28 Paparata Road, RD 1, Bombay
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 Little Pioneers are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing Whakaū Embedding |
Little Pioneers is one of two centres under the same ownership. Families transition from Little Settlers when children are over three years old. School readiness and visits to the bush are central to the service’s philosophy. A small number of children enrolled are Māori or of Pacific heritages.
Children engage in a responsive curriculum that promotes their learning and development. Their foundational literacies and social and emotional competencies are extended. The curriculum, including the bush kindy programme, promote:
kaitiakitanga – learning to care for the natural world
thinking about how the world works and knowledge of the wider world
challenge and safe risks
independence and self-management.
In these play-based environments children are able to explore, be creative and lead their own learning. This promotes their confidence and sense of self.
Ongoing learning for children is facilitated through purposeful partnerships between leaders, teachers, parents and community. Newly established assessment and planning processes are developing, informed by parents’ goals. Multiple communication pathways exist for ongoing information sharing and feedback.
Children participate in regular visits into the local community. Strong links with Bombay Primary school support children’s successful transition. Some cultural celebrations are led by parents. Teachers are beginning to strengthen aspects of the bicultural curriculum with external support. There is little reflection of local iwi through the learning programme, and leaders have identified that this is an area for growth.
The service has sound organisational conditions, where children’s learning and wellbeing are the primary considerations in decision making. Equity is well understood by those responsible for governance. Networked relationships are focused on the needs of children. Professional learning is supporting teacher growth. Evaluation processes are collaborative and are promoting positive change. Documenting the valued learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the New Zealand curriculum, requires strengthening across systems.
Little Pioneers will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Continue to strengthen bicultural practices through incorporating and embedding local knowledge and histories into the curriculum.
Refine documentation to explicitly reflect and reference the valued learning outcomes of Te Whāriki to better support understanding of equity and excellence.
Before the review, the staff and management of Little Pioneers 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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
2 November 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | Little Pioneers |
| Profile Number | 46318 |
| Location | Bombay, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
42 children aged over 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
54 |
|
Review team on site |
August 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
2 November 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2018 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Little Pioneers is a privately owned, full-day education and care service situated in the Bombay Hills. Since the last Education Review in 2015 the centre has had its operating licence changed by the Ministry of Education. It is now licensed for 42 children over the age of two, with the majority of the children being aged three years to school age. Children under three years and infants are now being cared for in their nearby centre, under the same ownership. At the time of this review 52 children were enrolled, mostly of New Zealand European heritage. The centre roll also includes a small number of Māori children and some from other nationalities.
The qualified leadership team includes the centre owner. Since the last ERO review, a new centre manager and head teacher have been appointed to oversee the day-to-day running of the service. The teaching team includes both qualified and unqualified early childhood teachers who are employed in full or part-time positions.
The centre's philosophy aims to promote the value of children leading their learning through play. Leaders and teachers respect that through play and movement, children can view themselves as capable and confident learners in preparation for more formal learning. The centre values relationships with children, families and the local community, encouraging social skills and friendships.
Little Pioneers has a positive reporting history with ERO and has responded well to the areas identified in the 2015 report.
The rich, localised curriculum is highly responsive to children’s emerging interests. Leaders and teachers have documented priorities for learning based on the Te Whāriki: early childhood curriculum, and have included the shared values of the community and families. Features of the play-based programme include:
excursions within the local and extended community
learning about life cycles, nature, science and mathematics
strong foundations for literacy learning in meaningful contexts and a print-rich environment
opportunities for children to take risks, problem solve, and develop their creativity and imagination.
A developing bicultural curriculum is in place. Māori and other children experience learning about Māori legends, celebrations such as Matariki, artworks and waiata. Teachers and leaders agree to continue on their journey to further strengthen aspects of the bicultural curriculum, including increased use of te reo Māori and learning about the local iwi and Māori history. Assessment and planning of learning is captured in portfolios and online in a digital format. Children are well supported to develop as capable and confident learners.
Teachers skilfully extend children’s learning through intentional teaching strategies. Children with additional learning needs are well supported with inclusive practices. The environment is well planned to cater for diverse interests and abilities. Children were observed engaging in sustained and complex learning. Positive, respectful relationships at all levels are a feature. Transitions are sensitively managed between the two centres, and on to school. Teachers are active community members and know children and families well. Children’s holistic development is supported through strong home and centre partnerships.
Leaders establish a culture in which children are celebrated, affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. They have a strong commitment to enacting the shared philosophy and model highly-effective teaching practice, mentoring and coaching other teachers within the service. Leaders are actively involved in the local and wider education community. They advocate for quality early childhood practices, providing forums to share ideas and knowledge with parents and other local teachers. Children and their families develop a strong sense of belonging at the centre.
Management has highly-effective systems and processes to guide centre operations. The appraisal system for teachers includes links to the Ministry of Education document Tātaiko. Teachers need further support and can deepen their knowledge of culturally responsive teaching by using this framework in more depth. The strategic and annual plans are aligned and focussed on improvement. Highly-effective internal evaluation leads to improved outcomes for children. Management consults widely with families and the community. Informed decisions are made in the best interests of children and the quality of education.
Leaders and teachers need to continue to strengthen the bicultural curriculum and their knowledge of culturally responsive teaching practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Little Pioneers 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 Little Pioneers will be in four years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
4 September 2018
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 |
Bombay |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
46318 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
42 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
52 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 35 Girls 17 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
July 2018 |
||
|
Date of this report |
4 September 2018 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2015 |
|
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.
Little Pioneers is a privately owned early childhood centre that provides education and care services for its community. The centre is licensed for 42 children with a maximum of 10 children under two. The current roll stands at 69 children, most of who are of New Zealand European heritage with a small number of Māori, Pacific and Asian children. The centre offers a full day session for children. In 2016 the centre will be a preschool for four year olds only.
The centre philosophy is based on six key intention statements. These statements include an emphasis on learning through play, the importance of catering for individual needs, and the valuing of the unique bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Centre staff encourage children to become independent lifelong learners.
The centre director and owner have a manager and nine staff. Seven staff are fully registered teachers, one staff member is provisionally registered, and one is in her second year of training. This is the first ERO report for Little Pioneers.
Children are settled and happy, they have good relationships with adults and play cooperatively with others. They participate well in the activities provided. Teachers know children well and are responsive to their interests. There are good opportunities for children to learn self-help skills and to develop independence.
In the under two's area infants and toddlers are well cared for with teachers taking the time to talk with parents. Teachers ensure that infants and toddlers needs are well catered for and that good monitoring processes are in place.
Teachers have integrated a variety of literacy, numeracy and science learning experiences into the learning programme. They incorporate te reo Māori into the programme, with teachers continuing to develop their skills in this area.
Programme planning responds to children’s interests. Teachers use deliberate acts of teaching to promote children's thinking and learning. Children's individual portfolios are valued records of their involvement in the programme. Some teachers are tracking interests and monitoring children’s learning well. It would now be useful for managers and teachers to reflect on ways in which they can further identify and respond to the diversity of children's needs.
Centre managers have a collaborative and inclusive working relationship with staff. There is a strong commitment to teacher professional development by management, with an ongoing focus on improving learning for children. Managers are supportive of student teachers from various learning institutions, providing them with opportunities to develop their teaching profession at the centre.
Centre practices are underpinned by a sound vision and philosophy, and a useful strategic and annual plan that guides the development of the centre. Good processes for self review are evident and include both spontaneous and strategic approaches to review. The centre involves parents in the review process and has a strong commitment to working in partnership with parents. Parents report that they have good communication and positive relationships with centre staff.
Key next steps for the further development of centre practices include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Little Pioneers 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.
The next ERO review of Little Pioneers will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
14 September 2015
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 |
Bombay, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
46318 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
42 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
69 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 39 Girls 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
July 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
14 September 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO reports |
||
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.