Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara

Education institution number:
46196
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
55
Telephone:
Address:

172 Hutt Road, Kaiwharawhara, Wellington

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Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara - 19/02/2018

1 Evaluation of Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara

How well placed is Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

It is an urgent priority for Evolve to build staff stability, improve teachers' practice, and build capability in review and evaluation. ERO's evaluation identified increased support and monitoring from Evolve is required, to build quality curriculum and teacher practice to improve outcomes for children.

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

Background

Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara (formally known as I Kids Kaiwharawhara) is in Wellington. It provides education and care for children from three months to school age.

Since the October 2015 ERO evaluation, an acting centre manager has been appointed. Daily operation of the service is the responsibility of the teaching team. There have significant changes to the teaching team since 2015. Most teachers are fully qualified and represent a range of ethnicities.

Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara is owned and operated by Evolve Education Group Ltd (EEG). EEG is a national organisation that owns a number of early learning services across New Zealand.

The previous ERO report identified areas requiring further improvement. These included:

  • a team approach focused on improving outcomes for children

  • the philosophy and indicators of quality practice

  • a responsive and challenging curriculum

  • assessment, planning and evaluation

  • review and internal evaluation

  • implementing a bicultural curriculum

  • consulting with Māori and Pacific families around success for their children.

The service developed a plan to address the key areas requiring improvement, in consultation with the Ministry of Education (MoE). Progress in addressing these has been slow.

The Review Findings

Teachers support and encourage children to make choices about their interests and involvement in their play. Diversity is acknowledged and celebrated. Children’s culture, language and identity are valued and enrich the centre.

Responsive caregiving supports infants’ need for secure attachment. These children experience a welcoming and unhurried learning environment. Teachers offer children a range of appropriate choices to support their learning and development.

The learning programme for older children requires enhancing, particularly in relation to:

  • providing opportunities for them to be creative and expressive and persist in their play over time

  • enabling them to have opportunities to make decisions, ask questions and problem solve

  • ensuring teachers have sufficient and current knowledge to guide and support learning.

Leaders and teachers continue to build their understanding of te ao Māori and how this is implemented in the centre. Aspects of kaupapa Māori are evident in the programme. Extending te reo me ngā tikanga Māori perspectives across the curriculum is a next step.

Teachers have made some progress with understanding what contributes to educational success for Māori and Pacific children. Leaders and teachers have made some good use of MoE resources to build their knowledge. Parent and whānau aspirations are used by teachers to help inform individual children's planning for these learners.

Effective assessment, planning and evaluation is at an early stage of development. Leaders acknowledge that the assessment and planning cycle requires strengthening. Teachers notice children's interests and strengths and use these to develop ideas for learning. A priority is for leaders and teachers to enhance the assessment and planning and evaluation framework to ensure it guides, scaffolds and provides clear expectations for staff. In addition, as part of improving implementation, the following should be a focus:

  • ensuring learning continues to be purposeful and authentic and provide opportunities to deepen and increase the complexity of children's learning

  • highlighting children's dispositional attributes as well as skills

  • evaluating the impact of the programme on children's learning.

A priority for improvement is to complete the philosophy review. This has recently been initiated with staff input. Parents and whānau have not yet been invited to contribute to this process. To help support curriculum improvements required, leaders and teachers should now identify the high quality teacher and centre practices that will support achievement of each of the philosophy statements. Developing a shared understanding and expectations for implementing a rich curriculum, and teachers' understanding and use of quality interactions to facilitate children's learning, is needed to improve the curriculum provided.

Internal evaluation is not yet well understood. Leaders have introduced a new framework for undertaking internal evaluation. This, once understood, should support teachers' capability and understanding to evaluate the impact of their practices on children’s learning. Leaders should strengthen their knowledge of strategic collaborative investigation and sense making, to assist staff to determine what the centre priorities are for taking action to improve practice.

A new appraisal system includes stronger use of evidence and clearer next steps for teachers’ development. These practices are likely to contribute to professional growth, decision-making and enhanced outcomes for children. Teachers have had access to a range of professional learning and development. However this has not been well considered or strategic.

Key Next Steps

ERO identified the following as urgent priorities:

  • complete the philosophy review

  • improve assessment, planning and evaluation practice to inform and enhance the programme

  • develop understanding and implementation of review and evaluation for improvement.

Recommendation

Evolve will develop an action plan that details how they plan to address these priorities. Progress against this plan will be monitored by ERO.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

  • curriculum
  • premises and facilities
  • health and safety practices
  • governance, management and administration.

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

  • emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)

  • physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)

  • suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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

In order to improve practice leaders and teachers need to focus on improving teachers' practice through rigorous implementation of the appraisal process and targeted professional learning and development.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Active Explorers Kaiwharawhara will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

19 February 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

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

46196

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

82 children, including up to 35 aged under 2

Service roll

72

Gender composition

Girls 32, Boys 40

Ethnic composition

Pākehā
Asian
Other ethnic groups

47
14
11

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

December 2017

Date of this report

19 February 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

October 2015

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.

I Kids Kaiwharawhara - 07/10/2015

1 Evaluation of I Kids Kaiwharawhara

How well placed is I Kids Kaiwharawhara to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

An urgent priority for this service is to establish a team culture in which children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Centre leaders and teaching staff have a number of improvements to be made to raise the quality of education and care provided for children.

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

Background

I Kids Kaiwharawhara is a privately-owned education and care service. The centre is licensed for 72 children, including 35 up to the age of two years. Full-time education and care is offered across three playrooms.

This service was recently purchased by the Evolve Education Group. The regional and the centre manager, and one of the two team leaders, are new to their roles. The centre manager has overall responsibility for day-to-day operations. Two team leaders support teachers in their roles and have oversight of the curriculum. Many staff have found the change-management process resulting from new ownership unsettling. 

This is the service’s first ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children participate in a free-play programme and select resources from the activities provided. Teachers are warm and welcoming.

Children’s portfolios have regular and informative entries which highlight their involvement in the programme and developing friendships.

Self review is developing and is at times focused on improvement and used by teachers to reflect on practice.

ERO’s evaluation identified that several improvements are required to raise the quality of education and care provided for children. To realise the centre’s philosophy and aspirations for children’s learning, centre leaders and teachers should collectively determine what high quality practice looks like for the curriculum. Once determined, these indicators of good practice will be useful in measuring how well current practices align to these expectations through self-review and evaluation processes.

The teaching team is currently reviewing the philosophy to assist them to develop shared understandings of practice. Consideration of raising the quality of planning, assessment and the learning environment is necessary through this process. As part of this review it is important that leaders consult with whānau.

Teachers take a strong supervisory role and do not yet provide a responsive and challenging curriculum for infants, toddlers or young children. A key next step is for them to work and play alongside children. They should notice their interests and use appropriate teaching strategies and resources to support and extend each child’s learning. In addition, it is important for infants to have access indoors to equipment that they can use to develop their large motor skills.

Teachers should be supported to further develop their understanding of the cycle of planning and how this contributes to a group planning focus, curriculum design, responsive teaching practices and assessment for learning.

In order for teachers to provide an individualised programme of learning for children, assessment information should:

  • be analysed in depth to show the actual learning occurring for each child
  • show how teachers have added challenge and complexity to learning
  • promote continuity of learning to better highlight progress over time
  • celebrate each child’s culture, language and identity.

Leaders and teachers should implement the expectations identified in Evolve Education Group’s culture and identity policy. This provides clear expectations for the implementation of a bicultural curriculum that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Consulting with whānau Māori and Pacific families to define success for their children in the centre context, has been identified by leaders as a key next step. 

Further developing teachers’ understanding of the self-review process and building their capacity to evaluate is necessary for improving practice. Improvements to self review and evaluation processes should provide leaders with better information to judge the effectiveness of centre operations and practice, and inform future decision making.

Build leaders' capacity to develop teachers' competence and strengthen the focus on continual improvement is a priority. The new appraisal model should support this approach when it is implemented. Once established, it is important that leaders assess whether it is supporting teachers to improve their practice.

Key Next Steps

Next steps to improve the quality of teaching and learning are to:

  • develop a cohesive team approach focused on improving outcomes for children
  • review the philosophy and develop clear indicators of quality practice
  • provide a responsive and challenging curriculum
  • improve teachers’ understanding of assessment, planning and evaluation
  • develop a clear process for internal evaluation and strengthen the evaluative aspect of review
  • implement a bicultural curriculum reflective of Evolve Education Group’s guiding policy
  • consult with Māori and Pacific families to define success for their children in this educational context.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of I Kids Kaiwharawhara 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to curriculum. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:

  • acknowledgement and reflection of Māori as tangata whenua in the curriculum
  • provision of a range of experiences to enhance and extend children’s learning and development.                 

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C5, C9]

Development Plan Recommendation

ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report. 

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of I Kids Kaiwharawhara will be within two years. 

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

7 October 2015 

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

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

46196

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

72 children, including up to 35 aged under 2

Service roll

74

Gender composition

Boys 40, Girls 34

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Indian

Samoan

Other ethnic groups

  3

41

10

  4

  1

15

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2015

Date of this report

7 October 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

First  ERO report

 

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.