Tainui Street, Tokoroa
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.
Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral is located in a residential area of Tokoroa. It is licenced for 30 children from two years to school age and operates under the umbrella of Central North Island Kindergarten Trust (CNIKT). At the time of this review 34 children are enrolled and 19 identify as Māori.
Central Kids Kindergartens' philosophy aligns with the principles and strands of the early childhood education curriculum, Te Whāriki. Managerial and administrative support is provided by the head office team and includes aspects such as human resources, policy development, finance and cultural support. A professional leader provides ongoing support and guidance for the head teacher and teaching team. CNIKT provides significant professional learning and development for the early childhood education sector on a national basis.
Since the 2013 ERO review, the kindergarten has appointed one new teacher and the long-serving head teacher has remained in her position. Teachers have engaged in a range of professional development and continued to use robust internal evaluation practices to further improve practices.
Teachers have shared values for high-quality education and care and aim to provide a kindergarten that is an extension of home where children experience an inclusive environment that supports them to develop as confident and competent lifelong learners.
This review is part of a cluster of seven kindergartens reviewed in the Central North Island Kindergarten Trust.
Children and their families are warmly welcomed into an inclusive high-quality learning environment. Relationships among teachers and children are respectful, close and trusting. Teachers work in partnership with parents/whānau and involve them in decision making. They are very responsive to whānau aspirations for children's learning. The concepts of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga are embedded in practice contributing to children and whānau having a strong sense of belonging to the kindergarten.
The curriculum responds very effectively to the interests, strengths and needs of children. Principles, goals and strands of Te Whāriki are clearly enacted in interactions and assessment, planning and evaluation practices. Children have an extensive variety of literacy and mathematical learning experiences, while having fun through their play. Other curriculum areas are also naturally interwoven through children's interests and strengths. Children are able to revisit and build on their learning.
Individual children's portfolios and on-line assessment provide a rich record of children's learning and progress overtime. Children, teachers, parents and extended whānau are involved in this process. Children's holistic development is strongly supported. Teachers have developed a useful assessment tool for children and their families which supports children's learning pathways during their transition to school.
Teachers are highly skilled in noticing and responding to learning opportunities as they emerge during children's play. Children are supported to take responsibility, be self managing and confidently initiate their own learning. They have access to high-quality resources and equipment. Children engage in sustained and complex learning experiences independently and alongside others.
Teachers use highly-effective intentional teaching strategies to build on and extend children's knowledge, learning dispositions and social competencies. Children's language, communication, social and emotional learning is reinforced through their social interactions with people and the environment. Children competently use effective social strategies in their interactions with others.
Children's language, culture and identity are celebrated. Teachers seek ways to maintain children’s connections to their cultural identity. Partnerships with whānau lead to reciprocal information sharing about culture, needs, interests and home experiences, which are interwoven into learning experiences. Children are proud to share their culture and often contribute to the learning of their peers through the sharing of waiata and cultural practices. All children benefit from these experiences and Māori children are well supported to experience success as Māori.
Highly-effective internal evaluation practice result in improvement to the quality of education and promote positive outcomes for children. The head teacher and the teaching team have sustained high-quality practice and continued to develop and improve the kindergartens systems through their research and inquiry systems. They are currently inquiring into ways to grow their practice in supporting Māori and Pacific learners. Teachers are working in collaboration with parents to learn about history and stories within the community. Robust evaluation practices enable teachers to monitor and report on the effectiveness of their practice and positive outcomes for children's wellbeing and learning.
CNIKT provides effective governance. The kindergarten is effectively supported by the professional leader. She provides regular and detailed reporting and feedback to the head teacher and teaching teams. This supports the centre to meet legislative requirements, and to ensure that this practise aligns with the CNIKT philosophy. The organisation has created comprehensive systems and processes that effectively promote positive outcomes for all children. The trust has a strong commitment to empowering emerging leaders and also provides generous professional development for teachers.
ERO has confidence that kindergarten leaders and teaching teams have the systems and capability to identify, progress and sustain high-quality practices and programmes. Robust and evidence-based internal evaluation, ensures the teaching team have a strategic and reflective approach to kindergarten development. This is clearly linked to community aspirations, research, current theories and teaching practice in early childhood education.
Before the review, the staff and management of Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral 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 Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral will be in four years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
25 October 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 |
Tokoroa |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5165 |
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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 |
30 children, aged over 2 years |
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|
Service roll |
34 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 19 Boys 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
19 |
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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 |
|
Review team on site |
September 2017 |
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Date of this report |
25 October 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 2007 |
||
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 |
Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral, located in Tokoroa, in the iwi of Raukawa, provides education and care for children from two years to school age in a kindergarten full day programme. It operates under the organisation of Central North Island Kindergarten Trust (known as Central Kids). At the time of this ERO review the kindergarten roll was 35, of whom 18 identified as Māori. Most of these children whakapapa to iwi other than Raukawa.
In 2011 the kindergarten was relicensed by the Ministry of Education under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The kindergarten has a positive ERO reporting history. Since the previous ERO review in 2010, the teaching team has not changed, providing continuity for children and their families. The team has responded positively to the recommendations in the 2010 ERO report. These related to strengthening assessment practices and developing a more responsive programme for boy’s learning.
Teachers’ participation in the Ministry of Education programme 'The Incredible Years' self review and educational leadership research has positively influenced the programme and teaching practices in the kindergarten. It has had a successful focus on developing close and respectful relationships with children, parents and whānau.
The kindergarten’s philosophy aims to develop children’s resourcefulness, responsibility, resilience, relationships and reflection.
This review was part of a cluster of 13 reviews in the Central Kids umbrella organisation.
Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children. Children and their families enjoy an early childhood experience where they are valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Teachers have established a close, respectful and strong partnership with children and their families. These relationships have been strengthened through key teacher practices and strategies from the ‘Incredible Years’ programme that the whole teaching team have participated in.
ERO observed consistently high-quality teaching practices where teachers were responsive, supportive and enhanced children’s interests and learning. Teachers effectively engage children in cooperative, purposeful, sustained play. Children are developing their abilities to form close relationships, care, and support one another through ako, leadership and the tuakana/teina role they play. Children benefit from skilled teachers who are developing a culture that promotes success for all.
The Central Kids Kindergartens – Balmoral curriculum and rich, well-resourced and organised learning environment are effectively designed to promote positive outcomes for children. The programme places a strong emphasis on:
developing relationships that foster a sense of belonging and wellbeing
including and making visible a Māori perspective
meaningful integration of literacy and mathematics learning in children’s play
environmental conservation and sustainability.
The kindergarten’s curriculum enables teachers to provide each child with the opportunity to be a unique learner and develop as capable and confident children.
The head teacher provides experienced professional leadership for the kindergarten and is committed to the Trust’s vision and philosophy. She works effectively and collaboratively to build teacher’s confidence, knowledge and practice. Through regular and meaningful self review teachers have developed comprehensive assessment processes that clearly identify children’s learning and development.
Teachers have established a professional working relationship with their Central Kids’ professional leader. Together they review and reflect on aspects of the kindergarten programme and teaching practice. Teachers receive regular feedback, appraisal and guidance for ongoing development from the professional leader. In addition, teachers have utilised the expertise of the pou āwhina from Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral to develop and implement a bicultural component in the programme. Comprehensive policy guidelines assist staff to meet regulatory requirements and maintain high standards and expectations that the Trust has for this kindergarten.
As part of this review ERO evaluated the effectiveness of the kindergarten’s responsibilities for the employment and management of staff. Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral have developed and implemented highly effective processes to appoint and support staff.
The teaching team are strategic and reflective in their approach to kindergarten development. This is clearly linked to research, current theories and teaching practices in early childhood education.
ERO is confident that kindergarten leaders and the teaching team have the capacity to strengthen, promote and sustain positive outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral 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 Central Kids Kindergartens - Balmoral will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
17 July 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 |
Tokoroa |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5165 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
35 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 18 Girls 17 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Cook Island Māori |
18 11 6 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
May 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
17 July 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2007 |
||
|
Review Type |
Click here to enter a date. |
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.