56 Cameron Road, Hamilton Central, Hamilton
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 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 Akarangi Quality 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 The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Learning Conditions |
ERO’s judgement |
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Whakaū Embedding |
Organisational Conditions |
ERO’s judgement |
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Whakaū Embedding |
The Busy Hands Montessori is a privately owned service. Children learn in a purpose-built, mixed-age environment. The service is governed by the owner who leads and supports the teaching team, and centre operation. The centre promotes a Montessori philosophy and curriculum.
Children lead their learning in a flexible, calm and unhurried environment, where teachers support their independence. A variety of learning opportunities is accessible to all children. The outside and indoor environment caters for a range of interests and skill development. Children’s agency and decision making are well supported. Children work individually and in groups to discover and explore the areas of the Montessori classroom. They learn at their own pace.
Children’s learning is reflected through embedded assessment practices and processes. The views of children and parents are purposefully gathered, to support and respond to learners’ needs. Portfolios document their interests and experiences. Teachers are beginning to include the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, into assessment practice. Children’s learning is documented over time.
Children’s cultures, languages and identities are beginning to be reflected through the curriculum. Te reo and tikanga Māori are meaningfully integrated. Tuakana teina relationships, where children learn alongside more knowledgeable or older peers, are promoted through intentional teaching. Children are viewed as successful learners.
Shared leadership results in high levels of collaboration within the team. Teachers work cohesively to progress the centre values, vision and priorities for children’s learning. Professional inquiries and critical reflection promote improvements in practice.
Embedded internal evaluation practice identifies what is and is not working to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The voices of parents and the wider community are yet to be intentionally integrated through this process to support positive outcomes for all children.
The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation practice, and further respond to and reflect individual children’s culture, language, and identity
continue to strengthen internal evaluation processes to ensure leaders and kaiako identify how well individuals and groups of children are progressing against the valued outcomes in Te Whāriki and consult with parents and whānau.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd 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.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
28 March 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd |
| Profile Number | 34126 |
| Location | Hamilton |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children aged over two |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
37 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 5, Indian 13, NZ European/Pākehā 5, Pacific 6, Other ethnic groups 8 |
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Review team on site |
January 2022 |
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Date of this report |
28 March 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, November 2014 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd is a privately owned, full-day education and care centre located in Hamilton East. It is licensed for 30 children over the age of two years. The roll is ethnically diverse. The centre owner shares the teaching and management role with the centre manager who was recently appointed to the position from within the teaching team. Three teachers are qualified early childhood teachers, one of whom also has a Diploma in Montessori Education. One part-time teacher is unqualified.
The centre’s mission is to ‘kindle the passion for lifelong learning through developing a strong sense of who we are.’ Teaching and learning is influenced by the Montessori philosophy and approach. Care, respect and acceptance are core values of the centre and are underpinned by partnerships, relationships and inclusive practices.
Since the 2014 ERO review the centre has had a change of ownership. There has been an extensive review of the philosophy and development of strategic and annual planning along with self-review processes. Shared expectations for teaching practice have been developed. The centre owner has addressed all of the areas identified in the previous ERO report and the service has a positive reporting history.
The centre owner provides effective governance and leadership for the service. She has successfully established strong respectful relationships amongst the teaching team and families/whānau as the basis for ensuring positive learning outcomes for children. The review of the philosophy has resulted in the development of a clear vision and goals for the centre. A strategic plan, developed collaboratively with teachers and families and a well-developed annual plan, are contributing to the positive ongoing development of the service. The centre owner has developed and implemented an effective self-review process that is responsive to identified priorities. She engages professional learning opportunities to build teacher capability. In addition she promotes and models best practice, particularly in relation to the Montessori approach to teaching and learning. Children benefit from effective governance and leadership practices that are responsive to children and their families in an inclusive environment.
The service's curriculum, underpinned by the Montessori approach, is well designed and effectively implemented. The curriculum is closely aligned to the revised Te Whāriki and is responsive to the interests, needs and abilities of children from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, including the language, culture and identity of Māori children. Literacy and numeracy concepts are integrated into each learning area. Assessment of children's learning is well documented and clearly identifies their interests. This informs intentional planning by teachers to extend children's learning. Children experience many opportunities to explore their interests and develop a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Teachers have established well-presented and organised learning environments that reflect the Montessori philosophy. Children are supported to be independent learners as they engage with a variety of learning activities and resources. Teachers and children enjoy positive and responsive relationships and teachers know children and their families well. They actively engage with children and foster their language development including those for whom English is a second language. Processes are in place to meet the needs of any child who requires additional support. Children are highly engaged in sustained and purposeful play that builds their independence and confidence as learners.
Strong parent partnerships are evident in the centre. Parents and families contribute to ongoing self-review processes in the centre. They have formal and informal opportunities to discuss and share their child's learning with teachers. Parents spoken to by ERO expressed a desire for further parent education opportunities particularly related to curriculum. Children benefit from active parent/teacher partnerships that support their learning.
ERO and the centre owner agree that there is a need to continue to build on the well-established home and centre partnership including increased whānau education opportunities.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd 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 The Busy Hands Montessori Ltd will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
29 June 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 |
Hamilton |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
34126 |
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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 |
30 children over the age of 2 |
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Service roll |
24 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 13 Girls 11 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other Asian Other |
1 4 4 15 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2018 |
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Date of this report |
29 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2014 |
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Education Review |
March 2011 |
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Education Review |
March 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.