37-41 Cleveland Street, Brooklyn, Wellington
View on mapERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Brooklyn Kids is one of a number of early childhood services owned and operated by Provincial Limited. The April 2017 ERO report identified key aspects of the curriculum and operation requiring further development. Since that time there has been a change in ownership, leadership and staffing. Ministry of Education support has been put in place until the end of 2020.
Teachers provide a programme that enables children to make decisions about their participation and learning experiences. The design and layout of the premises, both indoors and outside, support a range of activities. A policy framework and annual planning guide the service’s operation. Teacher appraisal is in place and internal evaluation is becoming established. Plans are in place to improve some playground surfacing and drainage. Better monitoring of the implementation of aspects of health and safety practices are required.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS1 HS6, HS17, PF7, PF13.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
18 November 2020
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Brooklyn Kids |
|
Profile Number |
45958 |
|
Location |
Wellington |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
114 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
109 |
|
Gender composition |
Male 59, Female 50 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 12, NZ European/Pākehā 49, Indian 9, Chinese 7, Filipino 5, African 5, Other ethnic groups 22 |
|
Review team on site |
October 2020 |
|
Date of this report |
18 November 2020 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, April 2017; Education Review, April 2014. |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:
having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
discussions with those involved in the service
consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below
Some key aspects of practice need further development to support continuous improvement.
Brooklyn Kids is a privately owned and operated early childhood centre located in Brooklyn, Wellington catering for children from three months old to school age. It is licensed for 114 children, including up to 35 aged under two years. Three classrooms cater for the different age bands: Kākano is for children aged from three months to two years; and Pihinga for those 18 months to three and a half. In May 2015, licensed numbers were increased from 72 to 114 children with the opening of a third classroom, Kōhuri, specifically for children aged from three to five years. Of the 108 children enrolled at the time of this ERO review, seven identify as Māori.
Two of the four owners are closely involved in the day-to-day administration and management of the service. A new fulltime management position was created in 2016. At the time of this ERO review, the permanent appointee was due to return to her position after maternity leave. Of the 18 teaching staff employed, 13 are registered teachers.
The philosophy guiding teaching and learning emphasises the importance of: offering an engaging learning environment; developing reciprocal relationships with families; nurturing positive learning dispositions in children; planning a varied curriculum responsive to children’s interests and needs; and valuing diversity.
The February 2014 ERO review identified the need to align the strategic direction and philosophy to annual planning, self review, professional development and the budget, and consider ways of making the curriculum more reflective of te ao Māori. Teachers also identified the need to strengthen their approach to assessment. These aspects of practice continue to require development. The rate of progress has been impacted on by organisational and staff changes, particularly in 2016.
Teachers are kind, caring and welcoming, working collaboratively to plan learning experiences for children. Their trusting relationships with children and strong focus on supporting them to develop socially is evident.
Spacious environments include resources to support children's learning in a range of domains. Teachers should consider reviewing some routines and practices to better facilitate children's interest in, and access to, learning materials over time. Plans are in place to lower some wall displays to support children's reflection on their participation in activities.
Flexible routines and consistent caregiving are in place to support infants' and toddlers' wellbeing and sense of belonging. However, overall, provision for these youngest children needs further development, particularly in relation to the quality of teachers' engagement with children, and the organisation of play and routine times.
Children's transitions in and through the centre are carefully considered and well facilitated. Individuals' needs are taken into account and supported by a familiar teacher.
A good relationship has been developed with the local school to support children's transitions from the service. Resources have been created for families, and activities planned for children. The next step is to develop ways of sharing information about each child's learning with teachers in schools.
The philosophy expresses a commitment to integrating a Māori perspective in the programme. Short phrases in te reo Māori are used by some staff and some resourcing has been put in place. Priority should be given to strengthening understanding of te ao Māori across the service to inform a more bicultural approach.
Teachers prioritise the importance of developing reciprocal relationships with families. Information about parents' views is sought and valued. Leaders agree that building learning partnerships with parents to support their children's development is a next step. Plans are in place to enact this initiative.
Guidelines outline expectations for the development of the learning programme for children. A more visual approach to planning for learning has been adopted. Teachers are planning specific activities linked to children's emerging interests and themes. Some portfolios show how teachers are noticing, recognising and responding to children's interests and working to include parents' input in their approach. As teams are becoming established they should focus on:
formally planning to meet parents' aspirations for their children's learning
planning to add complexity to children's learning over time
acknowledging families' cultures, languages and identities in assessment documentation
strengthening evaluation of planning for the group.
Team culture continues to build as new staff settle into the centre. Collaborative ways of working and reflective practice are being encouraged. Further clarification of expectations for roles and teams across the service is planned. Future plans include increasing the proportion of experienced teachers on staff to better support the sustainability of outcomes.
Suitable development-focused support is in place for teachers. Those that are provisionally certificated participate in externally facilitated induction and mentoring. The centre appraisal process supports remaining staff.
Teachers' and leaders' understanding and use of internal evaluation needs further development to better inform decision making about improvement.
The quality of governance and management continues to develop. Leadership of the service is becoming more defined. A good range of guidelines is in place. A longer term strategic plan which identifies priorities, outcomes, roles, timelines and actions should be developed. Linking this to the budget, internal evaluation and staff development is likely to support the sustainability of operation. The owner has made a useful decision to more closely link the budget to emerging teaching and learning priorities.
ERO's evaluation has found that next steps for development are to:
improve the programme for infants and toddlers
strengthen the organisation of resources for children's learning
promote teacher capability through planned development opportunities linked to centre priorities and teacher needs
strengthen planning for learning
prioritise the development of teachers' understanding of te ao Maori and implementation of a more bicultural perspective across the service
strengthen internal evaluation to support sustained good practice and continuous improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Brooklyn Kids 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance relating to health and safety. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following area:
ensure that heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall and cause serious injury, in the event of an earthquake, are secured. [Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008]
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 Brooklyn Kids will be within two years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
7 April 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.
|
Location |
Wellington |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45958 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
114 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
108 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 56, Girls 52 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Asian Other European |
7 85 8 8 |
|
|
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 |
January 2017 |
||
|
Date of this report |
7 April 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2014 |
|
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.