Glenview Free Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5472
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
44
Telephone:
Address:

69 Gleniti Road, Timaru

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Glenview Free Kindergarten

1 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 Glenview Free Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Glenview Free Kindergarten is one of 13 kindergartens governed by the South Canterbury Kindergarten Association. Children who attend are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, including a small number of Māori children, learners from Pacific heritages, and those of Indian cultures. The kindergarten has made some progress towards the key next steps identified in the 2018 ERO review report related to improving curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation practices. 

3 Summary of findings

Curriculum planning and enactment supports positive learner identity. Teacher intentionality and interactions support children to participate fully in the curriculum alongside their peers. Curriculum priorities of ako, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are clear. Those with additional learning needs are well supported to achieve their learning goals. Children take an increased responsibility for the wellbeing of themselves and others. 

Aspects of a bicultural curriculum are evident. There are some opportunities to see, hear and speak te reo Māori. Children’s cultures are reflected in resources and displays. Their cultures, languages and identity could be better reflected in the enacted curriculum and documentation. 

Assessment documentation is aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the curriculum priorities. Teachers engage in conversations with parents about their children and their learning to inform planning and assessment. Documentation makes children’s learning visible but does not consistently show children’s developing capabilities and progress overtime in relation to the Te Whāriki learning outcomes. 

Leaders and those with governance roles have established and implement sound systems, processes and practices to drive improvement within the association. This includes relevant opportunities for professional learning and engagement in professional growth and reflection. Senior teachers support improved practice by regularly visiting and mentoring kindergarten staff. 

Improved guidelines for internal evaluation are in place. However, at association level and within individual kindergartens, internal evaluation practices require further embedding to be fully effective. This includes developing collective capability to effectively monitor and evaluate the improvement actions to better determine whether these are having the desired impact. 

Leaders and teachers work alongside parents, the community, and mana whenua to implement the association’s strategic vision and goals. This is enabling them to develop practices committed to implementing practices related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

4 Improvement actions

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

  • Further develop teachers’ shared understanding of the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, and use these to better show children’s developing capabilities and learning progress over time.
  • Strengthen the ways in which the curriculum is culturally responsive to all learners including engaging with whānau Māori and Pacific families.
  • Those with roles in governance and management to continue to build their own and teachers' capability in the use of evaluation to scrutinise all aspects of operation, and more clearly show the impact of planned actions on outcomes for identified individuals and groups of learners. 

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Glenview Free Kindergarten 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:

  • 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 Action for Compliance 

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

  • Having a detailed record of safety checking, including risk assessment required to be complete after all relevant information is obtained (GMA7A). 

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

11 December 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameGlenview Free Kindergarten
Profile Number5472
LocationTimaru
Service type Free Kindergarten
Number licensed for 40 Children over the age of two 
Percentage of qualified teachers 100%
Service roll47
Review team on siteJuly 2023
Date of this report11 December 2023
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, October 2014

Glenview Free Kindergarten - 29/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Glenview Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Glenview Free 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

Glenview Free Kindergarten is one of 12 kindergartens in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association (SCK). It is located in Timaru. The kindergarten provides education and care for children aged from two years to school age. Up to 40 children attend in the mornings and 30 children attend in the afternoon.

A head teacher and four qualified and certificated teachers are responsible for the daily operations and the teaching programme. A Senior Teacher (ST) supports professional practice in the team. The SCK, including a general manager and Board, oversees the governance and management of the kindergarten.

The kindergarten has built on the good practices noted in ERO's 2014 report and made good progress against all the identified recommendations. This includes improved appraisal and internal evaluation practices and aligning the kindergarten’s strategic plan with the association's goals.

This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Teachers' practices contribute to improved outcomes for children. They are continuing to embed a kindergarten moemoeā/vision and determined valued learning priorities for the children who attend. They want children to develop an 'I can attitude' and to develop a 'joy of learning'. In addition they want children to develop the qualities of, manaakitanga, tikanga-a rua, whakawhanaungatanga, curiosity and inquiry and construction and creativity.

Teachers are strengthening the use of these values as the basis to plan, assess and evaluate children's learning and teaching practices. As a team they are considering what these values mean for their teaching practices and are making improvements.

Children's learning is supported by well-resourced environments and they can make choices from a wide range of resources and interesting experiences. Teachers know children well and respond to and extend their interests. They have genuine conversations with children to support their thinking. As a result children are settled and engaged in learning and show a strong sense of belonging. Teachers help children to know and show manaakitanga and to be kaitiakitanga (caretakers of the kindergarten and each other).

There are useful systems to identify children with diverse learning needs. Detailed plans to support individual children's learning are developed in collaboration with whānau and with external agencies.

Teachers have developed positive relationships with families and whānau. They welcome parents' contributions to the programme.

A growing strength in the kindergarten is the way teachers are providing a programme that includes te ao Māori perspectives. The team is considering what educational success as Māori means for tamariki Māori and their whānau. Teachers are finding ways to value and recognise children's cultural heritages.

Teachers make good use of internal evaluation processes to improve aspects of the programme and to improve outcomes for children. For example, there is now more choice and decision making for children in the afternoon programme and improved curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation practices. The head teacher is effectively leading and supporting teachers to grow their professional practice and share their strengths for the benefit of adults and children.

The SCK philosophy, vision, goals and systems effectively promote positive outcomes for children. The board, managers and leaders have proactively addressed the recommendations for the association in the October 2014 ERO report.

There is strong alignment between the SCK strategic priorities and the kindergarten's priorities and plans. The board is well informed about how well each kindergarten is progressing and contributing to the strategic direction of the SCK. However, the board could know more about how well the kindergartens are improving outcomes for children and how well children are achieving in relation to the association’s valued outcomes (purpose).

The board is strongly focused on improving outcomes for all children, including taking deliberate action to support Māori and Pacific children and children with diverse learning needs in the kindergartens. SCK leaders have developed strong networked relationships with community organisations to support children and their whānau. The next step for the board is to consider their culturally responsive practice as governors and to consult with whānau Māori to inform the future direction of SCK.

There are effective systems and processes to ensure that regulatory requirements are met within each kindergarten. Relevant professional learning, improved appraisal processes and effective ongoing coaching and mentoring by the senior teachers are building teacher capability.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for the teachers, with the support of the ST, are to:

  • consolidate and embed improved curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation practices
  • clearly defining intended teaching strategies to support children's learning
  • explore how they might deepen learning partnerships with parents
  • ensure that the annual plan is evaluated to show the impact of planned actions on outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Glenview Free 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 Glenview Free Kindergarten will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

29 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

LocationTimaru
Ministry of Education profile number5472
Licence typeFree Kindergarten
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2
Service roll57
Gender composition

Boys: 32

Girls: 25

Ethnic compositionMāori 
Pākehā 
Pacific
Other

46
2
5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenOver 21:10Meets minimum requirements
Review team on siteMay 2018
Date of this report29 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewOctober 2014
Education ReviewJune 2011
Education ReviewNovember 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.

Glenview Free Kindergarten - 01/10/2014

1 Evaluation of Glenview Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Glenview Free 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

Glenview Free Kindergarten is located in Timaru and is part of the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association. Since October 2013, the kindergarten has followed a model that matches the school day. It caters for children aged from two years to school age. Forty children attend in the morning and about thirty stay for the afternoon.

There have been significant staff changes over the last year. Five qualified teachers now work at the kindergarten. The teachers have continued to work on the recommendations from the 2011 ERO report. They now make much greater use of te reo Māori in their programmes, and are continuing to develop their systems for assessment, planning and evaluation and self review. The kindergarten community has upgraded the playground since the last ERO review to make better use of the outdoor space.

Glenview Kindergarten is part of a group of kindergartens and schools who meet to support children’s successful transition to school. This review was part of a cluster of 11 kindergarten reviews in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

The children have a strong sense of belonging at the kindergarten and go out of their way to care for each other. Children are settled and become engrossed in their play in groups or by themselves. They make their own choices about where to play and what to do.

Children have access to a wide range of interesting learning activities in the indoor and outdoor areas. The teachers set out the equipment and resources thoughtfully and attractively. There are opportunities for children to challenge themselves, solve problems, and be independent.

The teachers have nurturing and caring relationships with the children. They notice the children’s interests and build on them. This allows some play ideas to continue over several days. Teachers have identified some children who require extra support around speech and language and they have developed useful strategies to help them.

Parents are very much a part of the kindergarten community. They feel comfortable to spend time with their children in the kindergarten, and contribute in many ways.

Children benefit from a wide range of books, wall displays and natural materials that reflect the bicultural dimension of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Teachers are supporting children to learn:

  • a centre mihi and about important local landmarks

  • waiata, karakia and te reo Māori

  • concepts such as ako (teachers and children learning together).

The teachers are developing a plan to build stronger partnerships with Māori whānau so their children can be confident in their language, culture and identity at the kindergarten.

As part of the review, ERO investigated how well the programme supported children to develop early mathematics concepts. The programme supports children’s mathematics learning through everyday experiences such as baking, counting games, sorting and measuring. At a later date the teachers should further develop teaching and learning of mathematics in the kindergarten.

In 2014 the teachers have worked as a team to:

  • establish a clear vision for the kindergarten based around partnerships with families

  • make the vision for children’s learning more visible to parents

  • find ways of working together that make the most of individual teachers’ strengths

  • implement new systems for individual and group planning that incorporate input from both parents and children.

These positive initiatives are in the early stages of development.

The head teacher and the association’s senior teacher are providing effective leadership to the teaching team through this period of change at the kindergarten.

Key Next Steps

Kindergarten leaders and ERO agree that the key next steps are to continue the positive initiatives that are already underway. They agree they should do this by:

  • increasing the team’s understanding of self review

  • using self review to monitor the progress and effectiveness of recent changes

  • developing the kindergarten’s strategic plan and aligning it with the associations.

Governance

The South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association is governed by a board and managed by a newly-appointed general manager. The board:

  • has a strong commitment to teaching and learning

  • seeks parents’ views about important matters in the association

  • has made changes to the roll size and opening hours of the kindergartens to be more responsive to community needs and maintain the financial viability of the association

  • is very responsive to important government initiatives such as ensuring educational success for all children.

Next steps for the board are to:

  • know more about its roles and responsibilities as the governing body

  • develop strategic planning

  • ensure that reports review how well the association’s goals are met, are more evaluative and are better used for future planning

  • refine appraisal systems to ensure that staff and teachers more formally receive critical feedback about their work.

The senior teachers provide useful ongoing professional development and maintain a strong focus on teaching and learning to the kindergartens within the association. They have shared with the teachers at Glenview Kindergarten the expectations they have for teaching and learning and how well they think the team is meeting those expectations.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Glenview Free 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 Glenview Free Kindergarten will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services Southern Region

1 October 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

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

5472

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children over 2 years of age

Service roll

48

Gender composition

Girls: 26

Boys: 22

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Other ethnicities

3

42

3

Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

Not applicable

 
 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2014

Date of this report

1 October 2014

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

June 2011

 

Education Review

November 2007

 

Education Review

November 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.