Ngaio Street, Inglewood
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Inglewood Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Inglewood Kindergarten provides early education and care for up to 40 children aged over two years. The current roll is 63 and includes 16 Māori children. All teachers are fully qualified.
The philosophy emphasises 'children as independent, capable and confident where teachers, whānau and children work collaboratively to ensure children are happy and able to reach their full potential'.
Inglewood Kindergarten is one of 24 kindergartens operating under the governance and management of Kindergarten Taranaki (the association). The association's vision is 'enriching learning'. The governing board is responsible for setting the overall direction for the organisation. Oversight of the association is the role of the current acting chief executive. The acting chief executive is supported by a team of managers and leaders. There have been a number of changes in leadership and management personnel in the past three years.
Association key next steps identified in the January 2017 ERO evaluation continue to require prioritising. Inglewood Kindergarten's key next steps to strengthen educational success for Māori learners, planning and assessment and internal evaluation, continue to be progressed.
This review was part of a cluster of seven kindergarten reviews in Kindergarten Taranaki.
The kindergarten is a member of the Kāhui Ako o te Kōhanga Moa - Inglewood Community of Learning.
Children are empowered to lead their own learning. They are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves, each other and the environment. They are valued as capable, confident learners where their independence is promoted. Respectful, responsive relationships between teachers and children are evident and promote children's sense of belonging.
Teachers notice, recognise and respond to children's interests, strengths and preferences. Leaders have identified that re-development of assessment, planning and evaluation processes should give consideration to:
the inclusion and response to parent aspirations for their child's learning
the visibility of individual children's cultures, language and identity
progression of children's learning over time.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported to participate in the inclusive environment. They participate fully in all aspects of the programme alongside their peers. Teachers, parents and external agencies work together to ensure there is a deliberate, planned approach to implementing specific strategies for these children to experience success.
The association has identified a priority is to strengthen educationally powerful partnerships with whānau. A range of information and reporting is shared with whānau and surveys are undertaken to gather whānau views. Evaluating the effectiveness of current communication and consultation strategies should contribute to the association progressing this priority.
Teacher appraisal and professional development are growing practice and effectively promoting positive outcomes for children. The board has sustained a deliberate focus on strengthening Kindergarten Taranaki capacity and capability to support educational success for Māori learners. At Inglewood Kindergarten Māori expertise is valued and promoted. Te ao Māori concepts are authentically woven into kindergarten practices. Teachers continue to work with local iwi to support them to provide a place-based curriculum approach that reflects the local area and underpins the kaupapa of the service.
Teachers are well supported to build their understanding and use of evaluation for improvement. Targeted support to enhance understanding of aspects of evaluation should continue to drive improvements for children’s learning. There is a sound framework in place for internal evaluation at Inglewood Kindergarten. Better measuring the impact of teaching on children's learning outcomes is an identified area to strengthen.
Systems for recording and monitoring health and safety requirements were implemented in 2018. Further rigour and monitoring are required to ensure oversight of ongoing compliance accountability is maintained. Priority should also be given to the consistent implementation of a policy review schedule.
Board members show a good understanding of their governance roles and responsibilities. Strategic direction and annual planning align and guide the organisation. Reporting to the board by association leaders has recently strengthened. Evaluating progress and outcomes of the strategic plan and further refining reporting to the board should continue to enhance decision making.
At Inglewood Kindergarten key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
assessment for children's learning
internal evaluation to measure the impact of teaching and learning on outcomes for children.
Kindergarten Taranaki should:
consistently implement a policy review schedule and strengthen effective monitoring of accountability systems and processes
enhance reporting to the board to include assurance of accountability, the quality of teaching and learning outcomes for children's learning
systematise and strengthen processes used to evaluate outcomes of the strategic plan.
Priority should be given to sustaining a systematic process that assures governance and management of ongoing compliance accountability. Future ERO evaluations will monitor Kindergarten Taranaki progress towards this priority.
Before the review, the staff and management of Inglewood 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.
To improve compliance practice, Kindergarten Taranaki should;
finalise the development of lockdown procedures to further guide kindergarten practice statements
strengthen the review of accident, illnesses and incident records and implementation of practices as required.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS7, HS27]
Darcy Te Hau Acting
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
24 June 2020
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 |
Inglewood |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5221 |
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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 aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
63 |
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Gender composition |
Males 34, Females 29 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
16 |
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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 |
March 2020 |
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Date of this report |
24 June 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
January 2017 |
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|
Education Review |
October 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
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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:
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.
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.
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.
Inglewood Kindergarten provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. It is open five days a week, for six hours daily and licensed for up to 40 children. Within these hours, sessional care and education is also provided. Of the roll of 48, six identify as Māori.
Children enrol from both urban and rural areas, with some travelling a considerable distance. Sessions are designed for mixed ages, to respond to families' needs and allow siblings to attend together. The kindergarten is a participant in a recently formed Community of Learning located in the Inglewood area.
Since the October 2013 ERO report, the outdoor area has been redeveloped to include an orchard, raised vegetable planters and grass.
The teaching team is fully qualified and the programme is further assisted by support staff.
The kindergarten is one of 24 governed by the newly established Kindergarten Taranaki (the association), formerly North and South Taranaki Kindergarten Associations. A chief executive was appointed to lead the association in 2014. Three professional leaders are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers.
The previous ERO report identified areas of practice requiring further development. These included enhancing assessment, building relationships and transition to school practices. Progress is evident. In addition, the 2013 and 2015 ERO reviews identified key next steps for the association. Progress in addressing these is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of eight in the Kindergarten Taranaki Association.
Children are empowered through a child-led curriculum that responds to their strengths, interests and abilities. They play collaboratively in groups of their choosing and have opportunities to reflect and build on prior learning experiences. Flexible routines contribute to their emerging independence and confidence. Literacy experiences are integrated throughout the curriculum.
The learning environment clearly reflects the diverse cultures, languages and identities of the children and their families. Staff draw on their positive relationships with families to enhance children's sense of belonging and wellbeing. Whānau are valued as experts in their culture. A strong sense of place and community is evident. Children with additional needs are effectively identified, supported and monitored over time. Teachers liaise with external agencies as required.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are evident in aspects of the curriculum and embedded in teacher practice. This strong foundation, along with association guidance, should support understanding of and enhance the focus on promoting educational success for Māori children.
Positive changes have recently been made in assessment, planning and evaluation practices. Teachers now observe children's interests, clearly articulate their learning, share this with whānau and invite feedback. Further consideration should be given to:
regularly seeking and responding to whānau aspirations for their children's learning
more consistently recording teachers' responses to children's learning in their portfolios
planning for children's progress and evaluating the impact of this over time.
A useful appraisal process supports teacher practice. The association has recently revised the appraisal procedure, this now includes the use of formal observations of teacher practice. Once fully established this should assist leaders to strengthen the process. Professional leaders should then undertake regular monitoring of practice and evaluate how well appraisal is being implemented in each kindergarten.
A self-review process is in place that results in improvement. Useful indicators of success guide teachers in their decision-making approach. Shifting teachers' focus to evaluating how well their practices support and improve learning outcomes for children is a next step.
Teachers, in consultation with parents, sensitively support children's successful transitions into kindergarten and onto school. Close relationships with local schools are likely to be further strengthened through the kindergarten's participation in the recently formed Community of Learning for the Inglewood area.
The board works collaboratively with its community to establish vision, values and strategic priorities. Establishing clearer measures of success should enable the board to measure progress and evaluate how well practices support realisation of goals and vision.
The board's ongoing commitment to biculturalism is evident through planned initiatives to support teachers to promote te ao Māori in the curriculum and to develop culturally responsive practices. Senior association leaders are focused on developing initiatives to better determine the impact of curriculum delivery and teaching and learning in each kindergarten.
The association should establish clear expectations of the purpose and use of assessment, planning and evaluation in kindergartens. Professional leaders in partnership with teaching teams, should then monitor the effective implementation of:
assessment, planning and evaluation
review and internal evaluation.
In addition, the association should establish a system for the ongoing monitoring of compliance with legislative requirements, including those related to health and safety.
ERO and kindergarten teachers agree that key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
educational success for Māori learners with the support of the association
planning and assessment to clearly show children's learning progress
teachers' understanding of review and evaluation.
The association should:
strengthen the processes used to evaluate the progress of the strategic plan
provide effective guidance and monitoring of association expectations related to assessment practice, review and internal evaluation and health and safety practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Inglewood 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 Inglewood Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
18 January 2017
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 |
New Plymouth |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5221 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
48 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 27, Girls 21 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
6 35 7 |
|
|
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 |
November 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 January 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2007 |
||
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.
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.