Norton Street, Te Kopuru
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.
Te Kopuru Playcentre operates in a spacious building next to Te Kopuru School. The multi-generational centre is a focal point for the growing, diverse rural community of Te Kopuru. It is licensed for 30 children including eight up to two years of age, and is open for two general sessions. Most children who attend are Māori. Many children attend the centre with their grandparents.
The Playcentre philosophy affirms parents as valued and best educators of their children. Sessions are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
ERO’s 2015 report noted the commitment of centre members to work cooperatively in contributing to internal evaluation and collaborative decision-making. It also noted the ongoing commitment to promote a bicultural programme and the strong emphasis on quality learning through play. These good practices remain evident. ERO also acknowledged the commitment to a bicultural partnership with Māori whānau and to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The centre is part of the newly established Northern North Island Playcentre Region. Regional systems support whānau members to manage their centres and to provide educational programmes for their children. Playcentre personnel also provide training programmes for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications.
This review was part of a cluster of nine Playcentre reviews in the Northern North Island Playcentre Region
Children display a strong sense of belonging at the centre. They are engaged and enthusiastic about their play. Children’s voice is valued, their perspectives and preferences respected. They are responsive to the routines in the centre and respect their environment and resources. Children are confident to choose where they play in both the indoor and outdoor environments and are comfortable with adults.
Children’s learning is extended during their play. Additional resources provided by adults support the growing complexity of play. The well-resourced and spacious centre provides many experiences for children to explore and make choices. Centre members are considering how to include more complexity and challenge for younger children in the programme.
The Playcentre philosophy of parents and children playing and learning together is visible in the programme. Centre members are actively involved in building a learning community, and positive relationships with parents. They work together to ensure consensus based decision-making informs the programme for children. Centre members collaborate to manage the centre.
A centre support worker guides and supports centre members in the programme. Members are using Te Whāriki to make links with their child’s learning goals. Individual children’s assessment portfolios show children’s interests. Members are in the process of refining their planning and assessment processes to build a shared understanding of how best to document children’s learning development.
The management team have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and having a bicultural partnership with Māori whānau. This is evident in Association operations and in the support provided to centres in the association. Recent membership in the region’s Kahui Ako | Community of Learning prioritises te reo Māori across all centres. The centre, along with the support worker, plan to continue to build the capability of members to use te reo and tikanga Māori, and encourage all new members to include te Ao Māori throughout the programme.
Centre leadership is strong and demonstrates the commitment that members have to promoting emergent leadership. They support each other to maintain systems and the daily operations of the centre. Experienced members provide effective leadership and work collaboratively to manage the Playcentre. They willingly share their knowledge and expertise with newer members.
Internal evaluation is developing well with a process that is purposeful and leads to improvements. Centre members agree that they could strengthen internal reviews by using more evaluative inquiry and include outcomes for children in their evaluation process.
The regional structure is replacing individual Playcentre Associations. Newly appointed regional personnel are making good progress building on existing systems and establishing effective regional management structures for supporting centres. Centre support workers are guided by regional centre support coordinators. Systems are being developed for monitoring the quality of programmes for children, adult education levels, and health and safety requirements.
Key next steps for centre members are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Kopuru 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:
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 Te Kopuru Playcentre will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
9 May 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 |
Dargaville, Northland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10368 |
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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 |
22 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 13 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
15 |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2018 |
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Date of this report |
9 May 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
January 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
August 2011 |
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Education Review |
June 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 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.
Te Kopuru Playcentre is a parent cooperative providing three sessions a week for children who live in the region of Te Kopuru, Dargaville. The centre operates under the umbrella of Northland Playcentre Association (NPA). The Association provides administration and a policy framework to guide centre practices. The Playcentre philosophy of parents and children learning together underpins centre operations.
The centre has a history of positive ERO reports. Since ERO’s 2011 visit the centre has developed a large outdoor environment that provides physical challenge for children. Centre members have also provided a variety of activities that invite children to explore and become involved in play.
Leaders encourage and invite members to take an active role in their child’s learning. They recognise that parents and children’s interaction improve when parents are actively engaged in adult education. Parents encourage each other to seek out course workshops that promote learning. They share their understandings from these workshops and model learning techniques. Parents appreciate opportunities to bring children from the community to play and learn social skills.
Children at Te Kopuru Playcentre have a sense of belonging and security in their vibrant centre. They are confident to make choices about their play and enjoy the company of their peers. Children show trust in the adults that support them.
Relationships within the centre are built on respect. Responsive and reciprocal relationships are formed with each family. Centre members support each other and effectively work together to support their children’s learning.
Members strongly support each other to build their capacity and confidence in leading and contributing to the effectiveness of the programme. Mathematics, science and literacy are integrated into play in meaningful ways. A wide range of resources provide challenges for children’s learning.
The learning environment is attractive and well resourced. Children have access to indoor and outdoor play. They are encouraged to become more independent and engaged in their play.
Centre members promote bicultural practice in the daily programme. Leaders have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to building both parents’ and children’s familiarity with te reo and tikanga Māori. The NPA’s kaiawhina works with members and children to support them to learn more about New Zealand’s bicultural heritage.
Strong relationships are established with the neighbouring school. Children’s transition to school is supported with the combined activities and events that are initiated by both the school and the centre.
Clear governance and management roles at centre level help to distribute responsibilities. All parents contribute to self review, collaborative decision making and setting goals for children. Members review their work with children regularly with a focus on continuing improvement. ERO is confident that with this approach the centre is well positioned to continue its positive progress.
Centre members and ERO agree that next steps could include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Kopuru 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:
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 Te Kopuru Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern Select Region
26 January 2015
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 |
Te Kopuru, Dargaville |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
10368 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
18 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 10 Girls 8 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
4 14 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2014 |
||
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Date of this report |
26 January 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2004 |
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.