East Taieri Preschool Inc

1 Evaluation of East Taieri Preschool Inc

How well placed is East Taieri Preschool Inc to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

East Taieri Preschool Inc is a community-based service providing education and care for 35 children, from two and a half years to school age. The purpose-built facility is located next to the East Taieri School.

An executive committee of parents governs the service and a manager has responsibility for the day-to-day operations. Most teachers are qualified early-learning educators.

The appointment of a new manager less than a year ago has prompted a renewed approach to addressing the recommendations from the 2015 ERO report. While some progress has been made, the recommendations continue to be work in progress.

The newly developed philosophy provides a foundation for all that happens for children and incorporates the concepts of:

• whanaungatanga (relationships)
• rangatiratanga (leadership and perseverance)
• wairuatanga (spirituality)
• kaitiakitanga (guardianship and responsibility)
• manaakitanga (kindness and generosity)
• kotahitanga (unity and togetherness)
• tohungatanga (expertise).

The Review Findings

East Taieri Preschool is effectively promoting positive outcomes for children. The teachers know the children well. Relationships between the teachers and children and their families are respectful and caring.

Children have access to a wide range of learning experiences and activities in and beyond the centre. Teachers use an authentic approach to fostering children's sense of belonging, such as the mihi tour (an exploration of the local environment).

Teachers use children's interests to engage them in the programme. Children also enjoy the challenge when participating in a bush programme where they learn a range of skills and can explore nature. Teachers are consciously growing children's understanding of the world while integrating oral language learning and supporting their social development.

Children's awareness of New Zealand's bicultural heritage is nurtured as they learn alongside their teachers using Māori concepts, and te reo and tikanga Māori in a meaningful way across the curriculum and in their daily interactions.

Teachers work well together as a team and are fully engaged in a range of professional development opportunities. They have developed a comprehensive group plan for a year-long programme integrating Matariki with mathematics learning.

Teachers are continually developing ways to further engage parents in children's learning. Parents' aspirations and children's interests are clearly evident in plans. Children with additional needs are well supported through internal and external expertise, using a range of strategies to help them participate in the programme and grow their social skills.

The new manager/head teacher has prioritised building trusting relationships with the teachers, parents, children and the committee. She has set a strong foundation to build an integrated and sustainable process for ongoing improvement. This process began with developing a shared way of working towards well-understood values and priorities. The resulting philosophy now guides the development of systems, centre practices and children's learning.

Internal-evaluation processes are in place to support the teachers and manager to make improvements in an on-going way and to ensure the focus is on children's learning.

The executive committee of parents is well informed and sensitive to the needs of the community. They are supportive of the teachers to provide for the holistic needs of children and their families. Many committee members are new since ERO's last review and are becoming familiar with their various roles and responsibilities. The committee is in the process of developing the centre's new strategic and annual plans.

The close connection between East Taieri School and the preschool support children to make smooth transitions into the school environment.

Key Next Steps

The manager and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, the next steps for improvement include:

• more consistently showing in planning and learning stories how teachers will extend children's learning
• developing and implementing strategic and annual plans
• continuing the development of internal-evaluation practices, including the evaluation of planning, teaching and assessment practices
• further developing and implementing the appraisal process.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of East Taieri Preschool Inc 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 East Taieri Preschool Inc will be in three years.

Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

18 June 2018

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.

1 Evaluation of East Taieri Preschool

How well placed is East Taieri Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

East Taieri Preschool is a community-based centre located on the outskirts of Mosgiel. It provides education and care for up to 35 children aged two years and older. Some children attend morning or afternoon sessions only, others attend for the whole day.

The centre is governed by a parent committee and is supported in other ways by a second parent group. The centre has strong connections with the local community and with East Taieri School. The ‘Ako’ group of older children works for a short time each day on activities aimed at giving them a smooth transition to school.

Since the 2012 ERO report the committee has appointed a centre manager with responsibility for the operation of the centre. All teaching staff are qualified teachers. The service has successfully addressed the recommendations of the last ERO report, including reviewing the centre philosophy and clarifying governance roles.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from nurturing and respectful relationships with their teachers. The teachers know the children and their families well, and parents feel comfortable spending time at the centre. The children play and learn in a very settled atmosphere.

The teachers have a strong and shared understanding of the centre philosophy. They see children as capable learners and independent decision makers. The teachers are purposeful in the way they put the philosophy into action. For example, they:

• encourage children to make decisions about the programme and to help other children
• support children to solve problems for themselves
• set up the environment so that children can easily get the resources and equipment they want
• have established clear routines so children can act independently.

Teachers use kaupapa Māori concepts to guide the programme. For example, ūkaipōtanga (valuing people for who they are and the qualities they bring to the place) means children’s enthusiasms and personalities are accepted and their interests become areas for further learning. A ‘mihi’ tour of

important local landmarks helped to make the centre’s mihi meaningful for children. Children and teachers regularly use te reo Māori in the course of the day, and they have learnt about local stories connected to the land.

Children enjoy a wide range of worthwhile learning experiences. Early literacy learning is built into the programme and routines, and the children take part in programmes and activities like Active Movement and Enviroschools. The principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum are effectively woven throughout the programme.

The teachers have an effective system for planning and assessing children’s learning. They have both formal and informal ways of finding out about parents’ wishes for their children, and use these ideas when they plan the programme.

The profile books are an attractive record of children’s learning. In the best examples the records show children’s progress over time and the teachers’ role in extending learning. A next step is for teachers to make best practice in this area into common practice.

The manager fosters a culture where teachers are encouraged to contribute their own ideas and strengths. The teachers work together well and share leadership in different ways. Their work day is organised so that there are many opportunities for them to talk about children and the programme and to build common ideas. They are continually thinking about ways to make improvements to the programme.

The parent committee and manager are clear about their different responsibilities. The committee supports the teachers well by providing professional learning and development, resources for the programme, and time for the teachers to meet together.

The committee has written a strategic plan that plainly identifies the priorities for the centre’s future development. It would be helpful to develop a clearer annual plan to guide the centre’s operations. A useful self-review process has brought about some positive changes. Developing further knowledge and confidence in using self review will be even more helpful. The centre leaders should continue to refine the appraisal process for teachers, and ensure the manager’s appraisal is completed.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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.

While on-site ERO discussed with the manager some matters for action. These included revision of the child protection policy and strengthening the record keeping around excursions and emergency drills.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of East Taieri Preschool will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

9 June 2015

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.