Te Puke Free Kindergarten

Here is the latest report for the Governing Organisation that this service is part of.

1 Evaluation of Te Puke Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Te Puke Free Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Te Puke Kindergarten is a long-established early childhood education and care service that caters for two to five years olds. Sessions are for a maximum of 42 children and run daily for six hours Monday through to Friday. At the time of this ERO review 40 children were enrolled, and 13 are of Māori descent.

The kindergarten’s vision states that it provides a rich educational environment that reflects its diverse community. It is a place where children are encouraged to be confident, independent and motivated learners. This vision guides a philosophy that promotes relationships, planning and assessment, active learning and education for sustainability.

The kindergarten operates under the umbrella of Tauranga Regional Kindergartens (TRK), which is a not-for-profit early childhood education service, governed by a board of parent-elected community representatives. Senior Teachers oversee and support the professional work of kindergarten. This work is supplemented by a Resource Teacher Māori who provides professional learning and support for TRK staff in te ao Māori.

The association sets the strategic direction of its kindergartens with emphasis on nurturing reciprocal relationships with whānau and communities, organisational sustainability, meeting community needs, and honouring the Treaty of Waitangi. The TRK provides kindergarten staff with clear guidelines and expectations for practice. There are systematic processes and highly effective self-review practices to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching, education and care provided by this kindergarten.

Consistent with TRK policy of only employing trained and registered teachers in regulated positions, the kindergarten is staffed by five qualified and registered teachers, along with an administrator.

ERO’s previous review in 2013 noted the effectiveness of kindergarten self-review practices. This remains a strength of the kindergarten and has informed significant developments to assessment, planning and evaluation, and the promotion of positive transitions to school for children and families. There have been a number of changes to the teaching team. However, continuity for the kindergarten, children and families has been ensured through well-embedded systems that include effective induction for new staff members.

This review was part of a cluster of four kindergarten reviews in the Tauranga Regional Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Since ERO’s previous review teachers have undertaken in-depth and ongoing review of the kindergarten’s assessment framework, in consultation with parents and whānau. This significant work has resulted in the development of a bicultural framework that guides assessment for learning, where children are affirmed for who they are and where they come from. Whānau Māori gifted whakataukī that linked to the strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and learning characteristics valued by parents and teachers. Highly effective assessment, planning and evaluation includes parent engagement in the process, and provides children with a view of themselves as successful learners.

Teachers value and embrace Māori language and culture. They respectfully integrate concepts, knowledge, language and aspects of tikanga Māori into the programme and life of the kindergarten. Tamariki Māori and others confidently participate and understand their roles in established customs. Their spontaneous use of waiata and te reo Māori indicates an appreciation and growing understanding of the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa.

The kindergarten curriculum is well designed. It strongly reflects kindergarten values and priorities, and the goals and values of Tauranga Regional Kindergartens. Features of the curriculum include:

• the considered emphasis on promoting children’s wellbeing, belonging and contributions in a culture of care and inclusion
• a focus on effective communication for developing children’s oral language, social confidence and competence
• the meaningful integration of sciences, arts, technology, literacy and mathematics in response to children’s interests and inquiries.

Teachers have skilfully developed an interesting, attractive and highly functional learning environment. The environment and teachers’ responses motivate children’s curiosity, play, exploration and confidence to set challenges and solve problems.

Teachers know children and families well. They establish respectful and trusting relationships. This provides a strong foundation for highly attuned and responsive interactions and decision making. Teachers, with input from parents, are knowledgeable about how children best learn. They value child-initiated play and exploration as pivotal to children’s learning, alongside deliberate strategies and insightful teacher input that sets children up for success.

Another area of development in response to ERO’s previous review, has been deepening professional relationships across the early childhood and primary education sectors. Teachers now engage in regular professional sharing in relation to curriculum, research and continuity of learning for children. These reciprocal relationships among teachers support meaningful transitions to school for children and families.

The long-standing head teacher continues to provide highly effective professional leadership for the kindergarten. She is well informed, open to new learning, highly organised and has a clear vision and strategic direction for the kindergarten. Through high expectations, strong mentoring and collaboration with team members, positive learning outcomes for children are consistently promoted.

Key Next Steps

In order to build on transition to school practices, teachers should continue their work with a focus on deepening parents’ involvement in their children’s transition to school.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Te Puke Free 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 Te Puke Free Kindergarten will be in four years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

13 January 2016

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

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.

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.