Building 9, 666 Great South Road, Ellerslie, 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.
Lollipops Ellerslie was previously known as Lollipops Educare Central Park. It is licensed for 74 children, including up to 24 aged under two years. Children enrolled are from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. Infants have separate indoor and outdoor play spaces. Toddlers and older children share indoor and outdoor environments.
The centre is led by a manager, an assistant manager and a head teacher. Three more qualified teachers complete the newly established teaching team.
The service's philosophy strongly values responsive and reciprocal relationships with the learning community. Leaders and teachers strive to provide an environment that inspires children to learn through investigation and experimentation. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is acknowledged as a guiding document.
The 2016 ERO report noted respectful and supportive relationships between children and teachers that supported children's engagement in the programme. The inclusive culture of the centre and opportunities for Māori children to experience success were acknowledged. Areas for development included strategic planning, teacher induction and appraisal, and programme planning. There has been good progress in these areas.
The centre is owned by the Evolve Education Group. Evolve provides an overarching governance and management framework and visiting personnel to support the operation of each centre. A recent re-branding of centres has occurred, with a view to building a greater sense of unity across the organisation. Initiatives that have been recently introduced are intended to improve staff stability in centres, promote effective internal evaluation and lift the quality of teaching practices.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews of centres in the Evolve Education Group.
Children settle quickly into their play, keen to explore their environment. Teachers use effective strategies to support children's learning and wellbeing. These strategies include:
creating a calm, settled atmosphere and providing easy access to resources for children
varied experiences for children to investigate and explore, using their senses
high levels of supportive care for infants and toddlers from a consistent teaching team
supporting children to develop social competence and the skills they need to initiate and maintain friendships
effective modelling to support children's language development.
Te reo and tikanga Māori are visible in the centre environment and routines. Teachers use te reo Māori with children and are committed to deepening their knowledge and understanding of the Māori culture. A recent strategic staffing appointment should support this development. Children's portfolios of learning reflect their cultural backgrounds.
Teachers working with infants have established a programme planning process that is focused on the learning dispositions of individual children.
Teachers continue to refine programme planning for toddlers and older children, which currently has mainly a group focus. They should now review how well centre routines and current levels of resources support children to develop more complex play and learning.
A deeper engagement with, and understanding of, Te Whāriki 2017 would better support all teachers to:
develop a rich learning programme for each child
consult with parents and whānau to establish an overall curriculum that is meaningful in this context
build partnerships with whānau, based on children's learning.
The centre is effectively managed. An internal evaluation process has been established, which has the potential to promote effective evaluation. This has yet to work through a full cycle. A strategic plan prioritises staff retention. The centre manager is working to ensure that strategic planning, appraisal and internal evaluation projects are linked, to support centre development.
The centre manager agrees that key next steps include:
monitoring and evaluating progress towards meeting the centre's strategic goals
reviewing the centre philosophy against established indicators of quality practice, to ensure valued outcomes are evident in teaching practices
continued refinement of programme planning processes
increasing the rigour of programme evaluation by critically examining the effectiveness of teaching practices in improving learning outcomes for children.
Evolve Education Group managers agree that key next steps include:
ensuring the company’s vision, values, philosophy, goals and systems reflect the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
developing clear strategic goals to inform improvement focused annual plans at regional, area and centre levels, that include Te Whāriki 2017 and a strategy for supporting Pacific children and families
ongoing moderation and monitoring of the roles and responsibilities of personnel in positions of leadership, including centre managers
ongoing monitoring of appraisal practices to ensure effective implementation is lifting teaching practice
reviewing how effectively levels of resourcing in centres support children’s learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Lollipops Ellerslie 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 Lollipops Ellerslie will be in three years.
Violet Tu’uga Stevenson
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
18 October 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.
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Location |
Ellerslie, Auckland |
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|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25000 |
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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 |
74 children, including up to 24 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
38 |
||
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Gender composition |
Girls 22 Boys 16 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
August 2018 |
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Date of this report |
18 October 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2012 |
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Education Review |
November 2009 |
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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 |
Support from the Lollipops organisation is required to establish and consolidate aspects of centre practice, including curriculum management, performance appraisal and induction practices for children and for staff.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lollipops Educare Central Park is owned and operated as a franchise with Lollipops Ltd. The centre provides all day education and care for up to 50 children, including up to 25 children under two years of age.
The centre was closed from July 2014 to August 2015 to enable the landlord to renovate the premises. Prior to the closure the centre roll was full. The temporary closure of the centre meant that employment contracts with staff were terminated and most teachers were re-employed in new positions in other Lollipops centres.
The centre has maintained the same licence and conditions, and is now managed by a director who previously held a head teacher position in this centre. She is supported in her role by a franchise support manager. The support manager was the centre's previous director. All other staff are new to the centre.
The centre provides education and care for the children of parents who are employed in the adjacent business park and for children from local families. The 25 children currently enrolled are from diverse cultural backgrounds. Two of the three rooms are in operation, with children moving into the older age group at approximately two years of age. The toddlers' room will reopen once the roll has increased sufficiently.
Children and teachers enjoy respectful and supportive relationships. Teachers provide activities that engage children and give them access to a suitable range of resources and equipment to support their learning.
Both the indoor and the outdoor areas are spacious and well organised. For much of the day children can more freely around the centre and choose how they spend their time. They enjoy opportunities to have fun as they learn, and their efforts and successes are affirmed by teachers. Children are supported to develop their oral language and early literacy and numeracy skills.
The culture of the centre is very inclusive, and recognises the diversity of the children, their families and staff. Teachers purposefully include Māori concepts, te reo and customs within the curriculum. They also acknowledge the customs, celebrations and languages of the cultures of other children who attend the centre.
Staff work in partnership with parents. Teachers have effective and regular communication with parents about their children and their time at the centre. Parents appreciate the use of electronic communication to help them stay well informed about their children and so they can share their thoughts and children's experiences outside the centre with teachers.
The manager recognises that with the reopening of the centre and the recent roll growth many children are transitioning into a new environment and getting to know many new people and different routines. This provides special challenges for teachers.
Centre managers should now strengthen the centre's strategic planning to ensure that the centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children as the roll grows to capacity.
ERO recommends that the strategic plan include clear goals and action plans to build the staff capacity related to leadership, effective teaching practice, and team work. This could include actions to:
strengthen performance management practices so that teachers get useful feedback on their practice against indicators of best practice
strengthen processes for inducting new staff into their roles and responsibilities.
ERO also suggests that the quality of the curriculum be strengthened by supporting teachers to use their assessments of children's learning to develop programmes that respond to children's interests, strengths, dispositions and needs.
Before the review, the staff and management of Lollipops Educare Central Park 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
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to Human Resource management. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance by ensuring that:
performance appraisal practices include indicators of best practice
the centre leader is effectively inducted and supported into the director role
new staff are systematically inducted into their teaching roles
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7.
ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Lollipops Educare Central Park will be within two years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
27 June 2016
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 |
Ellerslie, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25000 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
27 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 15 Boys 12 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Indian South African other |
1 12 7 2 5 |
|
|
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 |
February 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
27 June 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
December 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 2006 |
||
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.