Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre

Education institution number:
50103
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
45
Telephone:
Address:

26 Grey Street, Raetihi

View on map

Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence. 

ERO’s judgements for Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre is a community based service, governed by Raetihi Early Childhood Education Trust (the Trust). The Trust employs a part time manager who oversees operations and has oversight of the centre. She is supported by a leadership team that guides the curriculum delivery.

3 Summary of findings

Children actively lead their own learning within a calm, supportive environment. The centre philosophy is enacted throughout the practice. Strong relationships between teachers, parents and children are well established and sustained. There are equitable opportunities to learn through the responsive curriculum.

Staff inquire into their practice and make appropriate changes to promote a culturally responsive curriculum. They recognise and respond positively to children’s individual language, culture and identity. An evaluation with a focus on rich language has assisted teachers to initiate learning strategies and experiences that enhance children’s language. Consistent practice in te reo me ngā tikanga promotes success for Māori children aligned to home settings.

Teachers work positively to explore children’s learning and progress in relation to the intended outcomes of Te Whāriki. They are investigating ways to better capture children’s progress of language attainment. Teachers are in the process of evaluating how well children are progressing against the service priorities for learning.

Leaders are working to embed evaluation and inquiry for improvement. The process is woven throughout areas of practice. It continues to be strengthened and developed to better inform and support children’s learning and wellbeing.

Teachers engage collectively in professional learning that encourages and builds their capability to support successful learning outcomes for all children. Collaboration with parents and whānau promotes ako and tuakana teina.

4 Improvement actions

Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • to strengthen, embed and sustain the evaluation process to more clearly show the impact of strategies and actions in improving outcomes for children
  • for leaders to continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of internal evaluation in order to support ongoing building of staff capability
  • to continue to align management, centre leadership and practices to enhance positive learning outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre 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.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

14 June 2021 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre
Profile Number 50103
Location Raetihi

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

53 children, including up to 10 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

67

Ethnic composition

Māori 23, NZ European/Pākehā 38, other ethnic groups 4.

Review team on site

April 2021

Date of this report

14 June 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2017; Education Review, February 2015.

Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre - 28/11/2017

1 Evaluation of Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre 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

Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre is a community purpose-built service in Raetihi, operating Monday to Friday. The centre is licensed for 53 children, including 10 up to two years of age. At the time of this review, 25 children are Māori.

The centre is governed by the Raetihi Early Childhood Education Trust. This community-based organisation employs a part-time manager who oversees operation and reports regularly to the trust. She is supported by a part time administrator. The head teacher, with assistance of the leadership team, guide curriculum delivery.

Most of the teaching team members are qualified in early childhood education and are longserving staff.

The philosophy positions the child, family, whānau and community interests at the heart of the centre's practices. This is upheld through reciprocal relationships that respect the mana of all people. Programmes for children are underpinned by Te Whāriki, New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.

The February 2015 ERO report identified strengthening was needed in: teaching strategies; assessment and planning; aspects of appraisal; self review and evaluation; the bicultural programme; and promoting success for Māori as Māori. Some positive progress has been made.

The Review Findings

Children explore, discover and lead their own learning in the well-resourced environment that promotes the use of natural resources. The programme invites engagement in a wide and rich range of learning experiences with a strong focus on connecting to children's home settings.

The programme is responsive to children's interests. Child-led learning experiences encourage sustained dialogue and participation. Conversations and story-telling contribute to a love of language and literacy.

Relationships between children and with teachers are connected and positive. Children communicate with confidence and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing. Many participate in purposeful learning for sustained periods.

Infants' and toddlers' programme provision is appropriately based on respectful relationships. Lead carers support transitions into the centre. Educators prioritise support for language development and authentic contexts that foster exploration and communication.

Te reo me ngā tīkanga Māori is strongly promoted, valued and well established in centre practices and interactions between educators and children. A te ao Māori curriculum is implemented. Values of manaakitanga, tautoko and tuakana teina are practised. ERO agrees with the direction identified by teachers to further extend their knowledge of culture and local contexts to contribute to the programme.

An online platform has been introduced alongside children's portfolios to include records of their participation, friendships, experiences, interests and learning journey. Teachers collaborate to implement an assessment and planning approach responsive to children's collective learning. Incorporating planned learning intentions for individual children, identifying outcomes, and showing progress over time are next steps.

The centre provides an inclusive environment that is responsive to its community's social and cultural values and beliefs.

A well-considered transition approach includes visits to the local school new entrant class and the bilingual Akomanga. Children also enjoy opportunities to attend productions, assembly, pōwhiri, sports and cultural events.

The appraisal process needs strengthening. Areas to improve, include the consistency in implementing teacher inquiry, observations that links to teachers’ goals and consideration of using resources such as Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners.

Management, governance and strong communication systems support the centre's sustainability and improvement-focused practice.

Centre leaders should build knowledge and understanding of internal evaluation to further guide improvement. This includes developing and using a framework for practice, to assist all teachers to know about the impact of actions on outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders acknowledge that continued development is required in relation to:

  • aspects of the appraisal process

  • internal evaluation, to show the impact of actions on outcomes for learners

  • leadership, to further support shared understanding of expectations for operation and teaching and learning

  • formal planning for each child's learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre 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 Nancy Winter Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

28 November 2017

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

Raetihi

Ministry of Education profile number

50103

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

53 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

61

Gender composition

Girls 31, Boys 30

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific

25
35
1

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

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2017

Date of this report

28 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

February 2015

Education Review

March 2012

Education Review

June 2008

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.