and local schools. Staff at Birchville Kindergarten have established relationships with teachers in local schools through this cluster. They also visit and make contact with teachers in schools not involved in the cluster initiative.
A calm, busy atmosphere promotes learning. Positive, friendly and respectful interactions are evident. Children are confident to approach adults, seeking help, asking questions and sharing achievements.
Teachers work collaboratively with each other. They foster opportunities for children to take leadership roles. Leadership is strongly improvement focused. Senior teachers provide well-targeted, ongoing support and guidance for staff. They promote regular professional development opportunities.
A sound framework for self review is established. Effective and frequent spontaneous review supports planned review. Teachers have identified a need to make review more focused developing clear, evaluative overarching questions and indicators. ERO’s external evaluation supports this direction.
The association’s strategic and annual plans are used to develop kindergarten goals. Progress towards meeting the goals is regularly monitored.
The kindergarten team is implementing the newly developed 2013 association appraisal process. Personal goals are already completed. The 2012 process was well implemented. Feedback from this affirms good practice and identifies areas for ongoing improvement and development.
The team and ERO agree that key next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Birchville Kindergarten 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 Birchville Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)
31 October 2013
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 |
Upper Hutt |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5315 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
43 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 23 Boys 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Asian Other ethnic groups |
7 27 2 4 3 |
|
|
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 |
N/A |
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|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
August 2013 |
||
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Date of this report |
31 October 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 2003 |
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.