How well placed is Carterton Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
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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.
Carterton Playcentre is one of three parent-led early childhood centres administered by the Wairarapa Playcentre Association, (the association), which oversees governance operations. An executive committee provides the adult education programme, guidance and support for members. A centre support person is employed by the executive to visit playcentres and provide professional advice and feedback to members to strengthen their practice and promote improvement.
Responsibility for day-to-day operations is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. Parents share the duties associated with implementing the programme. The playcentre operates mixed-age sessions three mornings per week.
Compliance concerns identified in the March 2013 ERO report have been addressed. The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) has provided centre members with professional learning and development (PLD) in self review, planning, assessment and evaluation, and positive guidance. This training has been helpful in the development of programmes for children.
This review was part of a cluster of three reviews within the Wairarapa Playcentre Association.
The curriculum is strongly child-led with adults taking supporting roles. The environment is welcoming, inclusive and promotes children's exploration and sense of adventure. Their creativity and imagination is intentionally nurtured. Routines aid children’s independence and foster a sense of belonging. Adults and children learn together and develop friendships with others.
The individual needs of learners are well supported. All children are seen as confident and competent and they are encouraged to make choices about their learning. There is regular review of the provision of spaces and materials to assist exploration. Practices provide well for children with identified special needs.
Useful processes for assessment have been established. Programme planning is informed by children’s interests, parents’ ideas and session evaluations. Leaders are committed to ongoing assistance for the development of members’ professional knowledge. Assessment of children’s learning is a current focus.
Māori and Pacific children have their cultures recognised in meaningful ways. Te ao Māori is reflected through waiata, signage and the use of basic te reo Māori. Further developing capability to provide programmes that are responsive to the cultural identity of families should enhance outcomes for children.
Leadership is collaborative and inclusive. A high level of trust is evident among members. Adults are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The need to grow and replace leaders to support future sustainability of the centre is recognised and acted upon.
Self review is developing and results in improvement and change. Good examples of review are shared with members in order to further develop their understanding. Strategic planning clearly identifies the service’s priorities. Agreed next steps are identified and progress is monitored against expected outcomes.
Leaders acknowledge that while they have made substantial progress since the previous ERO review, there is a need to continue to refine and embed developments.
Members have identified that they should continue to:
Since the previous review the association has provided new personnel to support centres. The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Carterton Playcentre 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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Carterton Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region
15 December 2014
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Location |
Carterton |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60001 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
25 children, including 15 aged up to 2 |
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|
Service roll |
35 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 18, Girls 17 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Tongan |
3 31 1 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
October 2014 |
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Date of this report |
15 December 2014 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) These are available at www.ero.govt.nz |
Education Review |
March 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2009 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2006 |
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.
How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?
Carterton Playcentre is not well placed to promote positive outcomes for children. The capacity of the Wairarapa Playcentre Association (the association) to deliver and sustain high quality practices cannot be assured.
Carterton Playcentre is one of six administered by the Wairarapa Playcentre Association. The association’s executive committee’s role is to provide general guidance and support for members and centres and leadership for:
Since the 2009 ERO reviews of the association centres, a core group of personnel have undertaken roles at executive level. With the recent exodus of the majority of these members, the capacity of the association to provide effective governance and leadership is at risk.
This service offers three sessions per week, one less than at the time of the previous review. Many parents are new playcentre members.
For some time, a small core group has taken responsibility for managing this playcentre. Key personnel have recently stepped down from their roles as office holders and new members have come forward to replace them. A stronger sense of group commitment is emerging.
The centre has recently undergone a Ministry of Education relicensing inspection. Members have been informed that the service will be on a transitional licence until all requirements of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 are met. Relicensing has become a challenging and major focus for development across the association.
External professional development is underway to support planning for learning and aspects of self review.
The centre has previously had a positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in five early childhood education services within the Wairarapa Playcentre Association. name of umbrella organisation
The good quality learning environment promotes children's interest, exploration of materials and sustained play. Members are friendly, inclusive and welcoming. The calm and settled tone fosters engagement in learning. Free play and a sense of fun are valued and encouraged. Children’s creativity and self-expression are well supported and celebrated. Parents supervise well. Areas of play are spacious and well resourced. The outdoor area is popular and presents a variety of physically challenging play experiences.
Members have had little support to develop a Māori perspective in the programme. Leaders would like to strengthen links with local iwi to support an authentic approach to implementing a bicultural programme and realising the potential of Māori children.
Key members are benefitting from external professional support linked to programme planning and aspects of self review. This includes the support person providing feedback about progress, suggestions for next development steps and sharing resources she has developed. Work has been done to identify learning that should underpin the programme and provision of activities. Agreed next steps are:
for key members to implement new ideas and support other parents’ understanding, including showing them how children's learning is linked to Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum. This should help to develop a more collaborative, centre-wide approach based on shared understandings and good practice.
With key personnel leaving the centre, new members show a willingness and commitment to taking on management roles and responsibilities. Now that new office holders have been elected it is imperative that:
Useful strategic and annual plans outline agreed priorities for development. There is a good range of up-to-date association guidelines to support practice at centre level and meet the documentation requirements for relicensing. There is now a need to:
ERO recommends that the association seeks support and advice from the Playcentre Federation in relation to:
Before the review, the management of Carterton Playcentre 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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
ERO identified areas of non compliance.
The programme of activities is not yet planned, provided and evaluated in accordance with current best practice and legislative requirements.[R 32, a, b, c, e Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998]
The bark impact surfacing does not meet playground safety standards.[R 17(4) Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998]
In the kitchen, which is freely accessible, there are hazards to the safety of children.[R 24 (4) Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998]
ERO recommends that the association seeks support from the Ministry of Education to meet the requirements of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, particularly in relation to the development of curriculum, self review and leadership to support management and governance.
When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?
ERO will undertake a further education review of this service when the Ministry of Education is satisfied that licensing requirements are met.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region (Central)
4 March 2013
|
Location |
Carterton |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60001 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
38 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Male 21, Female 17 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
36 2 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Exceeds minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
At least 1:2 |
Exceeds minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2012 |
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|
Date of this report |
4 March 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
June 2009 April 2006 September 2001 |
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these findings ERO considers:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of self review and partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.
Individual ERO school and early childhood service reports are public information and may be copied or sent electronically. However, the Education Review Office can guarantee only the authenticity of original documents which have been obtained in hard copy directly from either the local ERO office or ERO National Office in Wellington.