Holmes Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5484
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
48
Telephone:
Address:

34 A Stuart Street, Oamaru

View on map

Holmes 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 Holmes Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Holmes Kindergarten is one of five kindergartens in the Oamaru Kindergarten Association (OKA). Children who attend are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. There is a large group of Māori and a small number of Pacific children. Leaders oversee a team of fully certificated staff. A general manager and senior teacher support a head teacher and teaching team. Since the May 2018 ERO review there have been changes within the teaching team, including a new head teacher.

3 Summary of findings

Children benefit from a curriculum that positively supports them to make choices about their learning, be independent and develop social skills. Teachers' interactions with children are respectful and meaningful, building on their ideas and interests, and supporting their wellbeing. Children with additional learning requirements are appropriately supported by learning plans developed in collaboration with whānau and external agencies.

The physical environment reflects the cultural diversity within the kindergarten. The bicultural curriculum is developing. There are some opportunities for children to hear te reo Māori. Progress in this area is ongoing.

The quality of assessment is variable. Teachers are yet to consistently:

  • formally gather and document parents’ aspirations for their child’s learning and use these to inform planning decisions

  • show how they plan to extend children’s learning

  • develop a shared approach to using the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to show children’s learning and progress over time.

A deliberate approach is in place to build leadership capability within and across Oamaru Kindergartens. This has enabled the board, managers, and teaching teams to effectively implement the association’s strategic vision and goals. The teaching team benefits from ongoing mentoring and guidance provided by the association.

Internal evaluation processes are embedding. Improvements and outcomes from evaluations are regularly reported to the board. While quality indicators are evident, they are not yet used purposefully to guide the evaluation process, or inform data analysis and actions taken. Deepening the teaching team’s use of effective internal evaluation is now required.

The board and leaders are future focused, and they provide a range of initiatives that enable families and communities to participate in the kindergarten. Useful systems and processes guide the operation and management of the kindergarten. While a process is in place to monitor the implementation of the licensing requirements, this is not yet robust.

4 Improvement actions

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

  • Develop a shared understanding and the use of the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to show children’s learning and progress over time.

  • Formally gather and use parents’ aspirations for their children’s learning to inform curriculum design and assessment, planning and evaluation practices.

  • Make better use of indicators of best practice through all stages of the internal evaluation. Ensure that reporting is evaluative and consistently focused on outcomes for children and shifts in teacher practice. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of 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: 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

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • Areas of windows and glass are either made of safety glass, covered with protective film, or protected by barriers (PF7).

  • Heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).

  • Records of medication for category (ii) must consistently include the date and time the medication was administered and by whom (HS28).

  • The procedure people should follow should they wish to complain about non-compliance with Regulations or criteria includes details of the local Ministry of Education office (GMA1).

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

19 June 2023

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Holmes Kindergarten

Profile Number 

5484

Location

Oamaru

Service type

Free Kindergarten

Number licensed for

39 children two years and over

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

55

Review team on site

March, 2023

Date of this report

19 June 2023

Most recent ERO report

Education Review, May 2018; Education Review, August 2014

Holmes Kindergarten - 24/05/2018

1 Evaluation of Holmes Kindergarten

How well placed is Holmes 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

Holmes Kindergarten, located in south Oamaru, is one of five kindergartens in the Oamaru Kindergarten Association (OKA). It provides education and care for up to 30 children from two years of age, for up to six hours each weekday. Forty-five children share the spaces over the week. Some families travel from farms some distance away.

The head teacher and teachers share the leadership and teaching roles in the kindergarten. Almost all teachers have worked together at this kindergarten for a number of years. Over the past three years upgrades and improvements have been made to the kitchen and outdoor areas. An external Education Services Manager (ESM) supports professional practice in the team. The OKA oversees the governance and management of the kindergarten.

The focus of the kindergarten's philosophy is on developing children's social skills, including their relationship building, and their ability to lead their own learning in an environment that values the language, culture and identity of all learners.

Since the last ERO review in 2014, the kindergarten has continued to refine its teaching practices and programmes for better outcomes for children.

This review was part of a cluster of five reviews in the OKA.

The Review Findings

Holmes Kindergarten continues to be high performing.

Records of learning show that children make good progress against their set goals and the kindergarten's curriculum priorities. This progress is well supported by the high-quality practices in place throughout the kindergarten. These include:

  •   working with children to provide a very calm and settled environment
  •   a curriculum responsive to their learning priorities
  •   clear and useful planning that supports intentional teaching
  •   strong links between home and kindergarten.

Children who identify as Māori learn and play in an increasingly bicultural environment. Over the last two years the teaching team has had a major focus on developing and embedding practices that are consistent with tikanga Māori principles. Some of these principles are becoming highly evident within the kindergarten. The head teacher and teachers are building their confidence and competence in using te reo Māori with the children.

Children of Pacific heritage experience an environment where their cultures are valued and respected. Their cultures are part of their learning activities and the kindergarten's overall programme for all. Teachers have a growing awareness of the various cultures represented within the kindergarten.

The teaching team is highly improvement focused. Teachers demonstrate a genuine commitment to deepening their knowledge and understanding of other cultures. A useful framework leads to focused and relevant evaluations for improved practices. Evaluations/reviews are well embedded and aligned to Te Whāriki and the kindergarten's priorities. The teachers make very good use of research and professional readings to improve outcomes for children and their teaching practices.

The long-established teaching team has collective capability as a group to improve children's outcomes. Teachers collaborate well as a team in their planning for children and in professional conversations. They have a sound knowledge of early childhood education and children as learners. There is a strong alignment from identified learning priorities to curriculum design, teaching and assessment practices, and internal evaluation/self-review. Expectations for practice are regularly updated to ensure newly developed practices are sustained.

Teachers carefully design the curriculum to maximise the learning for all children. Curriculum decisions are well informed by the aspirations of parents and analysed assessment information. Teachers empower children to take increasing control of their own learning.

Holmes Kindergarten receives targeted and well-planned professional learning and development. The team is well supported by the ESM to identify what is working well and areas for further development to improve outcomes for children.

The OKA effectively supports the kindergarten. It provides a useful strategic and operational framework for the kindergarten's management. There is strong alignment from the OKA strategic priorities to the kindergarten's priorities and plans. The OKA is committed to equity for all children, providing targeted resources to enable participation and inclusion of all children and their whānau. The OKA board is well informed about how well each kindergarten is progressing and contributing to the strategic direction.

The OKA strongly supports ongoing improvement across its kindergartens. It has effective evaluation and assurance practices that inform change and development. The OKA also supports its kindergartens to have constructive partnerships with other agencies and providers. Teacher capability across the OKA is being strengthened through an improved appraisal system.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and teachers continue to implement and refine their practices from the recommendations they identify in their evaluations and from the ESM reports.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the management of Holmes 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:

  • administration
  • health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial and property management.

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 Holmes Kindergarten will be in four years.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

24 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

Oamaru

Ministry of Education profile number

5484

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children from 2 years of age

Service roll

45

Gender composition

Boys:   25

Girls:   20

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Other

  3
36
  3
  3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49%       50-79%       80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2018

Date of this report

24 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

August 2014

Supplementary Review

June 2011

Education Review

May 2010

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.

Holmes Kindergarten - 26/08/2014

1 Evaluation of Holmes Kindergarten

How well placed is Holmes 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

Holmes Kindergarten is one of four kindergartens governed by the Oamaru Kindergarten Association. The kindergarten provides early education for children from three to five years of age, five days a week. The hours align to school day hours.

The team of experienced teachers has made significant improvements to its practice since the June 2011 ERO review. These improvements are ongoing and well sustained. They have established a strong team culture and have a shared understanding of the way they teach and support children’s learning. Effective professional development has helped further improve planning records and self review.

The teachers are focused on implementing their kindergarten’s philosophy which aims for children to be confident life-long learners, have strong relationships and develop positive attitudes for learning, such as risk taking and problem solving.

The kindergarten receives ongoing support from an external education service manager, the association general manager and a governing board made up of parents from the kindergarten communities.

The Review Findings

Children at Holmes Kindergarten work and play in an environment that is welcoming and friendly. Teachers warmly greet them on arrival and have useful strategies to build a sense of belonging and to guide the child into possible learning for the day. Teachers purposefully and carefully arrange the environment to stimulate children’s interests. They listen to and respect children’s ideas and involve them in planning decisions. Children are independent and make choices about where they want to play and what they want to do.

Teachers provide a programme with a wide range of learning experiences. A strength of the programme is the way literacy is integrated throughout. Literacy is woven through learning experiences such as art, music and drama, gardening and the range of opportunities for creative expression through construction materials such as carpentry. Children also enjoy regular excursions to extend their learning and interests. They are involved in the decision making about these trips.

Where children need additional support to succeed, teachers together with children’s families, have developed plans and specific strategies to help them.

Other positive features of the kindergarten that support and promote children’s learning include:

  • teachers’ high- quality planning and assessment practices
  • the partnership for learning between teachers and parents
  • records of learning that show the difference teachers have made and progress children make over time.

All teachers have learning-focused conversations with children. They use these to build on and challenge children’s ideas and thinking and enable children to make connections to other learning.

Teachers also have a passion and interest in embedding a Māori dimension into their programme. They have explored what some key Māori concepts mean and base their teaching practices on these. Many of the children are confident to say their full mihi and others are well supported by teachers to learn this. The team know how best to support children from Pacific cultures.

There is a strong team culture of in-depth reflection and discussion and teachers are focused on making improvements. Teachers’ participation in professional development has had positive impacts for children. The head teacher provides effective leadership to the team. This promotes children's learning. There has been a significant amount of work done to improve self-review processes and practices. The team has identified the next steps to further refine this.

Key Next Step

The teachers should continue to implement the improvements that they and the senior teacher have identified.

Governance and management

Kindergarten teachers, the children and their families are well supported by the association. The board has a positive relationship with the general manager who effectively and efficiently manages the kindergarten operations. As a team, she and the board have developed a useful strategic plan with a clear vision for the future with comprehensive goals that align with the kindergarten’s action plan. The general manager works with an education service manager to support the kindergarten to implement the high expectations they have for children’s wellbeing and learning. This includes meeting the specific needs of children with a diverse range of needs.

The board and leaders have identified their next steps. They have planned to conduct a review of communication systems including information and communication technologies. A workshop is planned to build on their understanding of the principles of The Treaty of Waitangi and how they apply within the organisation. The general manager and education service manager have begun to arrange further professional development for the association head teachers about leadership, self review and to develop a more robust system for managing risks during kindergarten outings.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Holmes 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 Holmes Kindergarten will be in four years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

26 August 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

Oamaru

Ministry of Education profile number

5484

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children over two years of age

Service roll

45

Gender composition

Girls 23

Boys 22

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Other

2

40

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

June 2014

Date of this report

26 August 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Supplementary Review

June 2011

 

Education Review

May 2010

 

Education Review

October 2006

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.