- ERO evaluates and reports on the education and care of children and young people in early childhood services and schools.
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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.
Midcity Childcare is owned by a trust and is located in the central business district of Hamilton City. The service provides an all-day service of education and care for a maximum of 49 children at any one time, including up to 20 children who are under the age of two years. At the time of this ERO review, 55 children were enrolled, of whom 11 are identified as Māori. Children from a variety of other ethnicities are also enrolled. While most children attend full time, some places are shared by children who attend for half days.
The centre is managed by two knowledgeable leaders who are experienced in early childhood education. They are supported by the leaders of three age groups, who have long-term service in the centre and are also experienced in their roles. The centre maintains a high ratio of staff to children.
The centre has developed separate areas for the three age groups. It features a large indoor playground which is available for active play in all weathers. Children can also play in outdoor areas designed for each of the age groups.
Since the last ERO review in July 2011, the centre has made improvements to the environment, introduced a gym programme for toddlers and preschool aged children, and developed a nature programme, where older children can visit and explore a local bush area weekly. There has also been a focus on improving outcomes for children by building and supporting teacher practice.
Relationships among children, teachers and parents are positive, reciprocal and highly respectful. The service offers a friendly, family-like culture where people are greeted, welcomed and included in the life of the centre. Children settle quickly to explore and play in an attractive, well-equipped environment that provides a wide variety of activities and experiences. They are learning to make good choices, play happily with others and develop leadership skills. Regular trips into the community and walks in the local area allow children to become familiar with the wider world and gain new experiences. Older children are able to participate weekly in a planned nature programme outside the centre that extends their understanding of the living world and the New Zealand environment.
Children aged up to two years receive nurturing and responsive care-giving in a separate area where there is a high teacher to child ratio. The programme is designed to reflect children’s individual home routines. Babies and toddlers develop positive attachments with teachers that enable them to settle and play happily. They investigate an interesting variety of resources and interact with teachers who provide calm, respectful support for their well-being and learning. Children’s oral language is developing as teachers constantly talk with them, read stories, and sing songs and nursery rhymes. Parents appreciate the low-stress approach that eases children’s transition to the next age group area.
Teachers know children and their families/whānau well. They form close partnerships and seek to develop a connection between children’s home and centre experiences and learning. Parents’ aspirations for their children are valued and included in programme plans. Teachers seek to recognise and respond to children’s interests, and to extend their learning through longer-term projects and themes. Literacy, numeracy and science are incorporated within children’s play and exploration, which provide many opportunities for teachers to strengthen and extend understanding of important concepts for ongoing learning. Teachers notice and celebrate children’s successes and positive contributions. They maintain attractive individual profiles using photographs and written assessments. These profiles are readily available for parents and children to revisit earlier learning and experiences.
The service is increasingly including bicultural aspects as a significant, natural feature of the programme. Teachers are growing their knowledge and confidence in te reo and tikanga Māori, and use phrases in te reo incidentally. Children are learning the waiata that are most valued by their families, and are developing their understandings and respect for Māori protocols and practices. The centre also recognises aspects of Pacific identities and culture, and appreciates support from Pacific families to incorporate this focus. Other cultures are also recognised and celebrated.
Teachers are knowledgeable and highly reflective practitioners who value the culture and high expectations of the service. They work as cohesive teams, and have worked hard to establish good communication and consistent practices between the three age-group areas. Teachers benefit from a thorough and rigorous appraisal process that links to strategic goals and professional development opportunities.
Managers and leaders are experienced and highly committed to the vision and philosophy of the service. They work together to sustain a strongly collaborative service where children’s best interest guides all decisions. Managers are focused on continuing improvement and recognise the importance of providing increased opportunities for leaders and teachers to take on leadership and areas of responsibility. Managers value professional development and ongoing self review for its influence on the professional knowledge and competency of the staff team.
Centre management and ERO agree that the following next steps are likely to result in improved outcomes for children.
The centre recognises the importance of assessment for providing useful information for teachers, families and children. Children’s portfolios could be improved by increasing the connections with children’s previous learning to show progress and development.
The centre recognises the importance of developing relationships with local iwi. This would assist the centre to strengthen the strategic approach to enriching children’s culture, language and identity.
Before the review, the staff and management of Midcity Childcare 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 next ERO review of Midcity Childcare will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
26 September 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.
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Location |
Hamilton |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
30205 |
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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 |
49 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
55 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 29 Boys 26 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other African Other Asian Cook Island Māori Other Asian South-east Asian |
11 32 5 2 2 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 |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2014 |
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Date of this report |
26 September 2014 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2011 |
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Education Review |
June 2008 |
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Education Review |
May 2005 |
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.
