531 Gladstone Road, Te Hapara, Gisborne
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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Rewanui Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Rewanui Early Learning Centre is a privately-owned service led by the centre manager. The service has three aged-based rooms with two outside playgrounds. A third of the children attending are of Māori heritage. The philosophy values respectful relationships built on whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and aroha.
Children’s learning is promoted within an environment that fosters independence and success. They have opportunities to engage in a wide range of experiences. Regular excursions in the wider community and centre gardens extend children’s learning and confidence. Infants and toddlers learn within a calm environment where their verbal and non-verbal cues are responded to. Those with additional learning needs are well supported to participate in curriculum experiences. Children lead their own learning.
Since ERO’s 2019 evaluation, an increased focus on children’s cultures, languages and identities has contributed to te reo Māori and tikanga Māori being more prominent within the environment. Some te reo Māori is observed in daily rituals, conversations, and routines. Leaders have identified that they need to continue to work alongside whānau Māori to identify what is important to them and their children and integrate these through the local curriculum.
Assessment and planning practices increasingly draw on the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and foster children’s learning over time. Teachers build respectful relationships with children, parents and whānau to engage their perspectives. They are skilled at using children’s home life contexts to support continued learning.
Service leaders are establishing the conditions to support professional learning and build teacher capability. They are beginning to work collaboratively with teachers to build an understanding of internal evaluation. Evaluation of how well the curriculum is helping them to achieve their strategic priorities for learning, or to understand the impact of changes in practice on individuals or groups of children, has not yet occurred.
Rewanui Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rewanui Early Learning Centre completed an ERO 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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
1 February 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Rewanui Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 55363 |
| Location | Gisborne |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 100% |
| Service roll | 72 |
| Review team on site | November 2023 |
| Date of this report | 1 February 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, February 2019; Education Review, March 2017 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Rewanui Early Learning Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rewanui Early Learning Centre (formerly Eastland Educare) is licensed to provide all day education and care for 33 children, including eight up to the age of two. Of the 43 children currently enrolled, approximately half are Māori.
The centre's recently reviewed philosophy describes a commitment to child-led play, building strong relationships and making connections to the environment.
A change of centre ownership occurred in November 2017. It is now part of the Mockingbird group of privately owned services. At this time there was a change of name and management.
The owner has responsibility for governance and strategic direction. A manager oversees the ongoing operation of the four Mockingbird centres. She provides support for two team leaders who have day-to-day responsibility for Rewanui Early Learning Centre.
The March 2017 ERO report, identified that further improvements were needed in relation to: assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning; the programme for infants and toddlers; appraisal; induction and mentoring; monitoring of centre operation; and internal evaluation. Significant progress has been made in all these areas.
The recent review of the philosophy has resulted in a shared understanding of valued learning within the service. Children are highly engaged in a bicultural curriculum that allows them to choose, initiate and lead their own learning. They use a wide range of open-ended resources that promote experimentation, exploration and co-operative and imaginative play. Children are confident and demonstrate a sense of belonging.
Relationships between children are positive and inclusive. Tuakana teina learning is evident throughout the service. Teachers are respectful of children and follow their lead. They have identified that recognising opportunities for intentional teaching to extend children's learning is an area for further improvement. ERO's external evaluation affirms this development.
Infants and toddlers are well supported. They are given choices by teachers who respond promptly to their cues and needs. There are frequent opportunities to explore the wider centre and learn alongside their older peers. Teachers have strengthened their knowledge and understanding of high quality practice for these children. It is timely to define what this looks like in practice, in relation to the centre philosophy, to ensure sustainable and consistent approaches to education and care.
Teachers are committed to developing teaching strategies that promote educational success for Māori children. They have identified appropriate ways to strengthen culturally responsive practices for these children, and should continue to implement these across the team.
Staff are responsive to the needs of children requiring additional support. They work in collaboration with parents, whānau and external agencies to promote their participation and learning.
Recently developed planning for individual children effectively identifies intended learning outcomes and teaching strategies that advance these. Goals are based on parent aspirations and teachers' understanding of children's interests and strengths.
Assessment records how children's learning is progressing over time. These increasingly reflect the centre's valued learning and children's plans-in-action. A key next step is for teachers to ensure that children's cultures, languages and identities are promoted through assessment.
A useful process for staff appraisal is now in place. Teachers' professional growth and development is supported through inquiry, sharing of practice and regular professional learning opportunities. These are well aligned to centre priorities and standards for the teaching profession. A clearly documented induction and mentoring procedure supports the successful induction of new and provisionally registered teachers.
Reviewed and updated policies and procedures provide a suitable framework for operation and compliance. An annual plan effectively guides the ongoing work of the service and is regularly monitored. Expectations, roles and responsibilities across the centre are clearly described.
Leaders have developed a good understanding of internal evaluation. This is well used to inform decisions for change and improvement, and to understand the impact of changes on outcomes for children. A next step is for leaders to strengthen the centre-wide understanding of internal evaluation to sustain improvements.
The owner is progressing systems and processes to promote good practice across all of their services. Developing a clear and carefully considered strategic plan outlining direction and actions for the organisation, defined by outcomes for children, should support this.
ERO and leaders agree that key next are steps are to continue to develop:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rewanui Early Learning Centre 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 Rewanui Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
12 February 2019
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 | Gisborne | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55363 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 43 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 26, Girls 17 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 20 20 3 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | December 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 12 February 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | March 2017 | |
| Education Review | February 2015 | ||
| Education Review | February 2011 | ||
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.