New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre

Education institution number:
50521
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
51
Telephone:
Address:

83 Liardet Street, New Plymouth

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New Plymouth YMCA Childcare 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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence. 

ERO’s judgements for New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre is governed and administered by the YMCA, a not-for-profit organisation. The chief executive reports to the board. A centre manager and curriculum leader manage day-to-day operations and programme development. Nearly a fifth of children enrolled identify as Māori, and a small number are of Pacific heritages.

3 Summary of findings

Children lead their own learning through a play-based curriculum that encourages them to be capable and confident learners. Children of Māori and Pacific heritages experience environments and resources that include their languages. The teaching team deliberately affirms and celebrates the cultures and languages of the children attending through the enacted curriculum.

Teachers are responsive to children’s interests, ideas and needs. Reciprocal relationships between parents, whānau and teachers promote information sharing to support learning, however there is variability in how this is reflected in assessment and planning. Children with identified needs are well supported to engage in learning. Documentation affirms children as successful learners.

Teachers are attentive to the unique learning needs of infants and toddlers. They sensitively respond to their verbal and non-verbal cues, and provide a rich oral-language environment. Children freely explore the environment, supported by interactive teachers.

Relational trust is evident across the service. Leaders mentor and coach teachers as a professional learning community. Teachers engage in ongoing learning to build their knowledge and foster positive outcomes for children. Engagement with internal evaluation is collaborative. Strengthened understanding of internal evaluation is required to better recognise the impact of changes in teaching on individuals and groups of children.

The intentional actions on the governance of the board effectively place children, whānau and community at the centre of strategic planning. They allocate resources that align with the YMCA’s philosophy, vision, and goals. The learning and wellbeing of children are the primary considerations in decision making. As a result, children experience positive educational outcomes.

4 Improvement actions

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Increase the alignment of assessment and planning documentation to the goals whānau have for their children and improve visibility of each child’s culture, language, and identity.
  • Build a shared understanding of the elements of high quality evaluation to better use evaluation for improvement. 
  • Strengthen internal evaluation to clearly identify what works well, and for which groups of children, in order to progress equitable and excellent outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

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

6 Actions for Compliance

ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:

  • maintaining a record of earthquake drills carried out on an at least a three-monthly basis
  • showing how key tasks in the annual plan will have regard to the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP).

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and care services 2008; HS8, GMA8]

7 Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

23 February 2024

8 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameNew Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre
Profile Number50521
LocationNew Plymouth
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 49 children, including up to 19 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll49
Review team on siteDecember 2023 
Date of this report23 February 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, August 2021; Education Review, August 2017

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare 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 New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakawhanake Sustaining

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

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakawhanake Sustaining

2 Context of the Service

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre is administered by the YMCA, a not-for-profit,
community-based organisation. A chief executive reports to the board. The centre manager and curriculum leader manage day-to-day operations and programme development. Progress has been made in addressing the key next steps in the previous ERO report.

3 Summary of findings

Children’s sense of security and wellbeing as confident, capable learners are foundations for learning. Strong, respectful, reciprocal relationships and partnerships with whānau, parents, children and the wider community promote a sense of belonging. Leaders and kaiako collaborate to develop and progress the service’s philosophy, vision, goals and priorities. Children are empowered learners.

A well-resourced environment is set up purposefully to encourage children’s exploration and inquiry. Kaiako work effectively alongside children to progress their ideas and thinking. Strategies supporting their social and emotional wellbeing are enacted. Infants and toddlers are nurtured by kaiako who maintain a calm, gentle pace and are responsive to their verbal and non verbal cues.

Children’s learning is effectively supported through the intentional and culturally responsive curriculum. Their learning experiences include te reo me ngā tikanga Māori within an inclusive environment. Kaiako draw on a range of resources to inform planning for children that acknowledges diverse cultures, languages and identities. Children experience equitable opportunities that enhance their learning.

Learning assessment stories effectively acknowledge children’s challenges and successes. Kaiako focus their planning on the goals from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Through these goals the learning outcomes recognise children’s efforts and make their learning visible over time. Assessment practices enhance children’s mana and their learner identities.

Leaders and kaiako work collectively to implement internal evaluation to promote change and improvement of learning outcomes for children. A range of tools and methods to gather information recognises the importance of multiple voices. Parent and whānau input informs priorities for improvement. A newly introduced internal evaluation framework is in progress to promote a more cohesive, collaborative approach to further sustained improvement.

Effective systems, processes and internal evaluation are positively impacting on children’s learning. Leaders are continuing to build consistency of kaiako practices through recently introduced professional growth cycles.

4 Improvement actions

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement:

  • strengthen collaborative evaluation practices to support further sustained improvements
  • develop and fully implement the professional growth cycle to ensure ongoing kaiako capability building and consistency of practice
  • refine and sharpen programme planning to make individual children’s learning outcomes visible through learning narratives.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth YMCA Childcare 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

2 August 2021

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre

Profile Number

50521

Location

New Plymouth

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

49 children, including up to 19 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

65

Ethnic composition

Māori 13, NZ European/Pākehā 26, Indian 8, other ethnic groups 18.

Review team on site

June 2021

Date of this report

2 August 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, August 2017; Education Review, June 2015.

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre - 30/08/2017

1 Evaluation of New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre

How well placed is New Plymouth YMCA Childcare 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

New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre is administered by the YMCA, a not-for-profit, community-based organisation. There are 55 children currently enrolled at the service, including 11 Māori children.

The YMCA board has overall responsibility for governance. The manager of the centre is responsible for day-to-day operations and programme development. She reports to the YMCA chief executive (CE) who reports to the board. The CE, centre manager and the two curriculum leaders have been appointed since ERO's June 2015 evaluation.

The four values of caring|atawhaitia; respect|whakanui i te tangata; honesty|te whakapono; responsibility|te awenga atu are integral in centre practices. These align to the YMCA's vision of 'strong kids, families and communities'.

The June 2015 ERO review found significant improvement was needed across most areas of centre operation including governance and management processes. Since that time, the centre has received targeted support through a Ministry of Education funded programme, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO). The centre has recently made considerable gains and is continuing to respond suitably to the key next steps identified in the previous ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children settle into activities of interest well and are confident to involve others in their play. Purposeful resourcing allows them to make choices and play independently. ERO saw older children supporting younger learners. Relationships are encouraging and warm. Children enjoy the company of their peers and develop friendships. Opportunities for sustained play are fostered.

The service's youngest children experience a curriculum that responds to their interests, needs and special characteristics. Interactions are unhurried and responsive. 

Staff share information with families about local schools. Teachers meet regularly with other early learning services and schools to promote and enhance links.

Teachers have begun to incorporate practices that reflect te ao Māori perspectives. This remains an ongoing focus. The centre is improving its response to those learners requiring additional support. Staff work with external agencies and families to set learning goals to meet children's needs.

Leaders and ERO agree that further consistency in the quality and understanding of the purpose of assessment and planning is needed. Children's portfolio books show their participation and involvement in learning experiences over time. Families share knowledge of their children and their interests that contributes to programme ideas and activities. To support an improved approach, staff should consider how well the priorities for children's learning are reflected in these centre practices.

The revised appraisal process provides a sound framework to support teachers and managers to develop their practice. Some aspects require further strengthening, including the quality of feedback and forward, goal setting and better alignment of the evidence gathered in relation to the Practising Teacher Criteria.

Centre leaders are strengthening processes that assist staff to know about teaching and learning expectations. Connections and information sharing between the board and the centre have improved. Closer links and regular reporting are now in place. Extending reports so that trustees are better informed about the quality of the centre's performance in relation to the curriculum and operations is needed.

The centre's 2016-2020 strategic plan identifies priorities and goals. Further alignment of processes is needed to support managers to show progress towards meeting these goals and achievement of the centre's vision.

Self-review practices are becoming established and are beginning to lead to decisions for improvement. Improving internal evaluation is required so that teachers and managers can measure actions taken to improve outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

ERO, managers and leaders agree the key next steps are to:

  • grow knowledge and understanding of the purpose and use of assessment, planning and evaluation
  • more clearly show how the priorities for children's learning are reflected in centre practices
  • implementing strategies that promote educational success for Māori children
  • improve understanding of internal evaluation for improved outcomes.

Recommendation

The service will provide ERO with an action plan that shows how the priorities for improvement will be addressed. ERO will request progress updates. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth YMCA Childcare 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 New Plymouth YMCA Childcare Centre will be in three years

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

30 August 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

New Plymouth

Ministry of Education profile number

50521

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

49 children, including up to 19 aged under 2

Service roll

55

Gender composition

Girls 30, Boys 25

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other Pasific Peoples
Asian
Other ethnic groups

11
30
1
7
6

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

30 August 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

June 2015

Education Review

August 2011

Education Review

February 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.