Kowhai Free Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5474
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
23
Telephone:
Address:

16 Coonoor Road, Timaru

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Kowhai Free Kindergarten

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 Kowhai Free Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding
Ngā Akatoro Domains
 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Kowhai Free Kindergarten is one of 13 kindergartens governed by South Canterbury Kindergarten Association. Children who attend are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, and almost half are Māori. The kindergarten has made some progress towards the key next steps identified in the 2018 ERO report, including more clearly identifying the kindergarten’s curriculum priorities.  

3 Summary of findings

Teachers implement a responsive and language-rich curriculum for all learners. Using intentional teaching strategies, they support children’s social and emotional wellbeing. This enables children to explore and become fully involved in a wide variety of learning experiences. Children with additional learning needs are well supported in their learning by teachers’ inclusive approach and ongoing liaison with external agencies. 

Children, parents and whānau have opportunities to share their identities, languages, and cultures within the curriculum. However, teachers are yet to consistently show children’s cultural identities in assessment documentation. Further work is also required to develop the bicultural curriculum and integrate mana whenua cultural narratives.

Assessment for learning is mana enhancing and supports children’s developing learner identity. Tè Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the curriculum priorities provide the basis for assessment documentation, planning, and evaluation. However, the priorities are yet to be fully aligned to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki. Assessment documentation does not consistently show children’s developing capabilities and learning progress over time in relation to the learning outcomes.

Leaders and those with governance roles have established and implement sound systems, processes and practices to drive improvement within the association. This includes relevant opportunities for professional learning and engagement in professional growth and reflection. Senior teachers support improved practice by regularly visiting and mentoring kindergarten staff. 

Improved guidelines for internal evaluation are in place. However, governance, leadership and within individual kindergartens internal evaluation for improvement requires further embedding to be fully effective. This includes developing the collective capability to effectively monitor and evaluate the improvement actions to better determine whether they are having the desired impact.  

The board, managers and teaching teams effectively implement the association’s strategic vision, values and goals. Collaboration with mana whenua is enabling them to develop practices that show deepening commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Decision making and allocation of resources are focused on enabling children and whānau full participation within the kindergarten.

4 Improvement actions

Kowhai Free Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Consistently use the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki to plan for and assess children’s learning across the breadth and depth of the curriculum.
  • More consistently show how teachers respond to children’s languages, cultures and identity in assessment documentation.
  • Further develop the bicultural curriculum to reflect a cultural narrative that acknowledges mana whenua. Increase opportunities for children to hear, see, and speak te reo Māori within the daily curriculum.
  • Those with roles in governance and management to continue to build their own and teachers’ capability in the use of evaluation to scrutinise all aspects of operation and more clearly show the impact of planned actions on outcomes for identified individuals and groups of learners. 

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kowhai Free Kindergarten 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 

ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:

  • maintaining an accurate record of the checks made by adults during the time that children attending are sleeping. 

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS9.

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

  • Having a detailed record of safety checking, including risk assessment required to be complete after all relevant information is obtained (GMA7A).

7 Recommendation to Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

11 December 2023 

8 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameKowhai Free Kindergarten
Profile Number5474
LocationTimaru
Service type Free Kindergarten
Number licensed for 40 children over the age of 2. 
Percentage of qualified teachers 100%
Service roll28
Review team on siteAugust 2023 
Date of this report11 December 2023
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review, June 2018, Education Review October 2014

Kowhai Free Kindergarten - 27/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Kowhai Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Kowhai Free Kindergarten 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

Kowhai Free Kindergarten is one of 12 kindergartens in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association (SCK). It is located in south Timaru. It provides education and care for up to 40 children from two years of age for up to six hours each weekday. Nearly a quarter of the children identify as Māori.

The head teacher and two teachers are responsible for the daily operations and teaching programme in the kindergarten. A teacher aide provides support for the children and teachers to help meet identified areas of need. A senior teacher (ST) supports professional practice in the team. The SCK, including a general manager and board, oversees the governance and management of the kindergarten.

The kindergarten has made progress with all the recommendations identified in the October 2014 ERO report. This includes improved practices for assessment, planning and evaluation, strengthened appraisal and internal evaluation practices and a deeper bicultural curriculum.

This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Teachers in consultation with community members have developed a clear vision and priorities for children's learning. These are expressed as:

  • Manaakitanga - caring respectful sustainable relationships
  • Kotahitanga - children learn to work together as one
  • Whanaungatanga - children make connecting links with their community and develop ways to make sense of the world around them
  • Aroha - children learn to keep safe, and know that their potential can be realised.

Teachers are increasingly planning programmes and aligning their teaching practices to these priorities. A next step is for them to continue to explore and make visible the valued learning in each of these priorities.

Teachers, over time, are supporting children to:

  • be settled and sustained in their play
  • have a sense of belonging in the kindergarten
  • develop skills to relate well to each other and to the adults around them
  • take increasing control of their learning and to be capable, confident competent learners.

Teachers provide a wide range of experiences to support children's learning. This includes using children's interests as the starting point for learning, making use of community resources and visitors to the kindergarten, and providing meaningful early literacy and mathematics learning opportunities.

All children benefit from a bicultural curriculum. Through effective internal evaluation processes and ongoing professional learning, teachers have increased the use of te reo and ngā tikanga Māori in the programme. Assessment records show teachers value the cultural identity of all children, including tamariki Māori and their whānau. Teachers seek and respond well to parents' and whānau aspirations for their children's learning. These practices are supporting all children to be engaged in their learning.

The head teacher and teachers are effective in their support of the needs of the many diverse learners at the kindergarten. They are establishing a network of connections with community agencies that can provide support to whānau. Teachers are guided by detailed individual plans and useful strategies for those children who require additional help to support their learning. They make resourcing decisions to enable all children to participate fully in the programme.

There is strong alignment between the SCK strategic priorities and the kindergarten's priorities and plans. The board is well informed about how well each kindergarten is progressing and contributing to the strategic direction of the SCK. However, the board could know more about how well the kindergartens are improving outcomes for children and how well children are achieving in relation to the association’s valued outcomes (purpose).

The board is strongly focused on improving outcomes for all children, including taking deliberate action to support Māori and Pacific children, and children with diverse learning needs in the kindergartens. SCK leaders have developed strong networked relationships with community organisations to support children and their whānau. The next step for the board is to consider their culturally responsive practice as governors and to consult with whānau Māori to inform the future direction of SCK.

There are effective systems and processes to ensure that regulatory requirements are met within each kindergarten. Relevant professional learning, improved appraisal processes and effective ongoing coaching and mentoring by the senior teachers are building teacher capability.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for teachers, with the support of the senior teacher are to:

  • continue to unpack the curriculum priorities to clearly identify what learning is valued in the kindergarten
  • show in group and individual assessments, how well all children are progressing in relation to the curriculum priorities
  • ensure that the annual plan is evaluated to show the impact of planned actions on outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kowhai Free 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:

  • 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 Kowhai Free Kindergarten will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

27 June 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

LocationTimaru
Ministry of Education profile number5474
Licence typeFree Kindergarten
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2
Service roll38
Gender composition

Boys: 21

Girls: 17

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other

9

25

4

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenOver 21:10Meets minimum requirements
Review team on siteMay 2018
Date of this report27 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewOctober 2014
Education ReviewJune 2011
Education ReviewMay 2007

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.

Kowhai Free Kindergarten - 01/10/2014

1 Evaluation of Kowhai Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Kowhai Free Kindergarten 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

Kowhai Free Kindergarten is located on the outskirts of south Timaru. The kindergarten provides education for up to forty children. Twenty of the older children stay for extension sessions in the afternoons.

A team of qualified teachers and a teacher aide provide a purposeful programme for the diverse learners at the kindergarten. Two teachers share the head teacher's position allowing one of them to take on an advisory role for other kindergartens in the association. The teachers are part of a group of kindergartens and schools that work together to support children’s successful transition to school.

Since the June 2011 ERO review, the team has worked well together to embed the systems for planning, assessment and evaluation that were in the early stages of development. The team has sustained the high quality teaching practices noted in the last ERO report.

This review was part of a cluster of 11 kindergarten reviews in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Children at the kindergarten are empowered to become able learners and decision makers. They show a strong sense of belonging. ERO observed children spending lengthy periods of time at activities and playing well with each other. The indoor and outside areas are thoughtfully arranged to allow children make their own choices and independently reach resources and materials to use in their play.

Teachers know the children and their families very well. They seek through their vision of “Manaakitanga” to establish caring, respectful and sustainable relationships with people, places and things. A strength of this kindergarten is the way teachers sensitively support children who require additional support to be successful learners. They actively foster the wellbeing of the whole family and support parents in their parenting roles.

The kindergarten’s philosophy is strongly visible in action and is regularly reviewed and communicated to families through conversation and wall displays. Teachers use the philosophy to guide their decision making and practices. For example, each teacher is assigned a group of families that they get to know very well so they can better support the children in their learning.

Teachers spend unhurried time with children in small groups or individually, building on their play ideas and extending their thinking. They make the most of opportunities, planned and unplanned, to support children’s learning.

As part of the review, ERO investigated how well the programme supported children to develop early mathematics concepts. ERO found that a wide range of mathematics learning was integrated into children’s activities and play. For example:

  • children and teachers counting during games

  • teachers using mathematics language with children such as ‘in front’, ‘behind’, ‘big’, ‘small’

  • measuring and experimenting with quantities in baking and water play.

Teachers agree that a next step is to show progress in mathematics learning more clearly in the children’s profile books.

Other aspects of the programme that support children’s learning include:

  • clear expectations of behaviour

  • useful resources and quality teaching practices to support early literacy

  • a wide range of materials to promote active exploration, creativity and dramatic play

  • a focus on gardening and caring for the environment.

The teachers continue to refine their systems for individual and group planning. They are currently finding ways to have more meaningful conversations with parents about their wishes for their children’s learning. Every term teachers and parents plan together the next steps for each child’s learning. Stories in the profile books show the progress being made.

Teachers deliberately plan for including te reo and tikanga Māori and building a Māori dimension in the daily life of the kindergarten. They work to create an environment that shows Māori children and their families that their language and culture is valued.

The team continually think and talk about what works well and what they could do better. This results in ongoing improvements to the programme and environment. Since the June 2011 ERO review, the team has continued to improve its understanding and use of self-review.

Teachers and ERO discussed the next steps for Kowhai Kindergarten. Teachers agree they should:

  • strengthen evaluations of planning to show the richness and depth of children’s learning

  • explore ways to more formally receive critical feedback about the effectiveness of their teaching

  • continue to develop and implement their plan for Māori children to be successful as Māori

  • refine aspects of self review.

Governance

The SCFKA is governed by a board and managed by a newly appointed general manager. The board:

  • has a strong commitment to teaching and learning

  • seeks parents’ views about important matters in the association

  • has made changes to the roll size and opening hours of the kindergartens to be more responsive to community needs and maintain the financial viability of the association

  • is very responsive to important government initiatives such as ensuring educational success for all children.

Next steps for the board are to:

  • know more about its roles and responsibilities as the governing body

  • develop strategic planning

  • ensure that reports review how well the association’s goals are met, are more evaluative and are better used for future planning

  • refine appraisal systems to ensure that staff and teachers more formally receive critical feedback about their work.

The senior teachers provide useful ongoing professional development and maintain a strong focus on teaching and learning to the kindergartens within the association. They have shared with the teachers at Kowhai Free Kindergarten the expectations they have for teaching and learning and how well they think the team is meeting those expectations.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kowhai Free 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:

  • 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 Kowhai Free Kindergarten will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services Southern Region

1 October 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

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

5474

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children over 2 years of age

Service roll

40

Gender composition

Boys: 25

Girls: 15

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Samoan

Asian

7

31

1

1

Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

Not applicable

 
 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2014

Date of this report

1 October 2014

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

June 2011

 

Education Review

May 2007

 

Accountability Review

March 2000

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.