155 South Street, Feilding
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 Shaken Oak Montessori are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
|
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Shaken Oak Montessori is a privately owned early childhood centre. The lead teacher guides a team of teachers who all hold early childhood education qualifications. The service offers education and care in two separate age-based areas. Teaching practice and learning programmes for children are underpinned by Te Whāriki and the Montessori philosophy.
Child-led learning is facilitated by teachers and supported through caring and respectful interactions with adults and peers. The learning environment is set up to challenge children to explore and extend their personal interests. Children’s mana and identity as capable learners is highly valued by teachers who foster independence and security in decision making. Children are happy and confident learners.
The service is in the early stages of implementing its key strategic priority of valuing and reflecting the bicultural nature of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Staff are being led by a member of the teaching team to develop their knowledge, and capability of te reo and te ao Māori so they can better support Māori learners to grow in their identity as Māori.
Consistent approaches to assessment, planning and evaluation are focused on improving learner outcomes. Information is gathered about children’s interests, learning and development, and how teachers can further extend upon these. This information is then used to inform ongoing planning and intentional teaching focused on improved learner outcomes.
Successful outcomes for children and their whānau are sustained through effective systems, processes, and internal evaluation. Teachers are improvement focused and engage in regular review cycles of the impact of teaching and learning strategies on learner outcomes. The building of teacher capability is supported by a robust coaching and mentoring system among the teachers. Children's learning is further enhanced through teachers engaging in professional learning opportunities that contribute to ongoing and sustained improvement.
Shaken Oak Montessori will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Shaken Oak Montessori 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 requirement.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Shaken Oak Montessori |
| Profile Number | 50096 |
| Location | Feilding |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
41 children, including up to 5 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
36 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 28, Other ethnic groups 2 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
21 June 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2018; Education Review, August 2014.
|
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Shaken Oak Montessori, in Feilding, is a privately owned Montessori early childhood centre. It is licensed to cater for 41 children, including five aged up to two years. One of the two owners is responsible for managing the centre and also leading teaching and learning.
Children participate in a range of learning experiences closely aligned to the Montessori learning approach. In 2018, the Bambini (junior) and Casa (older children) classes will be merged. This should support a unified, centre wide community and teaching team and also allow space for the planned, dedicated art space and reading zone.
Since the August 2014 ERO report, teachers have successfully built their knowledge of te ao Māori and whānau aspirations to enable more effective support of Māori learners. In addition, regular self review is in place, supporting curriculum development to improve outcomes for children.
A calm and purposeful environment effectively supports children's independence, creativity and development as learners. It provides challenge and enables children to explore, investigate and discover both individually and in groups.
The programme is based on learning through interesting work, within a Montessori framework. Literacy, mathematics, science, practical skills and understanding are key areas of focus. Easy access to a range of learning materials successfully promotes children's learning.
Children are respected as capable and confident learners. Teachers are responsive to children’s interests and readiness for learning. Children enthusiastically take on leadership roles within learning activities. Regular constructive feedback affirms their efforts and successes. Children are well supported by teachers to extend their learning.
Children in the Bambini section experience a caring environment. Trusting relationships are developed by teachers with the young children and parents. Transitions into Bambini and then later to the Casa class are carefully considered, in collaboration with parents, to ensure the shift is timely and children feel secure within their new environment.
Detailed observation supports teachers to know and understand each child, what they can do and what their interests are. Each child’s progress in key learning areas is documented. Teacher inquiry and reflection on children’s learning informs changes and improvements to teaching strategies and set up of the environment.
Children extend their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori through regular use of te reo Māori, waiata and karakia. Teachers are more effectively responding to the aspirations of Māori whānau for their tamariki. Continuing to strengthen teacher knowledge of Māori language, culture and identity is a priority in the annual plan.
Opportunities are provided for parents to extend understanding of and share their children's learning. An online programme is allowing them to become increasingly involved in their child's learning.
Successful transitions onto school are well supported by effective partnerships between families and schools. The centre actively promotes regular connections with local primary schools.
The appraisal process promotes ongoing teacher improvement. Individual reflections and leader feedback focus on outcomes for learners. An annual summary should be developed that clearly indicates whether the teacher’s practice satisfactorily meets all of the Standards for the Teaching Profession (Our Standards) and also identifies areas of strength and areas for future development.
The lead teacher provides effective support for maintaining a positive Montessori learning environment and the building of teacher capability to enhance learning for children. Expected practices are well known by teachers. Professional learning involvement supports teachers to further build their understanding of Montessori philosophy and bicultural responsiveness.
Self review is effectively used to inform consideration of effectiveness and contribute to improved outcomes for children. The strategic plan clearly identifies the service’s priorities and associated annual goals. It links closely to the Montessori approach, identified key social skills, biculturalism and developing close partnerships with parents and whānau as priorities for improvement.
Shaken Oak Montessori and ERO agree that the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
Before the review, the staff and management of Shaken Oak Montessori 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 Shaken Oak Montessori will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
27 February 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.
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Location |
Feilding |
||
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Ministry of Education profile number |
50096 |
||
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
41 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
44 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 26, Boys 18 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
8 |
|
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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 |
1:9 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
December 2017 |
||
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Date of this report |
27 February 2018 |
||
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
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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 whānaungatanga – 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.