23 Crawford Green, Miramar, Wellington
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
With ongoing association support, Miramar Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Miramar Playcentre is one of 19 parent-led early childhood centres governed and administered by the Wellington Playcentre Association (the association). It is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 30 children, four mornings a week. This includes provision for 18 children, up to the age of two, at any one time.
A council, of elected volunteer representatives from each of the association's member centres, oversees operation of the association at the governance level. Their work is assisted by an operations manager and general manager. An executive committee administers the adult education programme and tutors provide timely guidance and support for members. Responsibility for daytoday operations is undertaken by centre-elected office holders.
A centre support worker is employed to visit the centre and provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. The support worker's more formalised role was developed after the 2014 ERO review identified the need for a more effective response to the needs of individual centres.
The association philosophy, 'Whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together', underpins practice and is articulated as empowering parents and children to learn, grow and play together. This guides the service's provision and practice for their learning community.
Curriculum planning and implementation, at Miramar Playcentre, is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a duty team of parent educators who hold playcentre training certificates. All centre members participate in the adult education programme provided by the association. The centre has improved its level of professional learning so all sessions are now led by qualified members, enabling parents to be actively involved in their child's education.
Miramar Playcentre and the association responded proactively to the areas identified for improvement in the June 2014 ERO report. The centre reviewed its practices in relation to the values at the heart of its philosophy. Members have upskilled to better engage and support the purposeful learning of children.
The roll has increased and families with diverse cultural backgrounds add richness to the centre. Leaders have benefitted from association support to further develop a more bicultural perspective, their assessment, planning and self-review practices.
The centre has received targeted support through the Ministry of Education funded programme, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) and from the association. Considerable work has been undertaken by members, in response to ERO’s recommendations, and progress is evident.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation, of which the Wellington Association is part, is planning a significant restructure for 2017. Playcentres will be grouped in regional hubs, supported by a regional manager and support persons.
The review was part of a cluster of ten in the Wellington Playcentre Association.
Children’s holistic development is enhanced through engagement in child initiated play-based learning. Te Whāriki and playcentre philosophy underpin centre practice. Developing assessment, curriculum planning and evaluation practices, provide adults with timely and useful information that help them plan meaningful learning experiences responsive to children’s interests.
Members are aware of the importance of maintaining continuity across all sessions, ensuring that all children’s learning needs are recognised and met. Individual learning portfolios celebrate children's progress, showing their developing skills, knowledge and attributes.
Well-chosen, age-appropriate equipment and effective session planning enable and support centre children of all ages to play and learn together. Up-to-two year olds are well provided for and responded to, as are all children.
The centre support person and duty teams provide effective leadership. Centre leaders model good quality practices. A sense of collective responsibility for children and high levels of community involvement are evident. Members are a diverse group of enthusiastic parents and whānau who bring valuable skills and knowledge to their roles. Well-developed systems support the smooth daytoday running of the playcentre. Children have a positive platform for learning.
Well-considered transition processes for children and parents new to the centre enable them to become part of the learning community. Parents are mentored by more experienced members who model an open collaborative approach. Successful transition to school is enabled through reciprocal information sharing between the centre and local schools.
A comprehensive internal evaluation was undertaken during 2014. This was to discover how well the association and centres included te reo me ngā tikanga Māori as part of a culturally rich, responsive curriculum. The inclusion of te ao Māori as an integral part of children's daily experience has been strengthened.
Members reviewed the centre’s bicultural practices again in 2016. They identified the need to upskill new members in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and support the learning of those from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Te reo Māori is included naturally in activities and play, and is visible throughout the centre. Building sustainability in bicultural knowledge and practices should provide continuity for the centre.
Internal evaluation for accountability and improvement is an identified area of focus for centre development. Strengthening these practices should guide centre direction and enable more strategic decision-making.
Association and centre leaders should strengthen and improve outcomes for children and families by continuing to strengthen bicultural perspectives and internal evaluation. This should ensure the good practice occurring is sustained and prioritised developments are achieved.
Before the review, the staff and management of Miramar Playcentre 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 Miramar Playcentre will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
13 July 2017
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 |
Wellington |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60040 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
32 |
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Gender composition |
18 Boys, 14 Girls |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
13 July 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2010 |
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Education Review |
January 2008 |
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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 |
A number of areas have been identified for the improvement of this service.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Miramar Playcentre is one of 20 parent-led early childhood centres administered by the Wellington Playcentre Association (the association). A council oversees operation at governance level and an executive committee provides the adult education programme, guidance and support for members. Two centre supporters are employed by the executive to visit playcentres and provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. Parents share the duties associated with implementing the programme.
Playcentre philosophy recognises parents as the best first teachers of their children and emphasises the importance of child-initiated play in mixed-age sessions. Acknowledging Te Tiriti o Waitangi is an integral part of this philosophy.
Miramar Playcentre is located in a culturally diverse community. Recently, a number of experienced members have moved out of the area or their children have left for school. Consequently, there is a focus on rebuilding membership, filling office-holder positions and raising qualification levels. At present there is a reliance on paid team leaders and experienced members undertaking multiple office roles.
High value is placed on cooperative decision making and developing a community of learners where children and parents work alongside each other. Four mixed-age and one SPACE (Supporting Parents And Children’s Education) sessions are held each week. One session is specifically to welcome and support new members to playcentre.
Since the September 2010 ERO report, this service has begun to work toward relicensing under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The current transitional licence specifies the need to meet conditions relating to the bathroom and kitchen. Members have made plans to address these matters.
This review was part of a cluster of 20 reviews of centres in the Wellington Playcentre Association.
A sense of family and community is evident. There is an ongoing focus on building positive relationships in the centre. Members are friendly and welcoming. Continuing to deepen understanding of the diverse cultures in the community should enrich the programme and increase interest in what the playcentre has to offer.
Experienced members maintain good levels of purposeful engagement with children. They are responsive, supporting children to explore a range of play experiences. Literacy and numeracy are integrated into the programme in meaningful, play-based ways. High ratios of adults to children promote opportunities for one-to-one interaction. Some children enjoy long periods of sustained play and investigation.
The ongoing focus on positive guidance is helping parents to promote children’s social competence. Members should continue to work on maximising opportunities for all children to initiate and lead their own play and maintain their engagement in self-chosen learning experiences.
Spacious indoor play areas support children’s investigation of resources and activities. The outdoor play space provides physical challenges and messy play experiences. Further consideration should be given to the presentation of some areas of play to better promote children's interest and participation.
Infants and toddlers are encouraged to explore the play spaces and learning materials. A designated area is available for children who are not yet mobile. SPACE provides opportunities for parents of very young children to develop their understanding of playcentre and early learning. Further consideration needs to be given to planning for the learning of these youngest playcentre members.
Leaders are committed to strengthening the bicultural perspective in the programme. Some provide good models to support others in their use of te reo Māori and understanding of bicultural values.
Information is available for families making the transition from playcentre to school. Developing thinking about suitable experiences to support older children is likely to help retain four year olds.
Session planning meetings enable team members to gather and share information about parents’ aspirations for and the developing interests and strengths of their children. Daily session evaluation meetings include purposeful discussions about individual children’s learning and participation. A visual approach to recording daily happenings on session supports continuity of some activities over time. Evaluation of sessions should be improved to better plan for the significant learning of individuals. Assessment records should focus on children’s progress and learning.
A core group of members provides leadership and undertakes management roles as required by the association. Members are reflective and at the early stages of using formal self review to support decisions about improvement. There is an urgent need to attract and retain new members so operation can be sustained and workloads for leaders kept at a manageable level.
The association provides good support and a range of training for members. The centre supporter gives regular, valued feedback and aid as needed. A more evaluative approach based on identified priorities and growing members’ practice should better promote and sustain improvement over time. Comprehensive, up-to-date written policies and procedures guide office holders in their management roles and members in planning and implementing an appropriate programme.
The association is both improvement and future focused. The systematic review of, and plan to restructure governance and management, are being carefully worked through to support a new and more sustainable future for the organisation and individual centres.
Members should:
review their practice in relation to the values in the centre philosophy
deepen their understanding and response to the diverse cultures in the community
continue to strengthen the bicultural perspective in the learning programme
strengthen their understanding and approach to assessment, planning and evaluation
consider ways to better support all children to engage and sustain in purposeful learning
continue to seek ways to attract and retain new members.
The association should:
support members to strengthen their understanding and use of self review to promote improvement
continue to develop centre support processes in response to identified needs and priorities
support members to develop their understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership
redevelop the appraisal process to ensure the development needs of centre-based employees are met
Before the review, the staff and management of Miramar Playcentre 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.
The Ministry of Education identified areas of non-compliance relating to premises and facilities and health and safety. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas to ensure:
floor surfaces in the bathroom area are safe, durable and able to be kept hygienically clean
food preparation surfaces are impervious to moisture and can be easily maintained in a hygienic condition
bathroom fittings are maintained in good condition and are able to be hygienically cleaned.Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF6, PF16, HS1
In addition, ERO identified that the service needs to ensure that:
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 Miramar Playcentre will be within two years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region
11 June 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 |
Miramar |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60040 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 - Transitional Licence |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including 18 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
16 Boys, 14 Girls |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
6 18 6 |
|
|
Reported ratios ofadults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 June 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
January 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
January 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.