Frimley Park Kindergarten

Education institution number:
55037
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
26
Telephone:
Address:

317 Hapuku Street, Frimley, Hastings

View on map

Frimley Park Kindergarten

ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Frimley Park Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Frimley Park Kindergarten is one of 16 kindergartens governed and managed by Heretaunga Free Kindergarten Association. Approximately a third of children are Māori, and there are a small number of Pacific learners in an ethnically diverse roll. The kindergarten’s priorities are manaakitanga, hauora and ako.

3 Summary of findings

Children benefit from an inclusive, responsive curriculum that clearly aligns to the kindergarten priorities. Teachers foster oral language. This supports children’s social and emotional skill development, agency, independence, and decision making. Children’s sense of security is promoted as they are able to predict what will happen next. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging within the positive, calm, social environment.

The team is building culturally responsive practice through learning te reo Māori. Meaningful cultural artefacts are displayed relevant to mana whenua and aspects of Pacific cultures. Information on children’s cultures and home context are beginning to be reflected in assessment documentation.

A recently strengthened process for planning and assessing children’s learning is not yet consistently used. Teachers are developing learning-focused partnerships with parents and use their aspirations to inform planning. They are starting to use the outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, as part of assessment.

Significant change in association leadership has impacted capacity to progress key next steps identified in previous ERO reports. Leaders are enacting an organisation-wide shift to further enable collaboration, relational trust and sustained improvement. A range of new initiatives has been developed. Professional learning opportunities are responsive to teacher learning goals. Some information is generated in relation to the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders are developing their evaluation capabilities. However, evaluation is not yet used to:

  • systematically seek evidence about the effectiveness of professional learning processes to improve teaching practice and children’s outcomes

  • understand the impact of improvement actions in relation to how these contribute to strategic priorities and achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for learners.

4 Improvement actions

Frimley Park Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Improve the consistency of teachers’ assessment, planning and evaluation of the curriculum, and use this information for identifying actions that promote equitable outcomes for children.

  • Further integrate children’s cultures and languages through planning and assessment documentation to contribute to the picture of their learner identity. 

Heretaunga Free Kindergarten Association will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Develop a systematic process that enables leaders to better understand and respond to the teaching and learning needs of each kindergarten.

  • Prioritise building internal evaluation capability and leadership at all levels to better monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement actions, including professional learning, on outcomes for individuals and groups of children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Frimley Park Kindergarten completed an ERO Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have not 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Actions for Compliance

ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:

  • Ensuring that when children leave the premises on an excursion, records of the excursion consistently include: the names of adults and children involved; the time and date of the excursion; evidence of parental permission and approval of adult:child ratios that align to the assessment undertaken; the signature of the person responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS17.  

During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • Ensuring heavy furniture and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).

  • Ensuring identified hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised (HS12).

7 Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

3 November 2023 

8 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Frimley Park Kindergarten

Profile Number

55037

Location

Frimley, Hastings

Service type

Free Kindergarten

Number licensed for

30 children aged over 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

31

Review team on site

August 2023

Date of this report

3 November 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review May 2018; Education Review, May 2014

Frimley Park Kindergarten - 14/05/2018

1 Evaluation of Frimley Park Kindergarten

How well placed is Frimley Park Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Frimley Park Kindergarten is in Hastings. It opens Monday to Friday from 8:30am until 2:30pm. Kindergarten day places are available for children aged from two to six years. The philosophy is based on the principle of whanaungatanga. Of the 37 children on the roll, seven are Māori and four of Pacific heritage.

The May 2014 ERO report identified a number of areas for review and development, including: assessment, planning and evaluation for children's learning; self review; and educational success for Māori and Pacific children.

A new head teacher has recently been appointed in an acting role, in Term 1 2018.

Frimley Park is one of 16 kindergartens governed and managed by the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association (the association). An ongoing programme of restructuring began in 2016 and the association has experienced significant changes at all levels. A new general manager was appointed in January 2016 and an advisor - education delivery in November 2017.

The previous ERO review identified that the association should establish, review and monitor the implementation of guiding documents in individual kindergartens and undertake self review at association level.

This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Heretaunga Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Children are confident and capable learners, empowered to take responsibility for their own learning through a curriculum that promotes their independence, curiosity and risk taking. The physical environment promotes challenge and discovery where children are engaged in meaningful learning experiences.

Children's sense of belonging is supported through positive reciprocal relationships between teachers and whānau. Parents have regular opportunities to be involved in their child's kindergarten.

A review of the kindergarten philosophy is planned for, in relation to the forming of a new teaching team. This should result in the development of clearer identification of learning priorities and valued outcomes for children. Understanding of what this looks like, should guide teaching practice.

The curriculum is responsive to children's interests and promotes their successful outcomes. A
child-centred, holistic programme supports learning.

Teachers continue to refine assessment and planning processes. Children’s individual and group interests are successfully extended. Planning makes clear connections between individual interests and teaching strategies. A key next step is to develop plans for the individual child that respond to parent aspirations and seek to make learning deeper and more complex over time.  

Children's journals provide a record of their learning, participation and development. Further strengthening of these aspects should include:

  • developing a shared understanding of what good quality assessment looks like to guide practice
  • making links to the cultural context and learning outcomes for all learners
  • more deliberately showing progress in learning over time
  • clearly documenting how teachers respond to whānau voice and aspirations for their child.

Teachers are committed to further growing their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori throughout the curriculum. Te reo Māori is integrated into conversations. Children have opportunities to engage in kapa haka, waiata and karanga. Continuing to strengthen responsiveness is an ongoing focus.

Teachers acknowledge Pacific children's culture. Further work is required to develop culturally responsive practices to better respond to these children's success as Pacific learners.

Positive gains in staff understanding of the use of internal evaluation are evident. Teacher inquiry and review informs practices and guides decisions for improvement. A range of strategic and emergent reviews have contributed to change and improvement, aligned to service priorities. Evaluating in relation to clear indicators with a focus on outcomes for children is a next step.

Teachers are responsive to the needs of children and their whānau as they settle into the kindergarten. Positive connections and established links to the local community support smooth transitions to school for children and families.

Children with additional needs join in all aspects of the programme alongside their peers. They are well supported by teachers and other adults. Teachers are inclusive, and make appropriate use of a variety of successful approaches to meet the needs of all learners.

Leadership is supportive and collaborative. The head teacher's leadership is improvement-focused. A team culture is encouraged, where staff reflect on their teaching to make changes that support children’s learning.

The governance and leadership team is well placed to continue to manage ongoing change and to set the strategic direction for the association to promote future sustainability. They are making good progress in addressing the key next steps identified in the previous ERO review. Continuing to strengthen and evaluate systems to monitor progress in individual kindergartens remains a key next step. 

Key Next Steps

Senior leaders and ERO agree on the following key next steps for Frimley Park Kindergarten, to continue to:

  • strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation for individuals
  • develop strategies that promote education success for Pacific children
  • develop understanding and practice of evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Frimley Park Kindergarten 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.

In order to improve practice the association should:

  • ensure robust regular policy review and strengthen systems to promote teachers’ understanding and implementation of guiding policies
  • implement robust social media and online policies and procedures to ensure that all reasonable steps have been made to protect children's online safety and that parents are well informed of these. 

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Frimley Park Kindergarten will be in three years.

Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

14 May 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 

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

55037

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children aged over 2 years

Service roll

37

Gender composition

Girls 20, Boys 17

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Other ethnic groups

  7
24
  4
  2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49%       50-79%       80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2018

Date of this report

14 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

May 2014

Education Review

November 2010

Education Review

March 2007

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.

Frimley Park Kindergarten - 14/05/2014

1 Evaluation of Frimley Park Kindergarten

How well placed is Frimley Park Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Frimley Park Kindergarten is located in Hastings and provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. It is licensed for up to 25 children and operates five days a week. Of 50 children on the roll, five are Māori. The structure of the sessions is unique and at the time of the review meets the needs of the community.

The head teacher is responsible for the day-to-day running of the kindergarten and works in partnership with teachers and a large parent committee. Parents have many opportunities to contribute to overall operations and children’s learning and this includes providing regular additional support during sessions.

A spacious outdoor environment with animals, large trees and a community garden contributes to an environment that encourages exploration and sustainability.

The teaching team is fully qualified. The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO.

The kindergarten is governed by the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association. Two Education Managers are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. This review was part of a cluster of eight kindergartens in the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Respectful, relationships with families and whānau strongly reflect the kindergarten’s philosophy and support children’s sense of belonging. Parents and younger siblings are made welcome to stay during sessions.

Teachers know children and their families well. Interactions are positive and caring. They engage in conversation with children and offer support and encouragement. Children’s contributions are valued. Teachers and children have fun together.

Children are highly engaged in cooperative play for sustained periods of time. They freely access a wide range of activities and resources that encourage self-initiated play. Literacy and numeracy skills and early science concepts are appropriately integrated within the curriculum.

Ongoing discussion and observation of children’s interests guide programme planning in consultation with parents and whānau. Children’s journals are attractively presented and provide a record of their emerging interests and learning over time. Parents regularly contribute and share learning observed at home. Strengthening the evaluative aspect of the assessment, planning and evaluation cycle should enhance the process.

Planned transitions are supported by positive relationships with families, schools and agencies. The kindergarten’s close proximity to Frimley School assists transitions for children.

There is a strong commitment to promoting Māori children’s success as Māori. Parents and whānau are consulted and aspirations for their children are valued. The use of te reo Māori by staff is developing and children learn aspects of tikanga throughout the daily programme. Recent self review has strengthened curriculum provision for Māori children.

Teachers work collaboratively and a highly reflective culture is evident. Self review is fundamental to practices in the kindergarten, with a strong focus on continual improvement. It is a well planned systematic process. Children, families and whānau regularly contribute to reviews. Strengthening the evaluative aspect of self review should further enhance the process.

The association provides guidance and support to teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. The recently developed strategic plan provides a clear long term direction for the association. Teachers are well supported through regular visits from the education managers who provide professional support and guidance and access to a wide range of professional learning opportunities.

There is a commitment by the association to increase teachers' capabilities in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori through the introduction of the Haere Whakamua project. This project is based around progressing the organisation’s journey in becoming bicultural.

The association identify and ERO agrees that key areas for development include:

updating the appraisal process and policy

providing clear expectations through guiding documents, for programme delivery and kindergarten operation and monitor their implementation.

In addition, education managers should undertake strategic review and evaluation across the association to establish a deeper understanding of the ongoing professional learning needs of teachers and use this information to inform future decision making.

Key Next Steps

ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that they should continue to strengthen:

  • the evaluative aspect of programme planning, assessment and self review
  • strategies to support success for Māori as Māori, and success for Pacific as Pacific.

The association should:

  • establish and review current guiding documents and monitor implementation
  • build and strengthen strategic self review at association level.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Frimley Park Kindergarten 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 Frimley Park Kindergarten will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

14 May 2014

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

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

55037

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children aged over 2

Service roll

50

Gender composition

Boys 27

Girls 23

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Filipino

Other ethnic groups

5

37

3

5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2014

Date of this report

14 May 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

These are available at www.ero.govt.nz

Education Review

November 2010

 

Education Review

March 2007

 

Education Review

March 2004

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.