29 Purdy Street, Kaikohe
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 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 Kowhai Corner are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakaū Embedding Whāngai Establishing |
Kowhai Corner is a well-established centre. It operates in conjunction with the other adjoining centre and the teen-parenting unit. The service provider maintains the operations across both services, and there is a shared leadership structure. The majority of tamariki attending the centre are of Māori heritage.
Kaiako intentionally provide an environment that is inclusive and accepting for all tamariki and their whānau. They know the tamariki well and provide additional support when required. Leaders and kaiako advocate to ensure each tamaiti has equitable opportunities for success.
Tamariki are given the space and time to lead their own learning, and their preferences are respected. This practice supports tamariki to be engaged in their play.
Individual tamariki assessments show evidence of continuity of learning over time. There is a strong focus at the beginning of each year on wellbeing and belonging that leads into complex learning. Leaders evaluate the quality of teaching and learning for individual tamariki to further inform their learning pathways.
Tamariki learning and development are supported culturally by leaders and kaiako. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are valued as integral parts of teaching and learning within their service. Kaupapa Māori concepts are fundamental to curriculum decisions.
Engagement with whānau is valued, and kaiako know their community well. They regularly talk with parents and make links between what is happening for their tamariki in the centre, at home, and in the wider community.
Leaders and kaiako are reflective and are working collaboratively to build teaching and leadership capability. Teaching practices are guided by ongoing mentoring and meaningful professional development that support their professional knowledge and leadership capabilities.
Leaders have a clear vision that sets the direction for the service. They have established a strong partnership with the teen parenting unit which provides a supportive, wrap-around service for young parents and their tamariki.
Kowhai Corner will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kowhai Corner 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:
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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
19 December 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | Kowhai Corner |
| Profile Number | 10203 |
| Location | Kaikohe |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 33 |
| Review team on site | September 2023 |
| Date of this report | 19 December 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, June 2019; Education Review, April 2014 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Kowhai Corner is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kowhai Corner is a well-established early childhood centre licensed to provide education and care for 33 children, including up to 10 children under the age of two years. All children currently enrolled in the centre are Māori and aged two years or older.
The centre operates in conjunction with an adjoining centre that provides for 20 children up to two years of age. The service provider maintains operating systems and processes across the two centres. There is a shared leadership structure.
ERO's 2014 report identified that positive community and whānau relationships, and authentic Māori learning contexts were a sustained and notable feature of the centre. These aspects of good practice continue to be evident. The next steps in ERO's 2014 report included improving assessment, planning and evaluation, and developing improvement goals to guide annual and long-term planning. Good progress has been made in these areas.
Children make choices about what they want to do and sustain their interests for long periods. They are confident in their relationships with adults. Many children have established and strong friendships with each other that foster their sense of belonging in the centre. Children make effective use of the well-resourced learning environment. They have good opportunities to challenge themselves and build their confidence to take risks in their learning activities. Owners should review the provision of safe fall under trees that children climb, to ensure children continue to enjoy this experience.
Kaiako know children and their whānau well. Their interactions with children demonstrate genuine care and affection. Tamariki Māori experience a curriculum that celebrates their language and culture. The natural and ongoing integration of te reo me ōna tikanga Māori is a strength of teachers' practice. Tuakana/teina relationships are fostered.
The curriculum has a well-defined focus on building children's social and emotional competence. Kaiako skilfully guide children to manage their own emotions and behaviour. Children learn how to independently negotiate and solve problems. Centre routines promote children's growing independence and self-help skills. Children's portfolios provide an interesting insight into what children are doing and learning.
Kaiako welcome parents and whānau into the centre. They regularly talk with parents and make links between what is happening for the child in the centre, at home, and in the wider community.
Centre leaders make good use of professional learning opportunities to increase their understanding of best early childhood practice. Their learning about brain development is having a significant impact on curriculum provision and the positive ways that kaiako interact with children. New processes for assessment and planning, internal evaluation, and teacher appraisal have been introduced. It is now time for leaders to prioritise and plan how kaiako will embed these new processes to promote consistent teaching practices.
The owners have a clear focus on improving and building staff capability. The opening of the adjoining centre, and its careful integration with this existing centre, has helped to establish sound foundations for future development. The service provider has identified that reviewing the centre philosophy, policies and procedures is a priority.
Key next steps include consolidating and embedding:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kowhai Corner 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 service provider must ensure that all adults working with children have been police vetted.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7,7A; Children's Act 2014.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
20 June 2019
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 | Kaikohe | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 10203 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 33 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 17 Boys 16 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori | 33 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | April 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 20 June 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | April 2014 | |
| Education Review | March 2011 | ||
| Education Review | December 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 will depend on how well the service promotes 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.
Kowhai Corner in Kaikohe, Northland, is a well established family-owned service that caters for 33 children up to five years of age. More than ninety percent of the children enrolled are of Māori descent. The centre has two separate areas that cater for infants and toddlers, and for older children. Infants and toddlers have frequent opportunities for mixed-age play in the spacious environment provided for older children.
ERO’s 2011 report noted the good alignment between the centre’s programme and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The report also noted the centre’s positive community and whānau relationships and authentic Māori learning contexts. These very good practices remain highly evident. In 2011, ERO recommended that children’s learning be extended and the quality of assessment records and self-review systems improved. The current teaching team has worked to improve these areas.
A sense of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and aroha provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for children. Relationships between children, families and teachers are caring and supportive. Parents report that they are very satisfied with the centre.
Tuakana/teina relationships are well promoted amongst children. Older children actively care for their younger peers. Infants and toddlers receive good levels of care from affectionate and responsive staff.
Older children demonstrate a sense of themselves as capable, independent learners and benefit from long periods of uninterrupted play. Children demonstrate positive social skills and collaborate to make decisions about their play. They ask teachers for help when necessary.
The programme includes some positive, meaningful conversations about children’s ideas and activities. Teachers listen carefully to children and foster their independent thinking. Some teachers use te reo Māori well and children are very familiar with its use. Teachers are keen to improve their current practices. A useful strategy would be to consider further ways to promote complexity in children’s play and encourage literacy and numeracy learning.
The spacious physical environment offers children a variety of challenges and opportunities for exploration. Children freely select from the resources available. A specific area contains a selection of resources for infants and toddlers.
Teachers are reviewing programme management systems and how well they respond to the interests of individual children. Planning learning possibilities to extend children’s learning is a next step. More specific planning for individual children would enable teachers to evaluate the impact their programme and teaching practices are having on children’s learning. Teachers continue to seek ways to encourage parents and whānau to contribute to the assessment of children’s learning.
Collaborative management, leadership and team approaches are highly evident. Management systems and processes for making decisions and reviewing policies are well established. The experienced owners are committed to transitioning staff into leadership positions to ensure the long-term sustainability of the centre. To support ongoing centre improvement, teachers could continue to strengthen self-review processes.
ERO and centre leaders agree that key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kowhai Corner 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.
In order to improve current practices, centre owners should ensure that:
The next ERO review of Kowhai Corner will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
28 April 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 | Kaikohe, Northland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 10203 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 38 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 23 Girls 15 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Indian | 35 2 1 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates | 50-79% | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | January 2014 | ||
| Date of this report | 28 April 2014 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review | March 2011 | |
| Education Review | December 2007 | ||
| Education Review | June 2004 |
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.