Kauri Kids Birkdale

Education institution number:
20020
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
19
Telephone:
Address:

134 Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Auckland

View on map

Kauri Kids Birkdale

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 Kauri Kids Birkdale are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Kauri Kids Birkdale is a community-based service that is managed by the Auckland City Council. An operations manager provides governance and management for the 10 Kauri Kids services. The teachers, including the manager are experienced and qualified.

3 Summary of findings

Children at Kauri Kids Birkdale are settled and engaged in their play. They are articulate and friendly. Children work independently or in small groups and enjoy long periods of uninterrupted play. Teachers know the children well and support their self-chosen play. The spacious centre environment is organised to provide a range of spaces that encourage children’s imagination and creativity.

Teachers promote a child-centred curriculum. Key teacher caregiving practices support the development of meaningful relationships with children and parents/whānau. Children’s assessment records and an online portal show how the service shares children’s learning with their parents. Teachers could now consider how they respond to whānau aspirations for children’s learning.

Teachers use basic te reo Māori and include aspects of tikanga Māori in their daily practice. They demonstrate a commitment to promoting the languages and cultures of all the children in the centre.

Teachers have developed strong connections with parents and the local community. They are active participants in the local kāhui ako | community of learning along with local schools. Teachers provide good opportunities for parents to participate in centre events and celebrations.

The centre is effectively led. Teachers have a shared understanding of the service’s philosophy, vision, and improvement goals. Internal evaluation is collaborative, and improvement focused. Teachers could continue to strengthen and monitor the impact of their internal evaluation processes on outcomes for children.

A well-developed strategic plan with clear development goals and an annual plan guides the Kauri Kids group. Teachers’ professional goals align with the overarching strategic objectives. Well-developed policies, systems and procedures provide guidance for everyday operations.

4 Improvement actions

Kauri Kids Birkdale will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • To respond more purposely to the knowledge and expertise that children and whānau bring to the service.

  • To increase the visibility of how teachers respond to parent/whānau aspirations in curriculum planning, evaluation information and in assessment of children’s learning.

The Kauri Kids governance group will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Strengthen teachers’ individual appraisals through ongoing monitoring and provision of feedback to support teachers’ growth in practice.

  • Improve internal evaluation processes and monitor the implementation of improvement actions, including evaluating the impact of these actions on improved outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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

  • curriculum

  • premises and facilities

  • health and safety practices

  • governance, management and administration.

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

  • emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)

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

  • suitable staffing (including qualification levels; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

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

6 Actions for Compliance

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

  • Ensuring that documentation clearly states the name and amount of medicine administered to children (HS28).

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

1 June 2023

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Kauri Kids Birkdale

Profile Number

20020

Location

Birkdale, Auckland 

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

22 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

23

Review team on site

March 2023

Date of this report

1 June 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, May 2018
Education Review, November 2014

Kauri Kids Birkdale - 07/05/2018

1 Evaluation of Kauri Kids Birkdale

How well placed is Kauri Kids Birkdale to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Kauri Kids Birkdale has a new teaching team that is at the early stages of establishing effective curriculum practices. Managers have developed an action plan for supporting the teaching team and are adapting governance and management practices after a period of transition.

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

Background

Kauri Kids Birkdale on Auckland's North Shore is a well-established service providing full-day and sessional education and care for children up to school age. It is licensed for 22 children including up to five children under two years of age.

The centre is part of the Auckland Council and is led by an ECE group, which provides a governance and management framework, and support personnel to assist the centres. An ECE operations manager is responsible for the overall operations of the 11 Kauri Kids services. The recent restructure of leadership has resulted in further reallocation of roles. There continues to be a period of transition for all staff as they adapt to new systems and responsibilities.

The philosophy of all Kauri Kids centres has been reviewed. It outlines the organisation's commitment to providing a service that is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The Kauri Kids philosophy values quality learning experiences and opportunities for exploration, the inclusion of all children and their families, and the bicultural nature of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The teaching team of three qualified teachers includes the newly appointed head teacher and is supported by a teacher aide.

The 2014 ERO report noted aspects of good quality that remain evident in the centre’s programme. It identified areas for improvement, including the evaluation of teaching practices and consultation with whānau.

This review was part of a cluster of three Education and Care Service reviews in the Auckland City Kauri Kids organisation.

The Review Findings

Children settle quickly and demonstrate a sense of belonging in the kindergarten. They have positive relationships with other children and with teachers, and contribute well to conversations about their play. Children are happy to play alone and in small independent groups. They explore the range of good quality resources and work collaboratively. Children benefit from many opportunities to practise early literacy skills in meaningful contexts and also use mathematical concepts for real purposes.

Teachers are respectful and responsive in their interactions with children, listening and asking questions that help to extend children's ideas. They encourage children to support each other and work together to solve problems. This focus helps to challenge children in their thinking and to set new goals and develop their problem solving skills.

Parents and whānau are interested partners in their children's learning. Teachers actively foster family involvement through the celebration of cultural events. Regular informal discussions occur during drop-off and pick-up times. Teachers respond promptly to parents' aspirations, and could record these aspirations in their planning and in children's portfolios.

The head teacher is collaborative and encourages emergent leadership among her team of teachers. The different skills and knowledge that each staff member brings to her practice is valued and helps to enhance positive outcomes for children. Teachers value the range of internal and external professional development provided. They are developing internal evaluation processes that will help them to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

There is good use of space, ready access to a range of resources and well defined play areas that provide for imaginative play. Recent professional development has resulted in teachers adapting the environment to support a natural flow of indoor and outdoor play and a variety of learning experiences that foster creativity and exploration. Leaders should support teachers to provide more challenging equipment for older children.

Teachers are committed to bicultural and inclusive practices, and aspects of these practices are evident in the programme. The transition process for children into the centre is well established. Teachers support children and their families well when they move on to primary school.

Managers are aware that internal evaluation could be more evaluative, collaborative and child focused. They are aware of the benefits of developing a centre-specific strategic plan that aligns with an annual action plan. External professional development would assist the centre to develop robust internal evaluation to guide improvements to teaching practices and the educational programme.

The Kauri Kids governance group is strongly focused on improving the quality of the service, providing a safe, nurturing environment for children, and supporting families. Managers have a strong commitment to providing programmes that include bicultural practices and celebrate children's cultural identities and languages. To support these aims, the organisation provides regular opportunities for teachers to engage in professional development, and gain support from the operations manager and the governance group.

Key Next Steps

Managers agree that next steps for teachers should include:

  • improving assessment and planning processes for each age group and for individual children
  • making children's cultural identities and languages more visible in the learning programme and documentation
  • making children's portfolios a more meaningful record of their learning and development, and of parents' aspirations
  • developing quality indicators to show how the centre's philosophy will be enacted in practice
  • continue to strengthen bicultural practices.

The Kauri Kids governance group is currently reviewing its appraisal processes to better reflect the requirements of the Education Council of NZ. Appraisal could be better aligned with the philosophy and strategic plan, and be more individualised to teachers' roles and responsibilities. Managers are also reviewing policies and procedures, including those relating to personnel, to ensure that they respond to recent changes in legal requirements.

Recommendation

ERO recommends that managers develop, and provide for ERO, an action plan showing how teachers will be supported to address key next steps identified in this report.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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

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

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

  • emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)

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

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

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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

To improve provision for children's health and safety, the governance group should:

  • implement lockdown policy and procedures for all centres
  • develop and implement effective systems to ensure outdoor areas are regularly inspected and well maintained.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Kauri Kids Birkdale will be in three years.

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

7 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

Birkdale, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

20020

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

22 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Service roll

41

Gender composition

Boys 26 Girls 15

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Tongan
Indian
South East Asian
other European
other Asian
other

4
16
4
3
2
3
3
6

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2018

Date of this report

7 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

November 2014

Education Review

August 2011

Education Review

July 2008

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.

Kauri Kids Birkdale - 14/11/2014

1 Evaluation of Kauri Kids Birkdale

How well placed is Kauri Kids Birkdale 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

Kauri Kids Birkdale, formerly known as Birkdale Community Early Learning Centre, has been providing education and care for children in Birkdale for 40 years. Before March this year the centre operated under the Birkdale Beach Haven Community Project, which included two community houses and two early childhood centres. The centre has had a positive reporting history with ERO and responded positively to suggestions made in the 2011 ERO report.

The early childhood centres now operate under an Auckland Council management structure that includes a Manager Early Childhood Services, policies and procedures, and guidance about operating systems and expectations. These changes have been efficiently established in the centre.

Kauri Kids Birkdale is licensed for 22 children with five up to the age of two years. Most children attend several days during the week, some for morning or afternoon sessions and some for longer days. The centre’s philosophy acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, as guiding documents.

The centre serves a diverse community and some children come from a variety of cultural backgrounds including Māori and the Pacific. Teachers have established processes for communicating with families where English is an additional language.

The Review Findings

Teachers warmly welcome children and their families. Children join in play with enthusiasm, settling well and relating to teachers with trust and affection. Parents are also relaxed and friendly with staff. This pleasant start to the day generates a happy tone in the centre.

Children are highly independent and confident in their learning. Teachers encourage children to take leadership roles in their own learning. Children are becoming competent problem-solvers and managers of their own play. They make choices about their play and snack times, moving from indoor to outdoor play as they wish. Teachers work closely with children, encouraging their interests and engaging them in conversations.

Children have meaningful opportunities to learn about literacy, mathematics and science as they play. Teachers read to children to support their language learning and to help them understand mathematics and science concepts. These good practices provide children with useful skills and knowledge before they move to more formal learning at school.

Teachers have made deliberate efforts to communicate with parents/whānau. Their respectful and responsive approaches encourage parents to share stories and insights about their children. Whānau offer to share te reo Māori and waiata with children. Parents spoken to during the review said they feel valued by teachers.

Children are familiar with words and phrases in te reo Māori and join enthusiastically in waiata. Teachers are aware of the need to continue to develop their confidence in using te reo Māori in the programme. They could also increase their knowledge of each child's culture and identity.

Learning programmes support children’s interests and provide opportunities for children to explore and be challenged. Teachers are becoming familiar with new systems for recording their observations of children’s learning. Teachers have a clear understanding of the value of self review in helping them make a positive difference to children’s learning.

The Manager Early Childhood Services supports the centre to adapt to new systems and expectations. Managers acknowledge that strategic and annual planning should be better aligned to promote shared understanding and direction to guide the centre’s development.

Key Next Steps

The Manager and head teacher agree that key next steps for the centre include:

  • strengthening teachers’ evaluation of the quality of teaching practices
  • consulting more formally with families about their aspirations for their children’s learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kauri Kids Birkdale 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 Kauri Kids Birkdale will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

14 November 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

Birkdale, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

20020

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

22 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Service roll

51

Gender composition

Boys 29 Girls 22

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Tongan

Asian

Latin American

Cook Island

Indian

other European

other

5

27

7

4

3

1

1

1

2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2014

Date of this report

14 November 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

August 2011

 

Education Review

July 2008

 

Education Review

August 2005

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.