Go Bananas Childcare

Education institution number:
46507
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
59
Telephone:
Address:

5 - 9 Hall Lane, Frankton-Hamilton, Hamilton

View on map

Go Bananas Childcare

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 Go Bananas Childcare 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

Go Bananas Childcare, located in Frankton, is one of 14 education and care services governed under the Go Bananas Childcare umbrella organisation. A large group of Indian and a small group of Māori learners are enrolled in the service. The service philosophy places value on fun play-based learning, partnerships with parents, and cultural diversity.

3 Summary of findings

Children benefit from a play-based curriculum that positively enhances their attitude to learning. Ongoing transitions are managed well. Infants and toddlers are highly engaged through a communal caregiving approach. Responsive interactions by teachers support children’s learning in a well-resourced environment that reflects children’s interests. Children engage in sustained play.

Learning focused partnerships between leaders, teachers and families enhance children’s learning. Parents are acknowledged as first teachers. Their aspirations are intentionally responded to in planning, and they have regular opportunities to contribute to curriculum decisions. Children’s diverse cultures, languages and identities are integrated through regular events. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging.

Teaching practices that connect and extend children’s learning require strengthening within the emerging teaching team. Leaders have identified that building understanding of how children learn and how to promote children’s understandings of the world is a priority. Teachers are at the early stages of integrating strategies that promote educational success for tamariki Māori as Māori.

Comprehensive and systematic evaluation processes promote centre improvement. Supported by an external mentor, professional growth cycles and internal evaluations build professional knowledge. The service is yet to monitor the impacts of these improvements on children’s outcomes.

Sound governance systems and processes guide service operations and promote children’s wellbeing. Policies and procedures make explicit the expectation that teachers will deliver a bicultural curriculum. Extensive resources are allocated to ensure equity of access and inclusion and build professional capability of leaders in curriculum design and evaluation. Governance supports conditions that enable equitable opportunities to learn.

4 Improvement actions

Go Bananas Childcare will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Work alongside whānau Māori to grow teacher understandings for what success looks like for their child and how teaching practices can support this.

  • Build teacher capability to respond to children’s dispositions and working theories.

  • Further develop internal evaluation processes and practices to monitor the outcomes of change on individuals and groups of children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Go Bananas Childcare 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.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

31 January 2023 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Go Bananas Childcare

Profile Number

46507

Location

Frankton, Hamilton

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers (delete if not applicable)

80-99%

Service roll

65

Review team on site

November 2022

Date of this report

31 January 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, June 2020; Education Review, November 2016

Go Bananas Childcare - 19/06/2020

1 Evaluation of Go Bananas Childcare

How well placed is Go Bananas Childcare to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Go Bananas Childcare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Go Bananas is a privately-owned all-day education and care service located in the Hamilton suburb of Frankton. It is licensed for 100 children, including up to 25 under two years of age. The roll of 97, includes 21 who identify as Māori, 48 of Indian descent, and a number of children from other nationalities. The centre's philosophy embraces the principles of Te Whāriki and the teachings of Reggio Emilia.

The modern purpose-built centre has three age-based settings. The Bambino room caters for babies and toddlers, Piccolo for children from two years old and Scuola for children up to school age. The centre maintains a focus on providing healthy food prepared and cooked on site.

The centre is owned by the directors, who have a strong presence and maintain oversight of the service. The centre manager is responsible for day-to-day operations. There is a head teacher in each room.

The service has responded well to the next steps identified in the previous ERO review in November 2016.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from a stimulating and vibrant environment that provides interest and challenge and contributes to meaningful learning opportunities. Children of all ages explore both indoor and outdoor environments with confidence and curiosity. Children under two are well supported in a calm and nurturing environment. A wide range of sensory experiences promotes exploration and development for these young children. Positive guidance strategies empower children and support their developing social competence. Children are enthusiastic, engaged and enjoy learning.

Māori children's language, culture and identity are affirmed through karakia, kapa haka, pūrakau, whakataukī and annual celebrations. Children of other cultures are also affirmed by teachers using their home language, celebrations and cultural festivals. Reflecting all children's language, culture and identity in their portfolios should strengthen this good practice.

Open communication with parents and whānau fosters reciprocal relationships and promotes children's learning and wellbeing. Inclusive practices are based on respect, humility and trust. Flexible transition of children and whānau into, through and beyond the centre is personalised and responsive to their needs. Individual learning plans are being developed to acknowledge parent aspirations and children’s strengths and interests. Regular documentation of how children's learning over time is being deepened and extended should strengthen this.

Leaders model and provide clear expectations and guidelines for quality teaching practice and curriculum delivery. Generous opportunities for professional learning and development are aligned to the centre philosophy. Responsive and reflective practice is valued and encouraged by leaders and teachers. This practice is modelled and evident in the centre's internal evaluation practices for improvement and leads to positive learning outcomes for children. Making full use of the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki should strengthen this.

Governance demonstrates a strong commitment to the philosophy, vision and goals of the service. Strategic and annual planning are well aligned. A collaborative approach to governance and management supports the enactment of these plans. A strong focus on equity and inclusive practice is evident through subsidised fees, provision of healthy meals and free transport to and from the centre.

Key Next Steps

Teachers need to continue to strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation by:

  • regularly documenting how children’s learning over time is being deepened and extended

  • ensuring portfolios consistently demonstrate the learning of each child's language, culture and identity

  • making full use of the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Go Bananas Childcare 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.

To improve current practice, the early childhood service management should ensure:

  • teachers will revisit Category Three Medication forms and procedures to ensure best practise and effective documentation.

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

19 June 2020

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

Hamilton

Ministry of Education profile number

46507

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

97

Gender composition

Female 52 Male 45

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Indian
Other ethnic groups

21
13
48
15

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

1:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2019

Date of this report

19 June 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

November 2016

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

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed

  • Well placed

  • Requires further development

  • Not well placed

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.

Go Bananas Childcare - 18/11/2016

1 Evaluation of Go Bananas Childcare

How well placed is Go Bananas Childcare 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

Go Bananas is a privately owned all-day education and care service located in Hamilton City. It is licensed for 100 children, including up to 25 children under two years of age. Its roll of 102, includes 28 Māori children and a number of children from other nationalities. The centre's philosophy embraces aspects of the teachings of Reggio Emilia and the principles of Te Whāriki. The centre opened in 2014 and a sister centre has recently opened in Rotokauri.

The centre is purpose-built and operates three age-based classrooms. The Bambino room caters for babies and toddlers, Piccolo for children from two years old and Scuola for children up to school age. The centre maintains a focus on providing healthy food for children prepared and cooked on site.

The centre is owned by the director, who maintains a strong interest, oversight and presence in the centre. There is a centre manager with many years of experience in early childhood education who takes responsibility for day-to-day operations. There is a head teacher in each room.

A well-qualified professional practice manager is responsible for overseeing the quality of teaching practice, and the induction and mentoring of teachers. An administrator contributes to the smooth running of centre operations. The service is committed to employing qualified teachers and supporting teachers in training. They also provide transport to and from the centre for children whose families would not otherwise be able to access the service.

This is the first ERO report for Go Bananas Childcare.

The Review Findings

Go Bananas is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children and their families.

Children and families are welcomed into classrooms by teachers who know them well. Many families enjoy taking time to settle their children, share conversations with teachers about their children, and read the attractive and informative displays of children's participation in the programme. This contributes to a strong sense of belonging for families. Teachers are caring and focused on children's wellbeing. Children are resilient, confident to make choices and follow their interests. As a result of recent self-review and professional development, transitions and routines are flexible and responsive. This enables children to follow their interests and sustain their play. There is a good balance of teacher-directed and child-initiated play that includes times for group experiences as well as independent exploration.

Babies and toddlers are being cared for in a nurturing and stimulating environment. The head teacher skilfully models respectful, responsive practices that promote the physical and emotional wellbeing of children in this room. Babies and young children are encouraged to explore the well-resourced and interesting indoor and outdoor environments. This is contributing to their growing confidence and understanding of the world around them. The teaching team fosters warm and trusting relationships amongst adults and children. They encourage children to share and communicate with their friends and carefully maintain familiar routines from home. Breast feeding mothers are actively supported and encouraged. Teachers should continue to reflect on ways to display familiar links with home to further enhance babies' sense of belonging and their transitions into the centre.

Older children build early concepts of literacy and mathematics. They gain confidence in using different materials for writing and creative activities. They confidently engage in dramatic play, singing and dancing, and games, alongside teachers who actively participate with them. Cultural celebrations are held and reflect the nationalities of teachers and families in the centre. Some children and families benefit from teachers who are able to speak their home language. A well-planned transition-to-school focus includes lunch-box days, visits to the local school and building children's social and self-care skills. The curriculum is enriched by the inclusion of many events that promote health and safety, visits into the local community, and regular visits from a local librarian. It is now important for centre leaders to ensure that older children can access a wider range of materials and equipment throughout the day that is age appropriate and provides opportunities for children to extend and add complexity to their learning. This should enable the service to realise the intent of their philosophy which is to provide an environment that acts as 'the third teacher'.

Teachers recognise, value and integrate the cultures of all children. They demonstrate respect for tikanga Māori, enjoy Matariki celebrations and include waiata, karakia mo te kai and basic te reo Māori in daily routines. They understand the value of tuakana-teina and provide opportunities for siblings to play and learn together. Teachers and leaders have considered the Ministry of Education resource, Tātaiako, as a way of increasing their understanding of culturally responsive practices. Whānau share information about their whakapapa and aspirations for children's learning and development. This is contributing to the success and mana of Māori children and their whānau.

ERO observed models of good teaching practices. These are:

  • teachers engaging in rich learning conversations with children that promote oral language, thinking and problem solving skills

  • strategies that foster children's confidence to explore, make mistakes and take risks

  • carefully listening to children and recognising their strengths, interests and dispositions

  • working in positive partnership with specialist agencies to provide inclusive education for children with special needs.

Teachers regularly plan for and document aspects of children's learning and share these with families and whānau through electronic portfolios, centre displays and individual portfolio books. These books are readily available to children and contribute to their developing concept of themselves as competent and confident learners. Teachers should continue to strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation by reviewing and clarifying the purpose and content of individual portfolios of learning. Attention should be given to:

  • making more effective use of the valuable information provided by parents and whānau in planning for children as they transition into the centre

  • identifying a wider range of learning experiences and child voice in portfolios

  • more clearly documenting children's progress and development over time.

In a relatively short time the service has established effective, sustainable systems and processes to govern and manage the centre. This is evident through:

  • a clear and shared philosophy

  • appropriate policies guidelines and procedures

  • useful frameworks for strategic planning, self review and performance management that is guiding centre direction, and contributing to ongoing development and improvement

  • a collaborative and collegial staff who feel valued by centre leaders

  • regular opportunities for staff professional development, mentoring and coaching

  • positive and respectful relationships with children and their families and whānau.

Key Next Steps

To continue to build on the good practices in place, centre leaders should continue to review and refine:

  • strategic planning to include specific goals with measureable indicators and outcomes aligned to Ministry of Education expectations and the centre philosophy

  • the performance management system to more closely align with strategic goals, contribute to consistent and high-quality teaching practices across all classrooms and promote positive outcomes for all children.

Recommendation

ERO recommends the service continue to access professional learning and development opportunities to build on and embed teaching practices that reflect best practice and current theory and research in early childhood education.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Go Bananas Childcare 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 Go Bananas Childcare will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

18 November 2016

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

Hamilton City

Ministry of Education profile number

46507

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

102

Gender composition

59 Boys 43 Girls

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Indian

Samoan

Other European

Chinese

Afghani

Cook Island Māori

Niue

28

39

20

4

4

3

2

1

1

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

1:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2016

Date of this report

18 November 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous ERO reports

 

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.