199-201 Bush Road, Albany, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kids Planet Early Learning Centre is licensed to provide full day education and care for 83 children between six months and five years of age. Children are grouped according to their ages in two buildings. One building, the cottage, is for infants and young toddlers. The main building has covered decks and large rooms for the older two groups of children.
A small number of children have Māori heritage and another group are Chinese. There are also children from Pacific and other cultures. Teachers have a variety of cultural backgrounds that reflect the cultures of families.
Kids Planet Early Learning Centre operates as part of the Evolve Education Group. The Evolve organisation provides a policy and management framework and a range of support systems, to meet the needs of each service. Daily centre operations are delegated to the centre manager. Occasional cluster meetings with other Evolve centres provide a support network for centre leaders.
The centre manager has been in her position for six months. She has supported staff to develop a shared philosophy statement for the centre, and is promoting shared teaching and learning expectations.
The centre has undergone significant changes since the 2014 ERO review. It has become part of Evolve Education Group. There have been several staff changes and the new manager has had the task of bringing teachers up-to-date with Evolve's curriculum expectations. This means that many processes and systems are still developing.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews of services in the Evolve Education Group.
Teachers welcome children and their families into the centre with warmth and affection. Children settle quickly to self-chosen activities, greet their friends with enthusiasm and chatter together. Teachers stay close to children, engaging them in talk. They are pleasant and positive with children, who are relaxed and trusting. Children understand the routines well.
Teachers have good and improving relationships with families. They actively seek parents' aspirations for children's future learning and encourage their input into the programme. Teachers are using an on-line communication tool to share information about children's learning. They have also increased opportunities for parents and children to share learning stories through portfolios. These books are still being developed to show children's progress over time. They are prized by children and their families.
The environment for infants and toddlers is calm and loving. Teachers follow aspects of the Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) programme. They are respectful and quiet with children, talking to them about what they are doing and the next routines in the programme. They work alongside children, providing them with resources appropriate to their age and stage of development. The infants are confident and settled.
Teachers have identified that they could strengthen bicultural practices within the centre. They are undertaking a professional support programme to increase their understanding of te ao Māori and their use of te reo Māori with children. Their aim is to move away from using commands and to use words and sentences about what children are doing and what interests them. Teachers are gaining confidence in using te reo Māori with children.
Older children enjoy a programme in which teachers plan projects and events of interest. Shared planning based on teachers' observations of children's play is helping to strengthen teamwork.
The indoor and outdoor environments have been updated and refurbished. Teachers place a strong focus on natural resources. They note that aspects of Reggio Emilia practice have influenced their emphasis on respectful relationships, prompts for children's exploration, and tidy, open playing spaces. This is beginning to provide new opportunities for children's learning.
The Evolve Education Group is in a phase of continuing growth and development. A strategic vision and plan have been developed and provide a starting point for each centre's strategic planning. The organisation has a strong commitment to consultation with the community of each centre and to the professional development of staff and integration of bicultural practices throughout the service.
The manager agrees that next steps include:
Evolve leaders recognise that they need to place a stronger focus on the quality of teaching in order to improve outcomes for children. They plan to clarify leadership roles and review systems for teachers' performance management.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kids Planet Early Learning Centre 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:
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 Kids Planet Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Violet Tu’uga Stevenson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
31 August 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.
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Location |
Albany, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20530 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
83 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
58 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 31 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
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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 |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
July 2017 |
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Date of this report |
31 August 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2011 |
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Education Review |
April 2008 |
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ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kids Planet Early Learning Centre provides good quality all day education and care services for children between six months to five years of age. The privately owned centre is located in a semi-industrial area and caters for a diverse community.
The programme reflects Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and promotes respectful and positive relationships. Clear and well articulated centre philosophy and vision statements guide teaching and learning practices, as well as all aspects of centre operations.
The centre’s 2011 ERO report identified a number of good quality practices. It suggested that self review, planning, assessment and evaluation and consultation with Māori whānau be areas for further development. Centre leaders have had some unavoidable challenges and, although progress has been slow, they are now on track to progress these areas for development.
The centre manager works closely with the owner to determine key strategic priorities for the service. Progress against these priorities is monitored regularly and information is gathered from a range of sources, including input from teachers and other staff. Teachers have recently introduced language classes offering Mandarin and Spanish for 4 year olds.
The centre provides a caring, inclusive and welcoming environment for children. Teachers have developed good relationships with children and their families. Parents report that they are very satisfied with the centre.
Tuakana/teina relationships are a feature of the centre. Older children actively support their younger peers. Infants and toddlers receive good levels of care from affectionate and responsive staff.
Children demonstrate positive social skills and collaborate and make decisions about their play. They ask teachers for help when necessary. They are encouraged to develop independence and to make good choices about their activities.
Children are provided with opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations with adults about their ideas and how they can explore them. Teachers listen carefully to children and foster their creative and independent thinking. Older children enjoy a spacious physical environment which offers a variety of learning challenges and opportunities for exploration.
Teachers are friendly and work with children to engage them in positive play experiences. They have high expectations for children’s behaviour and communicate these clearly.
Feedback from parents and whānau about the centre is affirming. They speak highly of the education that their children receive. Teachers and parents work collaboratively to ensure that children are supported to enjoy their learning at the centre.
The centre managers have developed sound policies and procedures that guide daily centre operations. Management systems and processes for making decisions and reviewing policies are well established. The experienced manager and owner have redeveloped the teacher’s appraisal to focus on building their teaching practice through specific goal setting.
ERO and centre leaders agree that key next steps for the centre include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kid's Planet Early Learning Centre 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:
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 Kid's Planet Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
24 June 2014
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
|
Location |
Albany, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20530 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
83 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
61 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 38 Girls 23 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese European South African Middle Eastern Samoan Tongan Philippines Niue other Asian |
1 29 8 6 5 4 2 2 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 |
March 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
24 June 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2005 |
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.