35 Horne Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Hamilton West Kindergarten is one of 29 kindergartens located in the Hamilton Region, and licensed for 40 children from two years to school age. The kindergarten offers full-day education and care, and provides flexible attendance hours to meet the needs of families. All teachers are qualified and registered. The organisation provides 20 free hours for all children.
The kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Waikato Kindergarten Association (WKA), which is a charitable trust, and does not operate for profit. The strategic direction of the association is guided by the overarching statement, ‘Every child reaching their full potential’. The WKA has a commitment to providing quality, inclusive services that effectively meet the diverse educational needs of children attending.
All kindergartens in WKA are involved in sustainable programmes promoting the care of people and environment including Enviroschools, Sport Waikato Under 5 Energise and a ‘Cool for School’ Transition programme. A kaumātua from Tainui provides advice, guidance and support to the organisation. The kindergarten's education, operational and administrative responsibilities are well supported by Association specialist personnel.
Since the last ERO review there have been changes to leadership and the teaching team. The head teacher was appointed in January 2016 and she has focused on team building and strengthening community relationships. In response to a recommendation in the 2014 ERO report, teachers have reviewed the learning story assessment process.
The centre philosophy was reviewed in 2017 and emphasises the kindergarten as a community of life-long learners. Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places and things. Te reo and tikanga Māori are woven into the everyday curriculum, which is underpinned by strong whānau relationships.
This review was part of a cluster five reviews in the Waikato Kindergarten Association.
Children experience responsive, sensitive, and empowering relationships with adults. A high level of relational trust is evident between teachers, children and their families. Routines, including mat-times, foster children's sense of belonging and support their self-management skills. Children are able to engage in long periods of uninterrupted play supported by high-quality learning conversations with teachers. Intentional teaching and learning practices are highly effective in promoting positive outcomes for children. Children enjoy extensive opportunities for physical challenge, exploration and risk taking. This allows their confidence, curiosity and working theories to develop strongly. Children are very well supported to develop their dispositions for learning, self-management and self-care skills, and social competencies.
Children are highly engaged in a child-initiated curriculum that is responsive to their interest’s strengths and capabilities. A feature of the kindergarten is the expansive and attractive environments which enable children to enjoy an extensive range of purposeful learning opportunities. Play spaces are very well designed and children have ready access to high-quality equipment and resources. This ongoing accessibility supports children to be able to make choices and decisions about their own learning.
Literacy is strongly promoted through print-rich environments and the use of effective strategies to enhance children’s early communication skills. High levels of support for oral language development are evident within the kindergarten. Early mathematical language and concepts are highly evident, and skilfully woven into meaningful play. The extensive natural environment provides an ideal setting for the strengthened focus on the enviroschools initiative. Children can be actively involved in caring for plants, recycling schemes and science experiments to develop working theories of the living world. Children are well supported as they prepare for transition to school. The Cool 4 Schools programme runs weekly for children within six months of transition to school. The inclusive and stimulating curriculum is highly effective at supporting children to become competent and confident life-long learners.
Bicultural practice is highly evident through teacher and children’s use of te reo, tikanga practices, waiata and karakia. Māori literacy is shared regularly and reinforced through cultural wall displays. Children's language, culture and identity are valued and celebrated. Tuakana/teina relationships are evident and fostered between older and younger children. Strong whānau relationships and the kindergarten’s commitment to weaving te reo and tikanga Māori into the programme is enhancing the bicultural curriculum and success for Māori children.
Partnerships with parents as partners in their child’s learning are being strengthened. Parents are made to feel welcome to stay and contribute to the programme. Their aspirations for their children are sought, valued and built on. Priorities for children’s learning are developed and shared with parents to inform planning, assessment and evaluation practice. The kindergarten is inclusive of children with additional learning and development needs. Staff have developed effective strategies, which include the use of 'phrase cards', to support children whose first language is not English.
The head teacher is successfully building the capability of the kindergarten community to promote improved learning outcomes for all children. Significant positive progress is evident in the collaborative work of the teaching team, who regularly share reflections on practice, through the internal evaluation, appraisal and attestation processes. The head teacher and staff are engaged with the revised Te Whāriki 2017 curriculum, and implementation is well underway.
There is a systematic approach to long term and emergent internal evaluation focused on sustaining high-quality practice and outcomes for children. The effective use of documented evidence to inform the evaluation of positive outcomes for children is a next stage of development. Highly-effective leadership is strengthening the shared sense of purpose and direction for the kindergarten community, and enhancing positive outcomes for all children.
WKA provides sound, comprehensive systems, policies and procedures to guide kindergarten practice. Teachers have access to ongoing and targeted professional development to support improved practice, and lead to positive outcomes for children. The Education Service Manager works closely with the head teacher to provide well-informed professional leadership to support kindergarten operations. Effective governance by WKA is contributing to high quality, inclusive and equitable learning outcomes for children.
ERO has confidence that kindergarten leaders and teachers have well developed systems and capability to sustain high-quality practices. Internal evaluation processes can be further enhanced by increasing the quantity and quality of some documented processes, such as planning and self-review. These should clearly link to community aspirations, research, current theories and teaching practice in early childhood education.
Before the review, the staff and management of Hamilton West 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Hamilton West Kindergarten will be in four years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
22 January 2018
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 |
Hamilton |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5144 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
51 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 33 Boys 18 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
32 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2017 |
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Date of this report |
22 January 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2014 |
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Education Review |
May 2011 |
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Education Review |
May 2008 |
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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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Hamilton West Kindergarten is located in Hamilton West near Waikato Hospital. It provides sessional education and care for children from two years to school age. The kindergarten is licensed for up to 40 children over the age of two years old. Afternoon sessions are currently limited to 30 children. At the time of this ERO review, 67 children were enrolled, of whom 10 are identified as Māori.
The teaching team has remained together at the kindergarten since the previous ERO review in 2011. During this time there have been significant renovations done to both indoor and outdoor play areas. These improvements have resulted in an extended playground, which is a very attractive and educationally stimulating area for children and their families. Improvements have also included a more modern, spacious indoor area that maximises opportunities for the appreciation of mature native trees outdoors.
Children and families from diverse cultures and backgrounds are readily welcomed as part of the kindergarten community. Parents are invited to contribute to the programme and assist with trips and outings. Teachers have recently engaged in professional development to enhance their use of te reo Māori, computers as tools for learning, and digital communication to inform parents about their children’s progress and development.
The kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Waikato Kindergarten Association (WKA), which is a charitable trust, and does not operate for profit. The strategic direction of the association is guided by the overarching statement, ‘Every child reaching their full potential’. The WKA has a commitment to providing quality, inclusive services that effectively meet the diverse educational needs of all children attending. All WKA kindergartens provide an Enviroschools focus as a key curriculum feature to encourage children to better understand caring for the environment.
The Educational Service Manager (ESM) monitors and reports to the association on the kindergarten’s quality of education. A kaumātua from Tainui provides advice, guidance and support about Māori language, culture and identity. The kindergarten’s administrative responsibilities are well supported by association resource personnel.
The kindergarten benefits from the WKA's clear guidelines and expectations for practice and the availability of good self-review processes for monitoring and evaluating the quality of education and care it provides for children.
This review was part of a cluster of 12 kindergarten reviews in the Waikato Kindergarten Association.
Hamilton West Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Children benefit from warm, affirming and responsive interactions with skilled, experienced teachers. Children are highly engaged in exploring the well-prepared environment and sustain their involvement in many interesting activities of their choice. These include physical challenges, complex constructions and art activities, social play, story reading, puzzles and well-chosen computer games. Mat times provide opportunities for music, storytelling, and discussions about play and achievements. Children are confident, capable learners who enjoy their time at kindergarten.
Teachers skilfully promote literacy, mathematics and science in planned and incidental contexts. They use open questions to encourage children’s thinking and problem solving. Sustained conversations provide children with good oral language skills. Te reo Māori is increasingly integrated into discussions and conversations. The Enviroschools approach enables children to participate in propagating and caring for plants, and harvesting and preparing food. Learning environments are regularly refreshed work and play spaces that celebrate children’s achievements. Māori features are attractively positioned to enhance the entrance and play areas.
Teachers make learning visible for children and parents through displays and accessible portfolios. They use their knowledge and understanding of individual children and their interests to plan a flexible and responsive programme. Attractive portfolios document children’s participation in the programme and their social development. Portfolio entries increasingly identify children’s learning and their progress over time. Transition to school is assisted by visits to the junior classes of a nearby school. Home books invite children from the morning session to work with their parents in responding to questions about the day’s programme and developing literacy and numeracy skills.
Parents appreciate multiple approaches for communication about their children’s progress and wellbeing. These include informal discussions, surveys and opportunities to comment on, and contribute to, their child’s portfolio. Parents are encouraged to share aspirations for their children with teachers and many take the opportunity to do this. They also assist with regular trips to explore the wider community and enjoy social occasions organised for families by kindergarten staff.
The head teacher is an experienced and capable practitioner who is respected by her staff and community. She has a strong vision for promoting the wellbeing of children within a high-quality learning environment. The kindergarten’s philosophy statement has been reviewed, and is strongly reflected in the warm, family-like atmosphere created for children and families. Strong partnerships with parents, the community and external agencies have been developed over time, and these continue to enhance outcomes for children.
ERO, the educational services manager, head teacher and teachers agree that key next steps are to further develop self-review processes, programme evaluations, assessment practices, and the use of computers for learning and communication.
Before the review, the staff and management of Hamilton West 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.
The next ERO review of Hamilton West Kindergarten will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
5 November 2014
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
|
Location |
Hamilton |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5144 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
67 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 35 Girls 32 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Indian Asian Pacific Other |
10 44 5 4 1 3 |
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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 |
August 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 November 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 2005 |
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.