20 Middle Road, Allenton, Ashburton
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 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 Rising Stars Preschool are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Rising Stars Preschool is a privately-owned service. Change of ownership in May 2022, has led to an experienced, qualified new owner/manager leading a team of newly appointed and previous staff. This includes the recent appointment of a preschool head teacher, alongside an established nursery head teacher. Children come from a range of ethnic backgrounds with a quarter of children from Māori or Pacific heritages. The centre is a member of the Hakatere Kāhui Ako.
Teachers intentionally create well-resourced, purposeful learning environments, responsive to children’s interests. Children have a wide range of opportunities to participate in a curriculum that promotes literacy, exploration and creativity. Teachers are positive and affirming. The centre philosophy is informed by the Emmi Pikler and Reggio Emilia approaches, based on the principles of respect, and trust in children as capable, competent learners.
Infants and toddlers experience a calm, slow-paced environment, and teachers give them time to explore and lead their own learning. Teachers provide a curriculum that supports children’s sense of security.
Building teacher capability in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori is a centre-wide focus. Te reo Māori is evident in routines and small group learning activities. At times kupu are used to affirm children.
Variability is evident in teachers’ understanding of assessment, planning and evaluation. Teaching and learning guidelines have been recently implemented to support teachers to develop their professional practice. Teachers are yet to consistently show parent aspirations through assessment documentation. Documentation should also more consistently include children’s learning and progress over time, based on the learning outcomes, and/or dispositional learning, inherent in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children’s cultures, languages and learner identity are not strongly reflected through documentation.
The service is in the early stages of implementing a well-considered professional growth cycle. Prioritising the building of leadership capability is a key focus.
Improvement-focused governance and management have prioritised internal evaluation and policy review to inform a strategic plan that sets a clear direction. Refining aspects of the evaluation process to include evaluative questions, clear success indicators and data analysis is required to:
build teachers’ capability
better identify the impact of actions on outcomes for children.
Rising Stars Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Embed the teaching and learning guidelines with a clear focus on Te Whāriki learning outcomes and partnerships with whānau.
Make visible through children’s assessment documentation, parent aspirations, children’s cultures, languages and identity, and their learning over time.
Continue to build collective capability in evaluation to determine the impact of actions on outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Rising Stars Preschool 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Furniture and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).
A consistent record of the time each child sleeps and checks made during that time (HS9).
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
20 June 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Rising Stars Preschool |
|
Profile Number |
45371 |
|
Location |
Ashburton |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
45 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
62 |
|
Review team on site |
March 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
20 June 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, July 2018; Education Review October 2014. |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Rising Stars Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rising Stars Preschool is a privately-owned centre in Ashburton. The centre provides education and care for up to 45 children, 12 of whom can be under two years old. The infants and toddlers, and the preschool children each have their own buildings and outdoor play areas on the same site. The head teacher and assistant head teacher have been appointed since the 2014 ERO review. The majority of staff are qualified early childhood teachers.
The centre philosophy places a strong emphasis on children developing social competency and the service building strong, supportive partnerships between children, parents/whānau and staff. The philosophy also promotes te ao Māori as a central part of the centre, along with the cultures and languages of all children.
Since the 2014 ERO review, the staff appraisal process has become well established and is a useful tool to support teacher development. Progress has also been made in improving programme planning, evaluation and showing the achievement of long-term centre goals.
The centre's philosophy clearly identifies what the leaders, teachers and whānau value and these are very evident in the programme. Of particular significance are:
Children are well supported to be socially competent, caring and supportive of others. Leaders and kaiako (teachers) have made very good use of outside agencies and professional development to continue to grow and extend their knowledge and skills in this area. They use a wide range of strategies and tools to help children communicate confidently with others, and be understanding, patient and inclusive. The regular support that the leaders and kaiako receive from outside agencies is ensuring their skill levels continue to increase. The kaiako make effective use of their high level of skills to ensure the smooth transition of children to school and other services and support children with additional needs.
Māori and Pacific languages and cultures are skilfully interwoven into all aspects of centre life. Some leaders and kaiako have considerable knowledge and expertise that they share with children, other staff and whānau. The Pacific community in particular is fully involved with the centre. A centre leader also provides significant support to Pacific families in the wider community. Māori and Pacific children are proud of their cultures and take lead roles within centre and community events. Children are keen to learn about Māori and Pacific languages and cultures. They confidently share this knowledge with others within and beyond the centre.
Children from a number of other cultures attend the centre and their cultures are also valued. Staff work effectively with parents to ensure links to children's home cultures are evident in the environment and centre practices. Key words from the home culture languages are regularly used in the programme and important cultural events are recognised. All children are benefiting from the rich international cultural environment that successfully promotes cultural understanding.
Infants and toddlers enjoy an environment where they are nurtured by kaiako who have an in-depth understanding of their individual needs and characteristics. Relationships are respectful and routines are flexible. Kaiako work effectively together to meet the needs of each child. Infants and toddlers lead their learning and are well supported by responsive adults who make learning and routines interesting and fun.
Children's interests are well used in the preschool to extend the curriculum and to provide interesting, meaningful and challenging learning opportunities for all children. Children are well supported to be leaders in their areas of interest and share their knowledge with other children and adults. Children often construct carefully planned displays that show their learning journey and the depth of their learning and knowledge. Kaiako make very good use of children's interests to increase the range of resources and involve the wider community in children's learning.
Parents and families are valued for the knowledge that they bring about their children and the skills and cultural knowledge that they offer to support the learning of all children. Kaiako use a range of media to keep parents well informed about their children's learning and to gather information to support their child's progress and wellbeing.
The leaders make effective use of kaiako's interests and strengths to support the learning of children and kaiako, and the smooth operation of the centre. They work collaboratively and value each other's contributions. Professional development opportunities are effectively used to extend individual knowledge, skills and capability to achieve the centre philosophy and improve outcomes for children.
ERO acknowledges the improvements to programme planning since the previous review, and recommends ongoing refinement to ensure learning goals and outcomes are explicitly identified over time.
The leaders had identified and ERO agrees that the leaders need to:
ERO and leaders agree that assessment and planning need to be strengthened by:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rising Stars Preschool 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 Rising Stars Preschool will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
18 July 2018
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 |
Ashburton |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45371 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
61 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 33 ; Girls 28 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
Ratio 1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
Ratio 1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2018 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 July 2018 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2011 |
||
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Rising Stars Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rising Stars Preschool is a privately owned centre in Mid-Canterbury. The ownership structure has changed since the December 2011 ERO review. The owner and head teacher form the centre management team.
The centre is licensed as a full-day service for 45 children with up to 12 under-two year olds. Children can attend from three months to five years of age. The under-two year old children are provided for in a separate building on the same site.
Children attending the centre have a variety of cultural backgrounds.
The centre’s philosophy reflects a commitment to bicultural practices, developing strong relationships with all families and whānau and celebrating individual diversity.
Since the 2011 ERO report, the percentage of qualified teachers has increased from 50% to 80%. The centre has made good progress with self review, assessment and some aspects of long-term planning.
Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, is the basis from which the centre creates opportunities for learning and teaching. ERO observed that children are happy, independent, competent learners who have good opportunities to increase their language skills and use mathematics throughout the day.
Teachers:
Children benefit from many opportunities to:
The individual interests, needs and preferences of infants and toddlers are well met through calm and unhurried interactions. Teachers are caring, supportive and nurturing. This contributes to children’s sense of belonging and developing confidence.
Assessment of learning is developing strongly across the teaching team and shows good links between home and centre. Planning for learning focuses on individual children.
The centre gives appropriate focus to providing a bicultural curriculum and supporting the learning of Māori children in ways that are respectful of their language, culture and identity. This remains an area for ongoing staff development.
The centre is supported by a qualified Pacific teacher as part of the teaching team. This provides Pacific children with a sense of belonging and builds confidence in their learning. The centre has strong links with their families. Teachers provide good-quality language resources to support children’s home language and culture.
Respectful relationships are fostered among centre leaders, teachers, children, parents, whānau and the wider community.
Commitment is evident from the owner and head teacher to making ongoing improvements to programmes, practices and the environment to provide a high-quality learning environment for children.
Self review is well established in the centre. The positive impact of a recent self review in social competence is evident in the way children play and work positively, respect themselves and others and follow routines.
Strong and effective transitions occur within and beyond the centre.
The key next steps for ongoing development include:
The centre has identified, and ERO confirms, that the new appraisal system should be developed further.
Before the review, the staff and management of Rising Stars Preschool 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 Rising Stars Preschool will be in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
16 October 2014
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 |
Ashburton, Mid Canterbury |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45371 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education and Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children, including up to 12 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
74 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 49 Girls 25 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Cook Island Samoan Tongan Asian Other Ethnicities |
3 51 2 2 2 13 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
16 October 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report |
Education Review |
December 2011 |
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.