Dillon Drive, Bell Block, New Plymouth
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Puketapu Kindergarten provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. The kindergarten is open five days a week and is licenced for up to 34 children. Three and six hour sessions are offered. Children attending the kindergarten come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. Sixteen identify as Māori.
Some staff and leadership changes have occurred since the 2013 ERO review. The teaching team is fully qualified and the programme is further assisted by support staff. The kindergarten is involved with the Enviroschools programme.
The kindergarten is one of 24 governed by the newly established Kindergarten Taranaki (the association), formerly North and South Taranaki Kindergarten Associations. A chief executive was appointed to lead the association in 2014.
Two professional leaders (PLs) are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. Since the 2016 review, a programme manager and a human resource generalist have been appointed.
ERO's October 2013 report identified areas requiring further development. These included developing self-review and assessment practices. Some improvements have occurred and progress is ongoing. Teachers were also asked to strengthen relationships with local schools. This has been addressed. In addition, the association was asked to strengthen appraisal. Progress in this area is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of eight in the Kindergarten Taranaki Association.
Children are supported in their play by warm, responsive teachers. Children's growing social competence is fostered through consistent teaching strategies and positive language. A wide range of resources and activities invite their curiosity and creativity. Photographs, art work, cultural artefacts and visual displays are used purposefully to enhance children's sense of belonging. Environmental sustainability features strongly in the curriculum.
Teachers draw on positive relationships with parents to successfully transition their children into the kindergarten, and on to school. Useful information is shared. Reciprocal visits occur with local schools.
All children benefit from a strong bicultural programme. They regularly see, hear and experience meaningful elements of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Association guidance should support the ongoing focus on promoting educational success for Māori.
A suitable cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation is not yet in place. Teachers have recently made some useful changes to their individual planning process. As this practice develops, attention should be given to clearly identifying what strategies will be used to support children's progress. Assessment documentation should be improved through:
Leaders and teachers have identified that children's cultures, languages and identities should be more visible in documentation. ERO agrees.
Children with diverse needs are identified, supported and monitored. Teachers liaise with outside agencies where appropriate.
A framework for self review is in place. Teachers regularly collaborate on child-focused reviews that result in improvements. ERO and teachers agree that practice in this area should be strengthened. PLs should guide the development and implementation of a robust process for internal evaluation.
A recently revised appraisal procedure includes the use of formal observation of teacher practice. Once fully established this should assist leaders to strengthen the process. PLs should then undertake regular monitoring of how well appraisal is being implemented in each kindergarten.
The board works collaboratively with its community to establish its vision, values and strategic priorities. Establishing clearer measures of success should enable the board to measure progress and evaluate how well practices support the realisation of goals and vision.
The board's ongoing commitment to biculturalism is evident through planned initiatives to support teachers to promote te ao Māori in the curriculum and to develop culturally appropriate practices. Senior leaders are developing initiatives to better determine the impact of curriculum delivery and learning in each kindergarten.
The association should establish clear expectations for the purpose and use of assessment, planning and evaluation in kindergartens. Professional leaders in partnership with teaching teams should then monitor the effective implementation of:
In addition, the association should establish a system for the ongoing monitoring of legislative requirements, including those related to health and safety.
ERO and kindergarten teachers agree that the key next steps are to:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Puketapu Kindergarten 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:
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 Puketapu Kindergarten will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
9 May 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.
| Location | New Plymouth | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 5225 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 34 children aged over 2 | ||
| Service roll | 45 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 28, Boys 17 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Indian Other ethnic groups | 16 20 7 2 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | March 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 9 May 2017 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | October 2013 | |
| Education Review | July 2010 | ||
| Education Review | December 2006 | ||
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.
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 |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Puketapu Kindergarten is one of sixteen kindergartens managed by the North Taranaki Kindergarten Association (the association). The association governing board is responsible for setting overall strategic and policy direction for the organisation. Senior teachers are employed by the association to support teaching and learning.
The kindergarten, located in the seaside community of Bell Block, is in the grounds of Puketapu School. The service is licensed for 34 children aged from two to five years. Since the July 2010 ERO report, the kindergarten has diversified to an all-day licence. The teaching team consists of four qualified and registered teachers.
Teachers work collaboratively to reflect the kindergarten philosophy in practice. ERO observed that children are encouraged to become “explorative, confident, independent learners and communicators”. Teachers value and acknowledge parents’ aspirations for their children and take these into account in assessment and planning practices. They should continue to review and develop evaluation processes to improve teaching and learning outcomes children and whānau.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews in the North Taranaki Kindergarten Association.
Board members undertake regular training and have developed useful processes to support governance roles and responsibilities. The senior teacher provides ongoing support and guidance for teachers. She promotes regular professional development opportunities and use of systems that focus on fostering positive outcomes for children.
Parents are welcomed and acknowledged as their child’s first teacher. Partnerships are based on acceptance and respect. Teachers encourage and provide opportunities for parents to contribute to their child’s learning. The diverse backgrounds of children and their families are valued.
Children learn in an environment that promotes exploration that is meaningful and enjoyable. They engage in free, uninterrupted play and investigation that encourages independence and extends learning. Children’s emerging interests in literacy, numeracy and science are fostered. Portfolios provide an attractive record of each child’s participation and enjoyment in learning experiences. Teachers are aware of the need to include contributions from parents and whānau.
Teachers have a clear focus on ensuring teaching practice and the environment are supportive and inclusive. They share values that encourage respectful behaviour and support children's developing social competencies. Staff observe and closely monitor children with additional needs. They work collaboratively with parents and whānau to develop individual learning or positive guidance plans.
The environment reflects the dual heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand in variety of ways. The outdoor area, with well-integrated natural materials, has been designed collaboratively. It shows a strong bicultural commitment, is aesthetically appealing and supports sustainable practices. Children engage with the living world in authentic and meaningful ways. Children have opportunities to hear te reo Māori incidentally within the programme. Teachers continue, through professional learning and development, to extend their practice in giving significance to Māori learners’ culture, language, and identity. ERO affirms this development.
Transition to school focuses on children feeling well supported and confident in a new situation. Parents visit the new entrant classrooms and some choose to share their child’s portfolio with the teacher. Kindergarten teachers support families with information and discussion. Children are able to spend time at the schools prior to enrolment and turning five is an occasion for celebration.
The head teacher is a collaborative leader who values the skills and knowledge of the teaching team. Teachers are improvement focused and receptive to change. Sound use is beginning to be made of current best practice to support developing self-review processes.
Continue developing capacity for evaluation and self review to promote teachers' inquiry into the impact of teaching practice on outcomes for children by:
ensuring that self-review questions help to identify clear indicators for successful outcomes
strengthening assessment practices to more effectively highlight children’s progress over time
enhancing transition to school by engaging school personnel in conversations about the curriculum and what a capable new entrant learner looks like.
The association should continue to review appraisal and consider formal critique of teaching practice and feedback processes to improve teaching and learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Puketapu Kindergarten 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.
The next ERO review of Puketapu Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)
30 October 2013
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 |
Bell Block, New Plymouth |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5225 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
34 children aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
51 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 18, Girls 33 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā South African Asian Samoan Niuean Indian Filipino |
16 27 2 2 1 1 1 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
N/A |
Choose an item. |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
August 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
30 October 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
July 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
December 2003 |
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.
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.