Mt Wellington Playcentre

Education institution number:
22061
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
35
Telephone:
Address:

174 Penrose Road, Mount Wellington, Auckland

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Mt Wellington Playcentre - 03/06/2020

1 Evaluation of Mt Wellington Playcentre

How well placed is Mt Wellington Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Mt Wellington Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Mt Wellington Playcentre is a well-established family cooperative that operates under the umbrella of the Playcentre Aotearoa, Auckland Regional Hub (ARH). There are three morning sessions per week, and two afternoon SPACE sessions for infants and their parents, many of whom later become Playcentre members. The centre is licensed for 30 children, including 20 up to the age of two years.

The Playcentre philosophy of 'whānau tupu ngātahi', adults and children learning together, continues to underpin the culture of the centre. Parents and whānau are valued as being the best educators of their children. Sessions are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Since the 2016 ERO review there have been many changes in membership. An increase in membership has been supported by the introduction of an initiative known as 'Atawhai', which allows members with children under two to attend once a week, rather than the traditional minimum of twice a week.

The 2016 ERO report noted that children engaged in meaningful play with a high level of social interaction. These features continue to be evident. Centre members have responded positively to next steps recommended by ERO in programme planning and implementation.

The new structure of Playcentre Aotearoa is now fully operational and a review of this new structure is currently underway. The organisation provides a sound management framework as well as support personnel to assist centre members in managing their centres. Playcentre Aotearoa administers centres’ funding and provides an adult education programme for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications. Centre members have adopted planned approaches to embracing and implementing the Playcentre Aotearoa policy framework. A new licensee/contact person is in the process of being appointed.

This review was part of a cluster of four reviews in the Playcentre Aotearoa, Auckland Regional Hub.

The Review Findings

The Playcentre philosophy underpins and guides whānau and educator practice. Parents/whānau value the knowledge and skills that others bring, work collaboratively to provide a play-based programme and encourage child-initiated learning.

Respectful and affirming relationships underpin the high level of support adults have for each other in their dual role in the centre as parents and kaiako. This inclusive environment contributes to children developing friendships and a strong sense of belonging. Children are well supported while they transition into Playcentre and then on to school.

Parents/whānau have a strong commitment to bicultural practices and incorporating te ao Māori in programmes for children. Tuakana/teina relationships are evident in practice. Experienced centre members and regional personnel share their knowledge with new members and encourage them to take on leadership roles. Older children are caring and considerate of the younger children and are confident with adults.

Centre members have sound assessment and planning processes that reflect Playcentre philosophy and link to Te Whāriki. Children’s individual assessment portfolios show how their play has developed over time.

Children have many choices and learn in a well-resourced environment that invites children’s engagement and sustains their play. They receive good support for their developing language, creativity and knowledge of science. Children explore, try things out and make discoveries. They have fun, share ideas and play cooperatively in groups.

Kaiako ensure that the youngest children are well provided for in the programme. Internal evaluation has resulted in the development of an attractive area for infants, with a wide variety of appropriate resources. Centre members encourage toddlers to develop independence and take an active part in the programme. They support each other with the care of each other’s children.

The regional management team takes responsibility for supporting effective centre operations. They are aware of the strengths and needs of the centre and provide professional leadership to promote improvement and growth. The centre support worker is guided by the regional centre support coordinator. This support helps the centre to continue to develop quality programmes for children, and sound health and safety monitoring practices.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps for kaiako/centre members are to:

  • make the continuity of children's learning more visible in assessment, planning and evaluation documentation to show individual development over time
  • continue to deepen the use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori in daily programmes
  • develop a shared understanding of, and strengthen the process for, internal evaluation to support ongoing improvements
  • increase the rigour of implementing and monitoring health and safety practices.

Key next steps for Playcentre Aotearoa, Auckland Regional Hub, are to:

  • clarify new roles and engage service leaders in the implementation of the new structure across Auckland Playcentres
  • increase the rigour of monitoring and quality assurance, and strengthen internal evaluation at all levels
  • identify and implement strategies for achieving greater consistency of the practices that are strengths in some centres.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Mt Wellington 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.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region - Te Tai Raki

3 June 2020

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

Mt Wellington, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

22061

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 years

Service roll

35

Gender composition

Girls 18 Boys 17

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
other ethnic groups

1
26
8

Review team on site

December 2019

Date of this report

3 June 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

January 2016

Education Review

September 2012

Education Review

June 2009

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

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed
  • Well placed
  • Requires further development
  • Not well placed

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.

Mt Wellington Playcentre - 22/01/2016

1 Evaluation of Mt Wellington Playcentre

How well placed is Mt Wellington Playcentre 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

Mt Wellington Playcentre is a well-established centre. It is licensed for 30 children, including 15 children up to the age of two years. The centre is cooperatively managed and programmes for children are implemented by centre members who have many years' experience. The centre offers four morning sessions each week.

The Playcentre philosophy of whānau and children learning together underpins centre operations.

The demographics in the local area have changed significantly over the past five years. Approximately a quarter of families involved in the centre are new to New Zealand.

Since the 2012 ERO report there has been significant improvement to the programme, the physical environment and members’ practice. Some of this improvement has been the direct result of good quality professional development, strong leadership and Association support.

The centre is one of 16 Playcentres in the Tamaki Playcentre Association. The Association provides a management and policy framework to guide centre operations. Liaison officers and other Association staff provide support for centres, including adult education programmes to encourage children’s learning.

This review was part of a cluster of three Playcentre reviews in the Tamaki Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Centre members promote a welcoming and inclusive environment. Respectful relationships and positive interactions support children’s wellbeing, belonging and learning.

The centre is well resourced. Members provide children with a variety of learning experiences within the programme. Children confidently explore the environment and learn about the natural world. They have a sense of ownership in the centre. Children’s sense of belonging is promoted through the small group size, and high adult-to-child ratios.

Members develop learning programmes that value children’s play and their emerging interests. As a result, children engage in meaningful play. Children are articulate and sustain their play for good periods of time. High levels of social interaction and cooperative play are evident. Children share equipment, take turns and show respect for each other when playing or working in groups.

The programme has clear links to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children develop early literacy and numeracy skills in the context of their play. Members capture children’s interests and provide experiences to further extend their learning. They formally document these experiences in learning stories in children’s individual portfolios. Members could now consider how they could include other members’ voices in children’s individual narratives, and how they could follow up on next steps identified in learning stories.

Centre members show a strong commitment to promoting a bicultural curriculum. Bicultural approaches are confidently modelled by centre leaders, who are developing ways to further integrate te ao Māori meaningfully into the programme. Some members model and are gaining confidence in including other children’s ethnic languages in the context of play.

Displays in the environment are at children’s eye level and promote early literacy and mathematics learning. Curriculum areas are well defined. The environment is attractive and vibrant.

Centre leaders work well together, promoting a positive team culture. They encourage and support members to increase training levels. They have led self reviews that have had a positive impact in the programme and professional practice.

Association governance practices are well established. Raising awareness of the playcentre within the community so that centres are well attended is an ongoing focus for the Association. The Association is responsive to the needs of individual centres and provides support and guidance to manage the centres. Members are appreciative of the Association’s collaborative approach to assist them in promoting positive outcomes for children. Association leaders have made significant progress in aligning and monitoring systems and practices for centres. They could continue to support leaders to make processes more transparent for centre members.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre members discussed and agreed that next steps in the development of the centre include:

  • strengthening planning, assessments and evaluation
  • aligning strategic and annual plans to clarify key actions in meeting the centre’s desired outcomes
  • strengthening the use of self review to help members further improve teaching and learning
  • promoting a more challenging programme for children
  • reviewing the provision of literacy, mathematics, science and technology in the learning programme.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Mt Wellington 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.

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 Mt Wellington Playcentre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

22 January 2016

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

Mt Wellington, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

22061

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Service roll

21

Gender composition

Boys 14 Girls 7

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Samoan

Cook Island Māori

Indonesian

Laos

Niue

4

11

2

1

1

1

1

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2015

Date of this report

22 January 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

September 2012

 

Education Review

June 2009

 

Education Review

May 2006

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.