69 Suva Street, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
|
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
|
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
|
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton provides education and care for children from two years to school age. A governing board oversees the management of this and another service. Two head kaiako share leadership of the day-to-day management and curriculum.
The service consistently implements a responsive curriculum in a well-resourced environment. There is a balance of play-based and teacher led-learning, with a strong focus on literacy. Children with additional needs and those who are transitioning to the local primary school are well supported.
Kaiako integrate aspects of tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and the languages of Pacific children into the curriculum. Kaiako are continuing to build their understanding of te ao Māori and their confidence in using te reo Māori in the daily programme.
Learning partnerships are well established. Whānau regularly share their perspectives and aspirations for their child’s learning and contribute to the service’s curriculum, including its learning priorities.
The cultural uniqueness of all children is visible in the service curriculum. The service plans regular opportunities for children to participate in and experience cultural events and celebrations strengthening community engagement.
Kaiako consistently use the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum to guide assessment and planning. Individual plans and learning stories show progress in children’s learning over time. Visibility of children’s cultural heritage, language and identity is variable in learning records.
Leaders and kaiako are highly reflective and collaborative. Team inquiry and research leads to ongoing improvement and has a focus on improving outcomes for children. Deepening understanding and use of internal evaluation processes needs to be embedded across the team.
Governance and management ensure that parent and whānau aspirations materially influence the services values, visions and goals for children learning and wellbeing. The governance committee is well informed through regular reporting on specific aims and success indicators in relation to the special character of the service. Stronger collaboration between service leaders, trustees and parents is needed to strengthen strategic planning.
Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
16 December 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton |
| Profile Number | 70385 |
| Location | Christchurch |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
50 including up to 0 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
52 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 2, NZ European/Pākehā 18, Pacific 3, Chinese 10, Other Asian 5, Other ethnicities 14. |
|
Review team on site |
July 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
16 December 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2018; Education Review, November 2014. |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton provides education and care for children aged two years and above in a mixed age environment. The centre's philosophy is based on a commitment to Christian teachings and to the Te Whāriki Early Childhood Curriculum. The children come from a diversity of backgrounds with the majority being of Chinese ethnicity.
The centre is managed by two head teachers who job share. Of the eight teachers, seven have early childhood qualifications. A governing board oversees this centre and one other, and one of the head teachers is on the board. The board has recently developed a new strategic plan for the two centres that will take effect in 2018.
The centre is part of the Christian Education Network Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning (CoL)
The centre has been very responsive to all the areas for improvement in the previous ERO report.
Children, parents and whānau experience a welcoming, positive and caring environment. Children's sense of belonging and wellbeing are fostered through respectful relationships. Routines are well known and children move confidently between activities. The programme provides opportunities for older children to play and learn with younger children. Children with additional needs are well supported.
The curriculum is based strongly on Christian beliefs. The centre is well resourced to provide a thoughtful range of learning opportunities for children to explore, create and learn. Literacy and mathematics development are integrated meaningfully into the learning programmes. Children are engaged, focused and settled during the self-directed learning times and are supported to learn individually and with others. The centre also provides daily opportunities for structured group activities.
Teachers are responsive to children's wellbeing and learning. They are developing effective collaborative systems to track assessment, planning and evaluation. Planning shows positive and personalised links to Te Whāriki.
Leaders and teachers effectively acknowledge and affirm the language, culture and identity of the children. Bicultural perspectives and te reo Māori are included naturally in practices, planning and documentation, and te ao Māori is integrated into learning programmes. The centre is responsive to the number of Chinese children and their families, and has a full time Mandarin speaking teacher. Some documents are available in Mandarin. Parents' views are sought and valued. The centre uses a variety of means of communication to ensure parents are well informed and engaged in their children's learning.
Teachers and leaders benefit from involvement in a local cluster of schools and early learning centres. This provides opportunities for professional development and the building of relationships to ensure smooth transitions to school for children. The centre has a strong and positive association with the local primary school.
Leaders promote a reflective, improvement-focused culture of internal evaluation that informs practices and decisions.
Centre leaders and ERO agree that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton 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.
The next ERO review of Cornerstone Christian Early Learning Centre Middleton will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
7 March 2018
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 |
Christchurch |
||
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70385 |
||
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
50 children, including no aged under 2 |
||
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Service roll |
61 |
||
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Gender composition |
Female 30 Male 31 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
|
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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 |
Under 2 |
NA |
NA |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
November 2017 |
||
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Date of this report |
7 March 2018 |
||
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2009 |
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|
Education Review |
August 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.