32-34 Gloucester Street, Bayfair, Tauranga
View on mapThe Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre Bayfair
Olive Tree Education and Care - 29/07/2016
1 Evaluation of Olive Tree Education and Care
How well placed is Olive Tree Education and Care 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
Olive Tree Education and Care centre provides all-day early childhood education and care for children from birth to school age. It is purpose built and there have been many alterations and improvements, some of which cater specifically for babies and toddlers. Enclosed areas provide all weather play opportunities for children and significant outside developments enrich children’s outdoor play and exploration. The centre is licensed for 70 children, with a maximum of 25 children up to two years of age. At the time of this ERO review there were 68 children on the roll, ten of Māori descent, four Pacific and four Asian.
The centre is one of five education and care services operating under the umbrella of Bethlehem Early Learning Centres (BELC Ltd) and the Christian Education Trust (CET), who operates Bethlehem College. A manager oversees the business and professional services of all five centres and she is responsible to the BELC board of governors.
The centre is run by a head teacher who is responsible for the day to day functions of the centre and professional leadership in regard to the quality of teaching, programme development and children’s learning and progress. He is supported by a lead teacher in the babies and toddler' area. The majority of staff have a recognised early childhood education qualification.
The centre has responded constructively to recommendations in the 2013 ERO report.
The Review Findings
Children are respected and valued as individuals. They contribute to the centres' culture and learning environment. Children and parents are warmly welcomed into an interesting and well prepared centre. The centre environment supports children’s curiosity and independence. The philosophy reflects the ongoing commitment to Christian values and the growth and development of each child in a mixed-age centre.
Babies and toddlers up to the age of two years demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging. Teachers are responsive and sensitive to their needs and provide nurture, support and familiar daily routines. A calm and settled environment is maintained. There are safe areas of play and toddlers mix freely with older children at the end of the day. The designated teacher provides consistency of supervision and a point of contact for parents of babies and toddlers.
Children in the three to school age area have many opportunities to explore and pursue their interests and sustain play. They have ready access to a wide variety of good quality equipment and materials. There is a good balance of teacher and child-initiated learning and play. Routines are well managed and provide predictability for all age groups throughout the day.
Teachers set and model high expectations for considerate behaviour. This approach fosters children’s social skills as they play with and alongside each other. They plan appropriate and contextual themes that reflect current happenings and children's interests. Learning environments are well resourced and invite children’s learning through play. Literacy and early mathematics are well integrated throughout the programme. Creative play is a feature of the centre. Although the outside play area is small, teachers have deliberately focused on providing children with many opportunities for physical activity in the wider community.
Transitions within the centre and to school are well managed. Teachers have positive and reciprocal relationships with nearby schools. The transition process provides continuity and supports parents understanding about how to support their child during transition.
Elements of te reo and tikanga Māori are evident in the programme. Māori whānau and their children are benefiting from the value placed on their culture. Teachers’ use te reo Māori phrases, waiata and karakia in centre routines. Other cultures are celebrated and recognised at appropriate times. These activities contribute to children's sense of culture and identity.
The head teacher provides effective professional leadership and takes responsibility for many aspects of management and centre operations. He demonstrates a good understanding of self-review systems and processes for centre development and improvement. He has established positive professional relationships with staff, parents and children. He also fosters leadership among staff and encourages them to be reflective about their teaching practice.
Key Next Steps
Important areas for review and development are to:
-
strategically align self-review to Bethlehem Education Learning and Centres expectations and regulatory requirements
-
further develop the appraisal framework to consider evidence-based feedback and feedforward for teachers
-
continue to develop teacher confidence and competence to integrate responsive practices that respond to the respective languages, cultures and identities of Māori and other children.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Olive Tree Education and Care 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 Olive Tree Education and Care will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
29 July 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 |
Mount Maunganui |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
40313 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
70 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
68 |
||
Gender composition |
Boys 39 Girls 29 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Asian |
10 50 4 4 |
|
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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
June 2016 |
||
Date of this report |
29 July 2016 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2013 |
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.
Olive Tree Education and Care - 27/05/2013
1 Evaluation of the Service
How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?
The service is working towards being well placed to promote positive outcomes for children.
Context
This is the first ERO report for Olive Tree Education and Care Centre, which previously operated as Lollipops Educare Bayfair. The centre was purchased by Bethlehem Early Learning Centres (BELC) Ltd in 2011 and is governed by that company which operates under the umbrella of the Christian Education Trust.
The centre is located in close proximity to the Bayfair shopping centre and Baywave Pool, opposite the Catholic primary school. It is licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 to cater for 70 children, including 25 under two years of age.
Considerable change and development is continuing under new ownership and management. There has been leadership restructuring and a new head teacher, responsible for the overall management of the centre, was appointed in September 2012. The centre now operates two areas for children, under three years and those over this age. Considerable work has been done to improve the outdoor environment. Teachers have been undertaking professional development in relationship building to strengthen staff culture.
Centre managers and teachers are developing networks with the local community, designed to enrich learning and care for children. Christian values, in keeping with the ethos of the BELC, are being fostered and are already evident in the developing programme and environment.
Parents are made to feel welcome in the centre. They can easily access their child’s individual portfolio and share in learning and programme activities if they wish.
Review Findings
The centre is benefiting from sound management and governance structures provided by BELC. The head teacher is well supported and guided by the company manager/licensee to implement policies and procedural guidelines to ensure that the centre meets legislative requirements. This well established governance structure has been instrumental in supporting centre development during a period of much change.
The head teacher is beginning to provide clear direction as he becomes established in this role. He is ably supported by the senior teacher who leads the under three area. Under his leadership, some self review is being undertaken by the teaching teams as they reflect on aspects of the programme and environment. The development of an agreed philosophy about learning and teaching must be given absolute priority to bring about consistency and to focus professional learning and development for teachers. There is a structured appraisal process for teachers. When consistently implemented this process has the potential to support teachers’ professional development.
The programme provided by teachers successfully combines both teacher and child-initiated activity. Children are able to move freely about the environment, make choices from a range of activities and play equipment, and return to a favourite area of play. Some teachers engage children in purposeful play through learning conversations and problem solving. Teachers observe children’s learning in play and record significant events in learning stories that are placed in their individual portfolios. Parents and children enjoy accessing these very visual records of learning and development. The head teacher acknowledges that more use could be made of these learning stories by teachers in programme review and planning.
Key Next Steps
Following in-depth discussion and observations, centre managers, leaders and ERO agreed on the following priority areas for development:
- The head teacher should lead a process of review and development of an agreed curriculum philosophy that is informed by current best practice and research.
- Management should provide a programme of ongoing professional learning and development for teachers. This programme should be designed to build their knowledge and confidence, enabling them to consistently implement agreed practice for teaching and learning (the philosophy).
- Professional learning should be aligned with the appraisal process through specific, cross-centre goals that focus teachers on their learning and development.
2 Legal Requirements
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Olive Tree Education and Care 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.
3 Next Review
When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
27 May 2013
Information about the Early Childhood Service
Location |
Bayfair, Mount Maunganui |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
40313 |
||
Licence type |
Education and Care |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
70 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
70 |
||
Gender composition |
Boys 37 Girls 33 |
||
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Māori Indian Tongan British Other |
39 20 3 2 2 4 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Meets minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2013 |
||
Date of this report |
27 May 2013 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO |
General Information about Early Childhood Reviews
About ERO Reviews
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
Review focus
ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these findings ERO considers:
- 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 self review and partnerships with parents and whānau.
Review Coverage
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.