Seymour Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5395
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
36
Telephone:
Address:

50 Redwood Street, Blenheim

View on map

Seymour Kindergarten

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Seymour Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing
Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Seymour Kindergarten is governed by the Marlborough Kindergarten Association (MKA). A head teacher oversees day-to-day operations. A senior teacher provides teaching and learning support, and the general manager has oversight of the association. Almost a quarter of children who attend are Māori, and a small number are of Pacific heritages. Progress has been made since the last ERO review, particularly in relation to te reo Māori and bicultural practice.

3 Summary of findings

Children are viewed as capable and confident learners. They make choices about their play and learning in well-resourced indoor and outdoor environments. The philosophy of the kindergarten is evident in the way teachers intentionally build children’s social and emotional resilience, and foster their mana.

Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teachers work alongside agencies and whānau to identify strategies and resourcing to enable children to fully access the curriculum.

Teachers are deliberately designing and implementing the bicultural curriculum. Concepts of kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga and sustainability are used as the basis of a broad range of curriculum experiences. Te reo Māori is increasingly integrated throughout the curriculum.

Teachers are yet to develop shared understandings of how to effectively use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in planning and assessment practices. Documented assessment practices are at the early stages of reflecting children’s individual languages, cultures and identity.

Leaders and teachers have regular opportunities to engage in professional learning and development. They have well established relationships with, and are actively involved in, the local kāhui ako.

Resources are allocated that align to the MKA’s values and vision. Those in governance are yet to use internal evaluation to inform decision making to evaluate what is and is not working, and for whom, and to determine what changes are needed. Continuing to build a shared understanding within the kindergarten of how to do and use effective evaluation for improvement is also required.

A kaiārahi Māori guides biculturally responsive practice within the kindergartens. The senior teacher and general manager work alongside the governing board to implement the organisation’s systems and processes. A stronger reporting focus on outcomes for children is required to inform decision making.

4 Improvement actions

Seymour Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Develop shared understandings of how to effectively use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki in planning and assessment practices.

  • Continue to embed the kindergarten learning priorities.

  • Develop understanding of internal evaluation at governance level to know how well the MKA vision, values, goals, and priorities that focus on outcomes for learners are being realised.

     

  • Continue to build capability across the Marlborough Kindergarten Association to do and use internal evaluation for improvement.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Seymour Kindergarten 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.

Patricia Davey 
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) 

9 October 2023

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Seymour Kindergarten

Profile Number

5395

Location

Blenheim

Service type

Free Kindergarten

Number licensed for

43 children over 2 years

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

45

Review team on site

June 2023

Date of this report

9 October 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, September 2018
Education Review, August 2014

Seymour Kindergarten - 04/09/2018

1 Evaluation of Seymour Kindergarten

How well placed is Seymour Kindergarten 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

Seymour Kindergarten is licensed for 43 children aged over two years. It provides all-day education and care, four and a half days a week. All permanently-appointed teachers are qualified and certificated early childhood teachers. A range of diverse cultures is represented in the kindergarten.

The kindergarten is administered and supported by the Marlborough Kindergarten Association. (MKA) The association is a not-for-profit, community-based provider. A general manager is responsible for the operation of the kindergartens. A senior teacher provides ongoing advice and guidance to the kindergartens. A kaiarahi Māori supports culturally responsive practice. Strategic direction and governance decisions are the responsibility of an elected board of trustees.

The kindergarten philosophy gives emphasis to facilitating learning opportunities through positive learning partnerships between children, whānau and teachers; intentional teaching practices; supporting children's identity, and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Since ERO's 2014 report, Seymour Kindergarten has a new head teacher and there have been some changes in teaching staff. The kindergarten has improved the quality of assessment and planning for individuals, and further improved the quality of annual planning.

The association is involved in the Piritahi and Te Wheke Akoranga Kāhui Ako|Communities of Learning. Seymour Kindergarten is a member of the Piritahi Kāhui Ako| Community of Learning.

This review was part of a cluster of seven kindergarten reviews in the Marlborough Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Children’s sense of belonging is nurtured. Teachers highly value the positive relationships and interactions shared with children and their whānau. Children have many opportunities to learn and play together. Teachers foster respectful play and support children to develop social skills. Teachers extend children’s language through appropriate use of prompts and questioning during child-led learning.

Leaders and teachers show strong commitment to the kindergarten’s vision and philosophy to provide children with relevant, real-life learning experiences that are inclusive of whānau and community. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is respected. Collaborative relationships between tamariki, whānau and kaiako are highly evident.

Learning programmes effectively reflect the local environment. There is an emphasis on children caring for and appreciating their surroundings. Respect is shown for Māori views of the world and the natural environment. Māori children are well supported to succeed in their learning. Early literacy and mathematics understandings are naturally integrated into the learning programme. Physical play and discovery are intentionally fostered to develop and extend children's confidence, abilities and knowledge.

Children's transitions into the kindergarten and on to school are well managed. Leaders and teachers foster a positive and inclusive environment. Teachers work closely with parents, children and external agencies to support children’s learning and wellbeing.

Individual and group assessment and planning is appropriately guided by the centre’s philosophy and is well monitored by leadership. Multiple perspectives contribute to planning for individuals and groups of children. Parents and whānau aspirations for their children are valued and inform individual children’s learning goals. Parents are well informed about their child’s participation and learning.

Leaders promote collaboration among teachers and value the individual strengths they bring. Professional development is appropriately supporting teachers' professional growth and enhancing their provision for children’s learning.

Since ERO’s 2014 reviews of kindergartens in the association, a new general manager, senior teacher and office administrator have been appointed. The board is working towards a new strategic plan. Managers and leaders have proactively addressed ERO’s recommendation for the association identified in previous reports by strengthening the appraisal policy and processes. However this is in the early stages of implementation.

The MKA is strongly committed to ensuring all children have equitable access to inclusive education. This is very evident in the association's philosophy that promotes facilitating learning opportunities through positive relationships, celebrating diversity and ensuring equitable access to education. The philosophy is reflected in decisions made by the board and leadership.

Kindergartens receive a high level of support from the Marlborough Kindergarten Association. With a number of new head teachers, attention has been placed on growing leadership and building a cohesive culture across the kindergartens. MKA’s involvement in the Kāhui Ako|Communities of learning is making a significant difference to developing teaching as inquiry, transition to school and culturally responsive practices. Teachers are well supported by the kaiarahi Māori to build culturally responsive practices.

The board and leadership work well together with clear roles and responsibilities. Leadership provides quality reports to the board so they are well informed. Trustees and leaders make good use of internal evaluation to consult with the parent community and staff, to reflect on their own practice and support decision-making.

The board and association have identified that strategic planning is a key next step. ERO and the association acknowledge that:

  • plans need to be more focused on strategic goals

  • significant board decisions need to be underpinned by action plans

  • the association's values need to be more clearly articulated.

Leaders and ERO also agree that there is a need to:

  • develop guidelines that outline association expectations for teaching and learning to better support consistency of practice and sustainability across the kindergartens

  • fully implement planned observations into appraisal practices in all kindergartens.

Key Next Steps

Kindergarten leadership has identified, and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that the key next steps are to continue to:

  • embed internal evaluation so practices are well understood and a regular part of the kindergarten's operation

  • strengthen te reo and tikanga Māori and bi cultural practices

  • explore ways to increase parents and whānau contribution and participation in children’s learning

  • provide opportunities to grow teachers' professional practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Seymour 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Seymour Kindergarten will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

4 September 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

Blenheim

Ministry of Education profile number

5395

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

43 children aged over 2 years

Service roll

58

Gender composition

Boys: 30

Girls: 28

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Other ethnicities

5
47
2
4

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

June 2018

Date of this report

4 September 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

August 2014

Education Review

March 2011

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.