Rata Street, Taumarunui
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Rata Street Pre-school are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whāngai Establishing |
Rata Street Pre-school is a community-based centre located in Manunui, south of Taumarunui. The centre is governed by a parent committee. A head supervisor, with support from an assistant supervisor, oversees curriculum leadership and professional support for a team of three qualified and two unqualified teachers.
Children learn through a rich and responsive curriculum. They have time and space to play and discover alongside their peers. A well-resourced learning environment provides opportunities for children to express and explore their working theories. A kaiawhina works alongside teachers and children to promote culturally situated learning opportunities. Māori children and whānau benefit from a supportive environment where manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are valued.
Teachers are responsive to the emerging interests of children and plan spontaneously to enhance learning. Assessment reflects children’s engagement in the curriculum. This practice recognises children’s efforts, challenges and successes. Teachers regularly discuss children’s learning with each other. They are yet to explore children’s learning and progress in relation to the intended outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Children’s learning, social competence and emotional wellbeing are enhanced through collaborative partnerships with whānau who contribute to the life of the centre in formal and informal ways. Early interventions are responsive to, and inclusive of children’s identified needs. Teachers know children and their whānau well.
The service is establishing the collective capability to do and use evaluation for improvement. Change is driven by review. Teachers engage in reflection to build collaborative practice. They are encouraged to take individual and collective responsibility for their professional learning. Teachers and leaders are yet to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching practice on outcomes for children.
Strong relational trust between management and governance enhances responsiveness to community needs. A parent committee actively works to maintain the financial sustainability and ongoing development of the centre. Leaders liaise with external agencies and educational professionals who support the health and wellbeing of children and their whānau. Governance has identified that aspirations of parents and whānau are yet to materially influence the service’s philosophy, vision, goals and plans for children’s learning and development.
Rata Street Pre-school will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rata Street Pre-school 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.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8, HS12, HS17, HS28]
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
11 February 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Rata Street Pre-school |
|
Profile Number |
40255 |
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Location |
Taumarunui |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
71 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 32, NZ European/Pākehā 31, Other ethnic groups 8. |
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Review team on site |
November 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
11 February 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, December 2017; Education Review, July 2013. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rata Street Pre-school is a community-based preschool offering all day education and care. It is located in Manunui, south of Taumarunui. It is licensed for 40 children aged over two. The roll at the time of ERO's visit was 72 and 32 identify as Māori.
A committee, representative of the community, employ five qualified teachers who all hold current practising certificates. A centre supervisor has responsibility for curriculum leadership and professional support for the teaching team. Well-developed systems and practices lead to the smooth operation of the preschool.
At the time of the July 2013 ERO report, good curriculum and teaching practice were affirmed. The next step was for leaders to continue to develop self-review practice.
Centre staff value collaborating purposefully with others to support children's transition to school. They are a member of the Taumarunui Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako.
All children's wellbeing and learning is enhanced through relationship-based teaching and a very well-designed culturally responsive curriculum. Attentive teachers know children and their preferences well. Strong connections are formed as children play and learn amicably alongside their peers. Learning activities in the centre and wider community are purposefully planned in response to children's interests and strengths. Children's curiosity is provoked and their knowledge, skills and learning are extended.
The principles, strands and goals of Te Whāriki and the service philosophy of 'We Play, We Learn, We Grow' underpin the preschool's curriculum aspirations and priorities. Teachers, families and whānau have shared expectations for what they want children to experience and achieve during their early education. Educationally powerful relationships between staff, committee and the preschool community are effectively supported through deliberate planning.
Comprehensive internal evaluation of the curriculum has been carried out since ERO's previous review. It has contributed to improved outcomes for learners. Teaching staff have built their curriculum content knowledge in mathematics and literacy. They have increased confidence in teaching, and in expressing the learning occurring for children.
Opportunities abound for children to lead their own learning, be physically active, join in group experiences or retreat to quiet spaces in the highly functional learning environment. Wellconsidered literacy, mathematics, science activities and excursions in the wider community are a core component of the curriculum.
Te ao Māori is meaningfully woven through learning experiences, rituals and activities. It is an integral part of Māori, and all, children's early education. Teachers continue to build their knowledge of culturally responsive practices and adapt their teaching in light of this.
Children with additional needs are very well-catered for. Teachers access support from external agencies when necessary. Inclusive practice and a positive tone promote children's holistic development.
The governance committee and centre administrator provide valuable support to leaders and teachers. The high levels of involvement of the centre's community and a sense of collective responsibility for children, provides a very positive platform for learning.
Practices for building teachers' capability, including appraisal, are appropriate and robust. They are highly reflective practitioners who work collaboratively to continually improve outcomes for children and their families and whānau.
The dual purpose of self review for accountability and improvement is very well understood. It informs ongoing decision-making. The centre's internal evaluation effectively guides development. Priorities align to the preschool's vision and goals, clearly focus on improving teaching and learning outcomes for children.
Continue to use internal evaluation to sustain and improve current effective practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Rata Street Pre-school 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:
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 Rata Street Pre-school will be in four years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
21 December 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 |
Taumarunui |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40255 |
|
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
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Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
72 |
|
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Gender composition |
Girls 40, Boys 32 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
32 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
November 2017 |
|
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Date of this report |
21 December 2017 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2013 |
|
Education Review |
December 2009 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2006 |
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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:
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.