2 Colman St, Chartwell, Hamilton
View on mapAkarangi | 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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Kindy Totz are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whāngai Establishing |
Kindy Totz is one of four privately-owned education and care services, catering for children from two years to three and a half years of age. The centre owner is actively involved in daily centre operation. The centre philosophy places value on a semi-structured approach to literacy, numeracy and oral language learning.
Children and their families develop and maintain responsive relationships with teachers. Parent aspirations are gathered formally and informally and used in some assessment practices. Parents and families have opportunities to be involved in centre life and to contribute to their child’s learning. Assessment practices are beginning to reflect some culturally valued knowledge and skills. Children and their families feel welcomed and included.
Children benefit from a curriculum where oral language, literacy and numeracy are cultivated. The centre philosophy promotes a semi-structured programme. It is embedded in practice and well understood by teachers and parents. Inside and outside activities occur at planned times of the day or in response to children’s requests. Further consideration for encouraging children to explore the full range of play-based curriculum opportunities more flexibly throughout the day, would support them to further develop dispositions for learning and working theories.
Teachers and leaders are developing their cultural competence. Multiple languages are used at group mat times and home languages are heard in the environment. Celebrations of significant cultural events and language weeks take place. Te reo and tikanga Māori are beginning to be understood by teachers and leaders, but are yet to be embedded across the service. Teachers and leaders are working towards implementing a responsive curriculum that reflects all children’s culture, language and identity.
The service has developed sound systems, processes and practices that guide daily operation. Networked relationships between the service and agencies support the inclusion of children with additional learning needs. A positive working environment encourages the retention of long serving staff and promotes continuity of quality adult-child relationships. Leaders in Kindy Totz are using internal evaluation processes to inform some changes to practices. Internal evaluation is yet to show impact over time and to include whānau and wider community views.
Kindy Totz will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindy Totz 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.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
24 February 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Kindy Totz |
| Profile Number | 30313 |
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Location |
Hamilton |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 0 children over 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
36 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 8, NZ European/Pākehā 17, other ethnic groups 11 |
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Review team on site |
September 2021 |
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Date of this report |
24 February 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review June 2017; Education Review February 2013 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindy Totz is one of a group of four privately owned education and care services, located in the Queenwood suburb of Hamilton. The centre is licensed for up to 30 children aged from approximately 2.5 to 5 yrs. At the time of this review the centre roll was 51. The centre offers full-day, morning or afternoon sessions.
The centre philosophy states that it offers a semi-structured programme with a focus on literacy and mathematics for children within a safe, warm and nurturing learning environment. An emphasis is also placed on developing positive, reciprocal relationships with children, parents and whānau.
The 2013 ERO report identified the need for centre leaders to undertake a review of culture and identity, and develop strategies to focus on children’s interests and learning dispositions. These areas are being addressed but there are aspects that require further strengthening.
Children are actively engaged in sustained activity and play. The environment is well resourced, providing children with opportunities that support their learning. The semi-structured programme provides a wide choice of activities. Children can choose to work alongside teachers or independently. Literacy, music, science and mathematics are naturally integrated into the daily programme. Children are confident and curious with a strong sense of belonging and their leaning is well supported.
Māori children benefit from teachers who lead daily waiata, karakia, and use some basic words and phrases. Te reo Māori is visible in wall displays. Resources, including books and puzzles, also support the bicultural curriculum for all learners.
There are strong partnerships with parents and many opportunities for them to participate in their child's learning. Learning is shared through portfolios and termly progress reports, where learning outcomes are clearly identified. A next step is to ensure the language, culture and identity of Māori children and other cultures are more visible in portfolios. In addition, learning stories should consistently capture what teachers know about individual children's strengths and interests. Consideration should be given to making portfolios more accessible and visible, enabling children and their parents to regularly revisit previous learning.
Children who require educational support are clearly identified and teachers work in close partnership with parents and external agencies. Highly inclusive practice supports these children to experience positive learning outcomes. Transitions into and within the centres are well managed and supported. These are responsive to individual children and their parents. Children feel safe, secure and ready to learn.
Teachers are highly responsive to children’s learning and wellbeing. They have developed warm, nurturing relationships with children and know families well. Children are supported and encouraged to share and play collaboratively, and children benefit from teachers professional knowledge in supporting their oral language and literacy learning.
The supervisor has established a culture of trust where teachers are supported to build their professional capabilities. She has participated in professional development in leadership and is establishing a team culture where teachers work collaboratively in the best interests of children.
There is a clear vision and direction for the centre. The centre owners have collaborated with the teaching teams and goals have been developed that are regularly monitored by management and the supervisors. There is an alignment between the strategic plan, annual plan, philosophy, and teachers professional development. Sound systems and practices contribute to continuous improvement for children and their families.
A newly implemented appraisal system has been introduced to build teacher capability. Teachers use inquiry goals to promote positive outcomes for children. An effective process for internal evaluation is being implemented and is focused on enhancing learning outcomes for children.
The key next steps for Kindy Totz are to:
strengthen bicultural assessment practices and the use of learning dispositions
consolidate the appraisal process to include regular mentoring and documented observations of teaching practice, which includes specific feedback and forward.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindy Totz 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 Kindy Totz will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
6 June 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 |
Hamilton |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
30313 |
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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 |
30 children aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
51 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 26 Boys 25 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Indian Fijian Other Asian Tongan |
2 43 2 1 1 1 1 |
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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 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2017 |
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Date of this report |
6 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
February 2013 |
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Education Review |
February 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:
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.