BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy

Education institution number:
46217
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
39
Telephone:
Address:

17 Johnstones Road, Otara, Auckland

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BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy - 25/09/2019

1 Evaluation of BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy

How well placed is BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

The BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy provides for up to 80 children over two years of age. All of the children enrolled have Māori or Pacific heritages. The service has two main indoor spaces and a large outdoor area. The multicultural teaching team includes six qualified teachers, one teacher in training, a caregiver and an administrator.

Since ERO's 2015 report the service has experienced significant staff turnover. It has a new centre manager and new teachers. This new teaching team has sustained and built on the variety of very good practices identified in 2015.

The centre is part of the BestStart charitable trust. The organisation has re-branded all its early learning services. It provides an overarching governance and management framework to support operations and curriculum delivery in individual centres. Business managers (BM) and professional services managers (PSM) lead the staff professional development and provide strategic guidance.

This review was part of a cluster of nine reviews in BestStart's Upper North Island region.

The Review Findings

Children have access to rich learning-based play activities and high levels of care. They respond positively to the warm, welcoming atmosphere in the centre and demonstrate a real sense of belonging. Children settle easily upon arrival, quickly immerse themselves in their chosen activities, and have rich opportunities to learn as they play. They learn in mixed-age groups that promote tuakana/teina relationships where they learn from and are supported by each other. Children with diverse needs are very well catered for within this settled and inclusive environment.

Children benefit from positive interactions with teachers who take time to listen and have a genuine interest in them. Teachers engage children in meaningful conversations that foster their oral language development and support them to sustain their play and learning.

Teachers implement their commitment to a bicultural curriculum throughout their practice. They speak te reo Māori within the context of the programme and implement aspects of tikanga. Teachers actively support the languages and cultures of their Pacific fanau.

Very well resourced environments invite children's exploration and discovery. They promote children's social competencies and creativity. The space for the younger children is well set up to suit their special requirements. The larger space for the older children is designed and resourced to engage their interest and promote their curiosity. Open-door practices between the two rooms, along with the shared outdoor area, promote high levels of interaction between the younger and older children and with their teachers.

The teaching team has continued to update and improve provision for children's learning. Teaching practices clearly demonstrate the positive outcomes of the significant in-centre and external professional development, mentoring and modelling that teachers have received.

The centre is highly effective in engaging with and celebrating its local community setting. Affirming and genuine relationships build relational trust and invite participation by all. Whānau feel listened to and respected. Parents value how their partnership with the centre benefits their children and supports them to extend their children's learning through play at home.

The programme fully reflects the service's philosophy. It successfully combines the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, underpinned by Reggio Emilia approaches. Programme planning is well informed by children's interests and guided by parent aspirations. Teachers use this information to guide their teaching responses and to focus on monitoring children's learning and progress over time.

The centre benefits from strong and determined leadership. The manager and her team collaborate effectively to meet high standards for all aspects of centre operations. They recognise the purpose of internal evaluation for accountability and improvement. Professional learning opportunities encourage teachers to continue developing their knowledge and skills.

Centre operations are guided by strategic and annual plans, and a shared vision. These are linked to BestStart strategic goals, which promote a sense of belonging to a wider learning community and support more widespread collaboration amongst teaching teams. Leaders and teachers regularly revisit the centre's strategic goals and annual action plans to monitor quality and promote ongoing improvement.

Key Next Steps

To build on current good practices, leaders have developed appropriate plans that will support next steps, including:

  • making the role of the teacher more explicit in assessment and programme planning

  • continuing to strengthen bicultural practices and responses to Pacific cultures

  • alignment of strategic and annual planning to support internal evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of BestStart Johnstones Road Kindy 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.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

25 September 2019

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

Location

Otara, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

46217

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

80 children aged over 2 years

Service roll

85

Gender composition

Boys 49 Girls 36

Ethnic composition

Māori
Samoan
Tongan
Cook Island Māori
Niuean
other ethnic groups

23
26
23
6
4
3

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2019

Date of this report

25 September 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

September 2015

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

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed

  • Well placed

  • Requires further development

  • Not well placed

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.

Community Kindy Johnstones Rd - 14/09/2015

1 Evaluation of Community Kindy Johnstones Rd

How well placed is Community Kindy Johnstones Rd 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

Community Kindy Johnstones Rd in Otara provides early childhood care and education for children between the ages of two and five in a spacious upgraded building. This is the centre’s first ERO report. In the two years since opening, centre leaders have successfully managed challenges and appointed key staff who are crucial to the centre’s development. The centre provides a valuable service for children and their whānau from the local and neighbouring communities.

Children are predominantly of Māori and Pacific descent. Although children are taught in two separate spaces, they mix freely in the outdoor play area. The multicultural teaching team includes five qualified teachers, three teacher assistants and an administrator. Teachers have participated in professional learning aimed at developing teaching practice.

A positive feature of the centre is its warm welcoming atmosphere. This encourages high levels of parent and whānau participation. The friendly approach of staff members reflects the centre’s philosophy. Teachers notice, recognise and respond to children’s interests and strengths and share this information with whānau.

The centre provides van transport for over half the children who attend. A review of opening times means parents now send or bring their children to the centre much more regularly. Mat time in the middle of the day allows teachers to share stories with parents and whānau as they drop children off or pick them up.

A professional services manager from Best Start Educare Ltd visits the centre regularly to provide management and curriculum support for teachers. A business manager from Best Start supports the centre manager with centre operations. Regular self review of centre operations and teaching practice helps leaders to promote positive outcomes for children.

The Review Findings

Children enjoy being at the centre. They arrive keen to become engaged and involved in what teachers have prepared for them. Teachers encourage children in their learning. In the outside area, children are busy and make good use of the wide variety of resources available to them. The experiences they are given interest and challenge them.

There are genuine, caring relationships between teachers, the children and their whānau. Children make friends with each other and have many opportunities to learn through play. Teachers have quality interactions with children that are helping them to reach their potential. The centre guides parents to develop strategies to support their child's learning.

The centre provides good quality care and supports the wellbeing of children and their families. Centre leaders have strong relationships with external agencies and they advocate for children and their families. Leaders aim to provide ‘a home away from home’ for children, parents and whānau.

Parents are very involved in the centre. They have a good rapport with teachers who regularly share information about learning outcomes for children. Parents contribute to the curriculum on a regular basis through discussions with teachers and through parent and community surveys. Parents and whānau bring their own cultures to the centre, and lead mat time sessions with songs and stories. Teachers are now keen to include more home languages in children’s learning profiles.

Teachers deliver a calm, unhurried programme. Teachers have a collaborative approach to planning, assessment and evaluating children’s learning. They are interested in deepening their understanding about how children learn mathematical concepts and skills through play.

The centre has a good transition to school programme that supports children and their parents to be ready for school. It runs throughout the year, is open to all children from three and half years old and encourages and supports parental involvement. Centre managers now want to strengthen their relationships with local schools.

Children’s language, culture and identity are valued and promoted in this centre. There is an holistic approach to children learning te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, and children’s home languages as part of learning and play. The centre celebrates Māori language week and the many Pacific languages.

The professional services manager, business manager and centre manager are a strong team. They are focussed on promoting what is best for the children and their community. The new teacher appraisal system is helping teachers to develop deeper reflection about their teaching practice.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders and ERO agree that key next steps include refining self review to build on strategies that have a positive impact on children’s learning. In addition, leaders plan to continue with professional development to help teachers evaluate their teaching practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Community Kindy Johnstones Rd 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 Community Kindy Johnstones Rd will be in three years. 

Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

14 September 2015 

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 

Location

Otara, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

46217

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 0 aged under 2

Service roll

77

Gender composition

Boys      41
Girls       36          

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Tongan
Samoan
Cook Island Māori
Niue

18
  1
27
23
  6
  2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49%       50-79%       80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2015

Date of this report

14 September 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous ERO reports

 

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.