BestStart Montessori Johnsonville

Education institution number:
60353
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
36
Telephone:
Address:

23a Elliot Street, Johnsonville, Wellington

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Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House - 31/05/2018

1 Evaluation of Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House

How well placed is Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House 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

Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House provides an all-day service for up to 36 children aged over two years. Most of the children enrolled identify with nationalities other than New Zealand. English is a second language for many of these children.

The centre provides a programme clearly based on the Montessori philosophy with links to the principles, strands and goals of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children learn in two mixed-age classes with shared outdoor areas.

In May 2017 the centre was sold to Best Start Educare Limited (BestStart). Significant changes in regional leadership and local staffing have occurred as a consequence. A business manager and professional services manager employed by Best Start support the centre. Daily operation and curriculum implementation is delegated to a centre manager. She is supported by a head teacher.

This is the first ERO review since the change of ownership to BestStart.

The Review Findings

Children engage in a wide range of learning experiences for sustained periods. They are settled in their play and interact positively with peers and teachers.

Children are well supported by teachers to develop the skills, attitudes and attributes required to lead their own learning. Encouraging children to be independent learners is an important aspect of the service’s programme. Literacy and numeracy are carefully woven through curriculum activities.

The revised philosophy guides teaching and learning. It effectively weaves together the Montessori philosophy and Te Whāriki. These documents are the basis for planning and assessment. Increasingly teachers are seeking ways to integrate individual children's cultures, languages and identities into learning experiences.

A bi-cultural curriculum is developing. Māori are acknowledged as tangata whenua and a commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi is evident. The format of children's pepeha embraces the culture of children through recognition of their turangawaewae. Ongoing guidance is being provided to teachers to integrate tikanga Māori into the programme.

Planning for children's learning has been strengthened. The aspirations parents have for their children are considered and integrated into programmes for individuals and groups of children. BestStart should support teachers to widen their range of teaching strategies in order to add depth and complexity to children’s learning.

Children's profile books are used to promote collaborative conversations about children's learning. These provide: a record to parents about their child's progress and enables them to have input into their child's learning; and information to assist teacher decisions about next learning steps.

The new leader has been well supported to strengthen her leadership and understanding of management practices and expectations. This includes support from BestStart leaders to ensure quality control practices are in place.

Internal evaluation capacity is being developed. A wide range of tools and evidence is used to inform and evaluate change within the centre. The manager continues to support teachers' practice and their understanding of the impact of this on children's learning.

The BestStart framework for appraisal guides the process. Teachers engage in a range of professional learning opportunities. BestStart have identified that the centre requires further support in the implementation of the appraisal system.

As the process develops, leaders and teachers should consider strengthening:

  • goals to make these more specific and challenging

  • critical feedback and feedforward

  • evidence to clearly demonstrate progress over time.

Key Next Steps

Leaders agree that the centre's next steps are to strengthen the:

  • implementation of the appraisal processes to address variation in the quality of teaching, promote inquiry into practice and strengthen overall teacher effectiveness

  • process for attestation of teachers to ensure that Education Council expectations are met.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House 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 Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House will be in three years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

31 May 2018

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

Johnsonville, Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

60353

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

36 children aged over 2

Service roll

32

Gender composition

17 Boys, 15 Girls

Ethnic composition

Pākehā
Chinese
Indian
Other ethnic groups

2
14
6
10

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:9

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2018

Date of this report

31 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

May 2015

Education Review

February 2012

Education Review

October 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.

Rangimarie Montessori Childrens House - 19/05/2015

1 Evaluation of Rangimarie Montessori Children's House

How well placed is Rangimarie Montessori Children's House 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

Rangimarie Montessori Children’s House is a privately owned, all-day education and care service located in Johnsonville. The service’s licence allows for 36 children, aged over 2 years, to attend at any one time. The centre community is multicultural. Many of the children attending do not have English as a first language and learning English is an important aspect of the inclusive curriculum provided.

Children are catered for in two mixed-age classes. A directress is responsible in each class for curriculum review and development. Each class is staffed by two qualified and fully registered early childhood teachers. The centre owner manages the service and works collaboratively with the teaching team to improve outcomes for children.

Programmes of learning are underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and the Montessori philosophy of teaching and learning. Each teacher, along with an early childhood qualification, either holds Montessori teaching qualification or is in-training toward this. A strong focus of the centre’s curriculum is to promote children’s holistic development through individualised programmes and working in partnership with families.

The Review Findings

A positive tone prevails throughout the centre. Children are settled, they interact positively with their peers and teachers.

Children enthusiastically engage in a varied range of well-considered learning experiences and activities. Teachers use assessment well to understand each child as unique and provide experiences that build on their strengths and interests, and to stimulate challenge. Teachers, when appropriate, work alongside children to support their sustained attention to activities.

Encouraging children to be independent learners is an important aspect of the service’s programme. Children are well supported by teachers to develop the skills, attitudes and attributes required to lead their own learning.

Children experience a broad curriculum consistent with the principles and strands of Te Whāriki. Leaders identify next steps to improve the curriculum as:

  • developing the learning environment further to provide cultural connections to ‘the place we live in, Aotearoa’
  • making the most of the immediate community.

ERO’s evaluation affirms this direction and recommends leaders extend the review to evaluate how well te ao Māori is incorporated into all aspects of programmes of learning.

Leaders and teachers are well supported through appraisal and professional development opportunities to continually improve teaching and learning outcomes for children.

The February 2012 ERO report recommended centre managers strengthen processes for planned, in-depth review to cover all aspects of operation over time. Leaders and teachers responded positively to the recommendation. Professional learning was undertaken. They are highly reflective practitioners who understand the value of review for improvement. A solid foundation of practices allows staff to question the effectiveness of their practice for improving outcomes for children.

Centre leaders recognise, and ERO’s evaluation affirms, that further development of self-review processes is necessary to build the service’s evaluative capacity to identify priority areas for further development.

Key Next Steps

Further development of strategic and annual planning is required. This should ensure planned priorities and goals take account of the service's legislative accountabilities and continue to be informed by self review to identify the successful practices that:

  • uphold Māori and Pacific learners’ culture, language and identity more effectively through the curriculum and teaching practice

  • incorporate the aspirations for children outlined in Ka Hikitia - Accelerating Success 2013  2017, and the aspirations of whānau, hapū, iwi and the Pasifika Education Plan 2013 - 2017.

As part of this development leaders should consider Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners and how these might be incorporated into performance management practices.

Self-review findings should help the centre make relevant changes to its curriculum expectations. These should include clear indicators and measurable outcomes for teaching practice and show how success will be reviewed.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Rangimarie Montessori Children's House 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 Rangimarie Montessori Children's House will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

19 May 2015

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

Johnsonville

Ministry of Education profile number

60353

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

36 children, over 2

Service roll

33

Gender composition

Boys 18, Girls 15

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Indian

Other ethnic groups

2

5

10

4

12

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

 

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2015

Date of this report

19 May 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

February 2012

 

Education Review

October 2008

 

Education Review

October 2005

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.