2 Cole Place, Te Atatu South, Auckland
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 Flanshaw Infant & Toddler Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Flanshaw Infant & Toddler Centre is a not-for-profit service that provides care for infants and toddlers. Most children transition to the nearby Flanshaw Early Childhood Centre at around three years of age. The centre manager and curriculum leader are supported by seven registered teachers, two teachers in training and a cook.
Kaiako provide a well-resourced environment that encourages children to actively explore and engage in learning. They use effective teaching strategies that promote children’s independence and decision making. Children display confidence and a strong sense of belonging in the centre.
Children are given meaningful opportunities to learn about the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Teachers respectfully use te reo Māori in their interactions, during learning activities and in their play with children. Waiata are a regular feature of the programme.
Kaiako thoughtfully and intentionally prioritise children’s oral language development. They share their thoughts, ideas, and wonderings with children, providing opportunities for conversation. Effective questioning techniques encourage children’s critical thought and wondering. Kaiako sensitively interpret and respond to the narrative style of younger children, including body language.
Kaiako work in partnership with children, parents and whānau to support children’s social competence and emotional wellbeing. They recognise the importance of parent and whānau voice to inform teaching practice and to plan responsive learning programmes for children.
Kaiako develop personalised learning plans for all children, and these plans make children’s learning and progress visible over time. Leaders and kaiako use assessment well to promote children’s holistic learning and development.
Leaders and kaiako inquire into aspects of their practice, asking what works well and why. They make evidence-based changes to practice and then evaluate the effectiveness of these changes. Professional learning is accessed that challenges teachers’ thinking and supports ongoing inquiry. Critical reflection has successfully enhanced the teaching team’s professional growth and development.
The centre manager and curriculum leader work well together. They have established a positive, collaborative working environment that builds relational trust at all levels. Leaders promote an environment that prioritises a sense of security for adults and children, both physically and emotionally.
Flanshaw Infant & Toddler Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Flanshaw Infant & Toddler 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.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
24 September 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Flanshaw Infant & Toddler Centre |
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Profile Number |
25374 |
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Location |
Te Atatu South, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
40 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 4, NZ European/Pākehā 25, Asian 6, other ethnic groups 5 |
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Review team on site |
June 2021 |
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Date of this report |
24 September 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2016 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Flanshaw Infant & Toddler Centre is licensed for 30 children, with a maximum of 20 under two years of age. The centre provides care and education for babies and young children, most of whom transition to the nearby Flanshaw Early Childhood Centre around three years of age. The two not-for-profit centres provide complementary services for families in their culturally diverse local community.
The purpose built centre, with its spacious outdoor area, is well maintained. A separate area for infants and babies allows them to safely explore appropriately selected activities. Two specialist teachers, providing a 1 to 4 ratio, are primary caregivers for babies and closely supervise their personalised routines. The revised centre philosophy is reflected in the planned, child-led programme, and guides centre wide improvements.
The centre is governed by the same community management committee as the preschool. The two centre supervisors work collegially, and are well supported by an external management group’s liaison person who visits the centres regularly. This structure serves the committee effectively. Monthly centre reports provide assurance to committee members, one of whom is the Flanshaw School principal, about the provision and quality of children’s care and education.
The infant and toddler centre’s first ERO report in December 2012 identified the good features and practices that had been established, and observed that the centre was well placed to continue promoting positive outcomes for children.
The continued leadership of the centre supervisor, ongoing support of the management committee, and a well-qualified and stable teaching team, has enabled a sustained focus on centre improvement through planned self-review.
Centre operations are underpinned by an emphasis on respectful relationships that enhance children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging. The centre’s philosophy is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, with Reggio Emilia influences most evident in the indoor environment. Well-coordinated transition practices support children and their families as they move within the centre and later to the preschool and school.
Teachers are observant of children’s individual interests and learning dispositions. They design the programme to include and extend these aspects of children’s learning. The programme enables children to make decisions about play and select resources that interest them. Children experience a calm unhurried pace and limited interruptions to their learning. Children make friends, celebrate key events and confidently interact with teachers.
The managing committee is very supportive of centre developments. Teachers’ professional learning and development is particularly well selected and resourced. In recent years teachers have reviewed their planning, strengthened programme documentation and extended their assessment practices. The continued move towards more child-led learning approaches is a positive shift in teacher practice.
Children have good access to a wide range of equipment and can move freely between indoor and outdoor areas of play. They are physically active throughout the day and encouraged to explore the environment. Teachers encourage children’s oral language development. Care routines, including sleeping arrangements are well managed. Children enjoy nutritious food prepared at the centre, and the social interactions that occur at meal times.
Teachers are responsive to parents’ expectations and aspirations. They are respectful of children’s cultural backgrounds and value parent feedback. Parents and whānau are very welcome and invited to contribute. The centre environment reflects the Māori and Pacific contexts and languages of many of the families in the community. Teachers confidently share their expertise in promoting te reo and tikanga Māori.
Self-review is becoming a regular and planned feature of centre operations and is resulting in improving outcomes for children. Teachers’ contributions are valued. Staff are encouraged to reflect on their practice and share ideas with others at team meetings. Centre managers are embedding new teacher appraisal systems and investigating ways to collate meaningful evidence of teacher practice.
Teachers are increasingly evaluative, and are now better able to identify appropriate next steps in centre development. They have recognised that improvements in the outdoor area would provide better access and greater interest for both infants and toddlers. Centre managers are also continuing to strengthen practices that promote positive outcomes for Māori and Pacific children and their families.
ERO and centre managers agree that a further area for development includes greater use of evaluative approaches in managers’ reports to enhance the management committee’s strategic planning and decision making.
Before the review, the staff and management of Flanshaw Infant & Toddler 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 Flanshaw Infant & Toddler Centre will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
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 |
Te Atatu South, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25374 |
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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 |
30 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
44 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 26 Boys 18 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Tongan Chinese Filipino Niue other |
5 29 2 2 1 1 1 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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
January 2016 |
||
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Date of this report |
29 February 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2012 |
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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:
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.
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.