The Salvation Army William Booth Educare

Education institution number:
60257
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
29
Telephone:
Address:

20 William Booth Grove, Upper Hutt CBD, Upper Hutt

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The Salvation Army William Booth Educare

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

The Salvation Army William Booth Educare is one of four not-for-profit Christian early childhood centres owned and operated by the Salvation Army. Governance is provided by a management committee of Salvation Army personnel. A national consultant provides professional support and guidance. Responsibility for day-to-day management is delegated to a centre-based supervisor.

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers work together to develop and implement a programme where children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their participation. Interactions between teachers and children are positive, purposeful and trusting. Implementation of a range of learning experiences is supported both indoors and outside. A sufficient quantity and variety of equipment and materials is provided that is appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending. Better organisation and ongoing monitoring of aspects of health and safety, and governance and management is required.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • continuing to strengthen the quality of planning for learning, particularly in relation to:
    • consistency of approach across the team
    • acknowledgment of children’s cultures, languages and identities
    • showing how children’s learning is progressed over time.

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • parents’ signing of medication administration records
  • the development of an annual plan to guide operations
  • daily hazard checking not including all required items
  • the approved fire evacuation scheme no longer being current
  • the development of a suitable emergency management plan
  • permission sought for children to take part in regular excursions not including parental approval of the adult-to-child ratios
  • the lack of safety glass in some windows that children have access to
  • documenting aspects of the staff appointment process related to keeping records of interviews and risk assessments.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 HS28, GMA8, HS12, HS4, HS7, HS17, PF7, GMA7A.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

18 May 2021 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name The Salvation Army William Booth Educare
Profile Number 60257
Location Upper Hutt

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 5 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

36

Ethnic composition

Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 21, Other ethnic groups 9.

Review team on site

April 2021

Date of this report

18 May 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2017; Education Review, June 2014

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service
  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

The Salvation Army William Booth Educare - 01/11/2017

1 Evaluation of The Salvation Army William Booth Educare

How well placed is The Salvation Army William Booth Educare to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

William Booth Educare is one of four early learning services in the North Island, owned and operated by The Salvation Army. It is situated on the campus of The Salvation Army Booth College of Mission in Upper Hutt and licensed to cater for 25 children, including a maximum of five aged under two years. Almost all children enrolled are aged over two. Five identify as Māori.

Christian values, respect for children and relationships with families are emphasised in the philosophy.

Governance is provided through a management committee of The Salvation Army personnel, including a director with responsibility for oversight and support of centre administration. An early childhood education consultant is employed by The Salvation Army to professionally support supervisors and their teaching teams. Day-to-day management is delegated to a centre supervisor. Since the previous ERO review, there have been some staff and leadership changes.

The June 2014 ERO report identified areas requiring development. These included leadership, teacher practice, the bicultural curriculum, and transition-to-school processes. Progress is evident.

The Review Findings

Children freely access resources to lead their own learning. There are extensive opportunities for construction, creativity and imaginative exploration. Teachers warmly engage with children and support them in their play. The recently redeveloped outdoor area effectively promotes physical activity and challenge. A useful focus on health, wellbeing and environmental sustainability is evident. Teachers support children with diverse learning needs, liaising with parents and external agencies as appropriate. Cultural and community events as well as Christian celebrations enrich the curriculum.

The mixed-age setting is well managed. Children up to two years explore alongside their older peers. Teachers promote tuakana teina (older supporting younger) learning opportunities between children. Infants and toddlers are offered spaces where they can safely play while retaining connections with the wider group. Designated 'guardian teachers' liaise closely with parents, to support children's wellbeing by retaining their routines from home. Positive relationships between teachers and parents are evident.

Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are valued by teaching staff. Recent work in this area facilitated through a Ministry of Education initiative, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities, has effectively increased the visibility of te reo in the environment and documentation. A next step is for leaders and teachers to explore current research and strategies around actively promoting the educational success of Māori children.

Learning stories provide an account of children’s activities and friendships. Teachers observe children and get to know them and their families well. However, the cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation requires significant development. Teachers should be supported to:

  • consider the purpose and use of learning portfolios

  • use assessment information to plan and implement appropriate next learning steps to extend and challenge children

  • show how purposeful teaching strategies directly impact on children’s progress

  • gather, use and regularly revisit parents’ aspirations for their children's learning, including cultural aspirations.

Teachers provide well-considered resources to parents to build their understanding of children's school readiness. A next step is to develop processes and resources to deliberately support children’s confidence and wellbeing as they approach their transition to school.

Teachers collaborate on self reviews that result in improvements for children. They engage with relevant stakeholders and best-practice research to inform decisions about change. Leaders agree that the evaluative aspect of reviews requires strengthening. Robust internal evaluations of practice should involve a narrowed focus and measureable indicators of success. Indicators will support teachers to revisit and clearly measure the impact of changes made.

Appraisal processes need attention. Leaders should develop and implement explicit guidelines for meaningful appraisal. To meet requirements and develop the professional practice of staff, the approach should include:

  • the setting of SMART goals and targeted observations of teacher practice related to these

  • the collection of evidence to show how teaching standards are met

  • constructive feedback and feed forward.

Key Next Steps

ERO and leaders agree that the centre would benefit from increased support from The Salvation Army. This should include regular, formalised visits from the National Consultant, Early Childhood Education, focused on the progression of the priorities for improvement:

  • assessment, planning and evaluation

  • internal evaluation

  • transition-to-school processes

  • promotion of educational success of Māori children

  • appraisal.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of The Salvation Army William Booth Educare 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 The Salvation Army William Booth Educare will be in three years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

1 November 2017

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Upper Hutt

Ministry of Education profile number

60257

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Service roll

39

Gender composition

Boys 20, Girls 19

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

5
29
5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2017

Date of this report

1 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2014

Education Review

November 2011

Education Review

August 2008

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.