Millie's House Waiwhetu

1 Evaluation of Early Years Wainui Road

How well placed is Early Years Wainui Road to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Early Years Wainui Road provides education and care for children from birth to five years of age, five days a week. It is licensed for 41 children, including up to 11 children aged under two. At the time of this ERO review, 10 of the children enrolled identified as Māori and three as Pacific.

The site's two learning spaces are allocated to infants and toddlers, and preschool children. A business manager and professional services manager oversee the service. Day-to-day operation of the centre is the responsibility of the centre manager, who supports a head teacher and curriculum leader. Most teachers are fully qualified. Since the June 2014 ERO report there have been several leadership changes.

The previous ERO report identified areas requiring improvement. These included:

• quality of interactions and teaching strategies

• assessment, planning and evaluation

• transition to school processes

• developing partnerships with parents

• strategic planning and appraisal

• internal evaluation.

Progress has been made in these areas.

Early Years Wainui Road is owned and operated by BestStart Educare Ltd. BestStart (previously known as Kidicorp Ltd) is a large organisation that owns early childhood services across New Zealand.

This review was part of a cluster of four in BestStart Educare Ltd. 

The Review Findings

Infants and toddlers enjoy warm interactions with teachers who are responsive to their cues and developing interests. An unhurried approach gives children under two time and space to lead their own learning. The environment and resources are used purposefully to invite children's focus and curiosity.

Preschool teachers are positive and supportive. They work alongside children, supporting their play and growing independence. Children are regularly encouraged to build on past learning. Literacy, science and mathematics are actively promoted. Leaders agree that a next step is to review some aspects of the daily programme, to better reflect the child-led intent of the centre philosophy.

A new programme planning process has recently been implemented. The emerging interests of groups of children are noticed, responded to, and extended on, across a range of curriculum areas. More specific planned teaching strategies will add value to this process. Teachers should then strengthen the evaluative aspect of group planning, to clearly identify the usefulness of strategies for achieving intended learning outcomes.

A well-considered process is in place for transitions into and within the centre. Children and their parents are well supported by positive and attentive teachers. A useful range of strategies, including school visits, wall displays and targeted group planning, supports children's successful transition to school.

Children's profile books contain useful assessment information. Progress over time is clearly evident, and linked to intentional teaching. An online assessment tool is used to encourage parent input. The individual assessment, planning and evaluation cycle should now be further developed, to:

• evaluate the effectiveness of past plans, in order to inform assessment and further planning

• consistently reflect children's cultures, languages and identities

• show how teachers draw on meaningful learning partnerships with children and their parents.

A bicultural programme is evident. Some te reo Māori is spoken, and waiata Māori are popular activities. Leaders and teachers have identified that strengthening meaningful use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori across the centre is a next step. ERO agrees.

Staff are engaging in targeted professional learning to support their understanding of promoting educational success for Māori and Pacific children. Further review and consultation is planned for 2017. ERO affirms this as an area for ongoing development.

Children with diverse needs are well supported. Teachers liaise with whānau, and outside agencies where appropriate, to plan and monitor children's progress.

A clear framework guides the appraisal process. This includes self-reflection and appraiser assessment and has a developmental focus. Staff are given clear, challenging feed forward to support ongoing improvement. More robust critical feedback, as well as formal observations of teacher practice, should strengthen appraisal. Teachers and leaders are building their capabilities through an inquiry and knowledge-building framework to help improve positive outcomes for children. BestStart provides opportunities to participate in a wide range of professional learning and development.

Leaders are focused on improving the quality of education and care through ongoing systematic selfreview. A key next step is for leaders to build teachers' evaluative understanding and capability. This should assist them to better evaluate the impact of teachers’ practices on children’s learning.

Professional services managers provide regular feedback, support and guidance about the curriculum in action. This clearly identifies strengths and areas for development. Roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers are clearly identified and well understood. A comprehensive policy framework, including procedures and systems, guides the operation of the centre.

Key Next Steps

ERO and leaders agree that the key next steps are to:

• strengthen the cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation

• further develop active learning partnerships with parents and children

• strengthen the bicultural programme

• enact targeted strategies to promote the educational success of Māori and Pacific children

• develop a shared understanding of effective internal evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Early Years Wainui Road 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 Early Years Wainui Road will be in three years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

12 June 2017

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

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.