155 Stokes Valley Road, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Stokes Valley Playcentre is one of 17 centres administered by the Hutt Playcentre Association (the association). The association is made up of elected volunteer representatives from its member centres. It provides governance and management support for the parent committee at Stokes Valley Playcentre. A kaitautoko, a centre support person is employed by the association to provide guidance.
The playcentre is licensed to operate four mixed-age sessions each week for a maximum of 30 children, including 15 up to two years of age. A weekly bush-based session provides opportunities for children to explore the local environment.
Curriculum planning and implementation is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a team of parent educators who hold playcentre training certificates. When necessary they employ a supervisor with the level of training that meets legislative requirements for group supervision.
Almost all centre members are involved in the adult education training programme provided by the association. The playcentre has had a drop in membership since the September 2013 ERO report. This has created challenges for meeting supervision and operational requirements.
The playcentre is currently in a growth phase with new members actively involved in their child's education.
This review was part of a cluster of eight in the Hutt Playcentre Association.
The service philosophy promotes child-initiated play, raises curiosity and celebrates each child's diversity. It outlines the expectation that parents share in the responsibility for the education of their children, and expresses a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This approach is evident in practice.
Children participate enthusiastically in a varied range of planned and spontaneous activities and experiences. Literacy, mathematics, science activities and concept learning are integral parts of the early childhood experience. The inclusion of te ao Māori and all children's cultures, languages and identities is evident. The centre has identified that a next step is for adults to increase their knowledge of tikanga Māori and the use of te reo with all tamariki.
Children’s interests are nurtured within the programme provided and learning is well supported by attentive parent educators. Positive and inclusive practice promotes children’s social skills development and confidence. Adults know the children well. Respectful relationships positively contribute to children’s sense of belonging.
Assessment, curriculum planning and evaluation practices provide adults with useful information to help them plan programmes responsive to children’s interests, strengths and, if required, identified needs. Individual learning profile books celebrate children's progress and show their developing skills, knowledge and attributes. These are readily accessible to children.
The curriculum responds to and promotes healthy food options for children. The outdoor environment is well resourced to enable children to be challenged in physically active play.
The management plan provides an overview of the playcentre's operation. It is a useful document for new families and provides a framework for the services strategic and annual planning.
Playcentre members have made good progress in their shared understanding and use of internal evaluation. A well-considered process is in place to reflect on relevant aspects of the programme to make improvements.
The association is an improvement focused organisation committed to providing timely and relevant support for its member centres. The September 2013 ERO review found the support provided at the centre level by kaitautoko was appreciated and supportive. ERO also recognised that formalising this arrangement to promote a more effective approach for responding to the needs of individual centres was a next step for development. An evaluation of the effectiveness of changes to kaitautoko practice in improving outcomes for centre members and children is planned for.
The previous ERO report identified that members should strengthen the approach to assessment, planning and evaluation. It also reported a need to develop further understanding and use of self review and continue to find ways to include te ao Māori within the curriculum. These are developing.
The association should assist playcentre members to:
The association:
must implement rigorous annual appraisal for the kaitautoko and identify professional development to support them in their leadership roles
should build kaitautoko knowledge and capability to undertake effective internal evaluation. This should include a focus on providing centre members with evaluative feedback that assists them to further develop aspects of the curriculum and centre practice
Before the review, the staff and management of Stokes Valley Playcentre 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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management practices. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following area:
fully implement a system of regular appraisal[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7]
The next ERO review of Stokes Valley Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
23 May 2016
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 |
Stokes Valley |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60023 |
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|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
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|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
16 |
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|
Gender composition |
Girls 8, Boys 8 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
3 8 5 |
|
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:2 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2016 |
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Date of this report |
23 May 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
September 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2009 |
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|
Education Review |
July 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:
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.
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 |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Stokes Valley Playcentre is one of 18 administered by the association. Bicultural partnership is integral to the way the association operates. An executive committee provides guidance and support for centre members. This includes leadership for strategic planning, financial management and policy development, and for decisions related to the education programme, property and equipment. A kaitautoko, a centre support person employed by the association, visits and provides professional advice, feedback and role modelling to strengthen practice and promote improvement. The recently commenced review of the association’s structure, supported by an external consultant, is aimed at improving operation and ensuring the sustainability of playcentres.
This centre operates five mixed-age sessions weekly. Sessions are fully parent-led. In the summer months, if there are sufficient older children, an extended session is offered. The majority of members undertake Playcentre training with high numbers attaining Course 2 (Te Puna) and Course 3 (Te Manga) Certificates.
The centre philosophy is currently under review. It emphasises the importance of Playcentre values, such as adults learning alongside their children.
Since the August 2009 ERO report there has been considerable refurbishment and re-organisation. The centre was relicensed in February under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. It has a positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was part of a cluster of nine playcentre reviews in the Hutt Playcentre Association.
Members’ inclusive and well-considered practices support good learning opportunities for children. Adults are responsive to children’s interests and are actively involved in their play. They are positive and respectful and promote a sense of fun as part of learning. Families from a range of cultures are welcomed and given support where English is not a first language. Children are settled and show a sense of belonging. They are confident to ask questions of adults.
The environment effectively supports children’s exploration and confidence as learners. Members maintain a wide variety of resources which are freely available for children. These include a good range of natural materials. The outdoor area supports physical play and adventurous activities.
Adults are purposeful in supporting children’s learning. Creativity and self expression are encouraged. Aspects of early literacy, numeracy and natural science are integrated into activities. Shared musical experiences are a strong feature of the daily routine. Adults should explore further ways to foster children’s self management skills and encourage conversations that extend oral language at social meal times. Members have identified that developing strategies and relationships to support effective transition to school will become more of a focus as increasing numbers of older children are retained.
Children aged up to two years actively engage in the programme. They are considered in planning for learning. A family atmosphere is apparent, especially in the way all members care for infants and toddlers.
A Māori perspective is evident in the centre environment. Members, with the active support of a bicultural officer, continue to develop their understanding and use of Māori language and protocols.
Centre members have clear systems for planning the programme. Through daily discussion and termly meetings, they collaboratively share and analyse children’s learning and contribute ideas for the future programme. Learning records are well presented, showing aspects of children’s participation and learning at playcentre. Adults have recently been trialling a different approach to observing children’s play. This should give increased insight into the individual strengths, interests and progress of children over time.
The friendly, supportive culture and well-developed communication foster parents’ confidence and willingness to become involved. Adults take pride in being part of a learning community alongside their children. Families display a strong sense of belonging and commitment to Playcentre philosophy. They work collaboratively and bring a wide range of expertise to their roles. This collegial approach, with co-sharing of roles and tasks, supports further training and emergent leadership.
The kaitautoko provides regular and valued feedback to support members’ practice. A more formalised approach, focused on developing particular skills and knowledge should strengthen reflection on practice over time.
The association has a proactive approach to governance. It effectively works alongside members to support self management. Self review is valued and strongly promoted. Members make good use of the association frameworks which guide review and reflective practice at centre level. Members have identified the need to review and develop their strategic plan in line with their refreshed centre philosophy. They are also aware that planned, in-depth self review can be strengthened further.
Members need to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Stokes Valley Playcentre 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.
The next ERO review of Stokes Valley Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)
9 September 2013
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 |
Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60023 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including 15 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
43 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 25, Girls 18 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā European Other ethnic groups |
4 32 4 3 |
|
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
9 September 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2009 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 2003 |
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.