Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten

Education institution number:
46304
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
54
Telephone:
Address:

91B North Street, Timaru

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Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten

ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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  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 Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten is one of 13 kindergartens governed by South Canterbury Kindergarten Association. Children who attend are aged newborn to five years old. The teaching team is led by a head teacher and two team leaders. Leaders and teachers have made progress in the identified areas of curriculum and reporting to the association in the 2018 ERO report. 

3 Summary of findings

Children experience a broad curriculum that is responsive to their interests and abilities. The kindergarten’s identified learning priorities and focus on sustainable practices are authentically integrated. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and make decisions about their play. Teachers provide a curriculum of care particularly for infants and toddlers. They effectively respond to these younger children’s cues and nonverbal communication. Children with additional needs are well supported by the service and outside agencies.  

A continual use of the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum is now required, as a basis for curriculum design, to identify change and to know what is, or is not working, and for whom.

Assessment makes children’s learning visible and shows learning overtime in relation to curriculum priorities. It is now timely to use established cultural frameworks, such as, Tātaiako and Tapasā to support children’s cultures, languages, and identity. The service uses assessment information well to support successful of transition into, between and out of the kindergarten. Teachers could increase the use of the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to design and evaluate their programme.

Leaders and those responsible for governance have established and implemented sound systems, processes and practices to drive improvement within the association. This includes relevant opportunities for professional learning and engagement in professional growth and reflection. Senior teachers support improved practice by regularly visiting and mentoring kindergarten staff.

Improved guidelines for internal evaluation are in place. However, at association level and within individual kindergartens, evaluation practices require further embedding to be fully effective. This includes developing collective capability to effectively monitor and evaluate the improvement actions to better determine whether these are having the desired impact.

Leaders and teachers work alongside parents, the community, and mana whenua to implement the association’s strategic vision and goals. This is enabling them to develop practices committed to implementing practices related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

4 Improvement actions

Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Continue to use the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, as a basis for curriculum design. Through evaluation, identify changes made to know what aspects are, or are not working, and for which groups of learners.  

  • Use relevant cultural assessment frameworks to acknowledge children’s cultures, languages, and identity.

  • Those responsible for governance and management to continue to build their own and teachers’ capability to effectively use evaluation to scrutinise all aspects of operation and more clearly show the impact of planned actions on outcomes for identified individuals and groups of learners.  

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Actions for Compliance

During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:

  • Maintaining a detailed record of safety checking, including risk assessment required to be complete after all relevant information is obtained (GMA7A).  

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

13 November 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten

Profile Number

46304

Location

Timaru

Service type

Free Kindergarten

Number licensed for

44 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

52

Review team on site

May 2022

Date of this report

13 November 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, October 2014

Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten - 29/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten 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

Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten is one of 12 kindergartens governed and managed by the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten (SCK) Association in Timaru. It is licensed for up to 44 children, including 12 children under two years old and provides full day education and care.

Since the 2014 ERO review a new head-teacher and assistant head-teacher have been appointed. The teaching team is made up of seven qualified and certified teachers. A teacher aide provides additional support for all children and teachers in the programme. A senior teacher (ST) ensures ongoing professional coaching and mentoring is available for all teachers.

The centre has made good progress to address the areas identified for improvement in ERO's 2014 report. This includes:

  • the development of the outdoor environment
  • growth in bicultural practices
  • a focus on child independence
  • a growing inclusion of culture, language and identity in the programme.

This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

The kindergarten's moemoeā/vision is to, "create a community of powerful learners". This is supported by the curriculum priorities of manaakitanga, kōtahitanga, ako and tangata whenua. These priorities guide the curriculum and teaching practices. Teachers use their knowledge to plan experiences, and to adapt the learning environment to support children's learning and progress.

The teaching team have made good use of internal evaluation processes to help them improve the way they provide for infants, toddlers and young children. Teachers plan programmes that link well to children's lives and build on their interests. There is a strong focus in planning and assessment on the centre's valued learning outcomes for children, particularly promoting positive social and emotional competence and communication skills.

Children play in a calm, unhurried environment where teachers give them time to make decisions and learn from watching their peers. They experience warm, responsive and respectful interactions with each other and their teachers. Infants and toddlers sense of belonging is well supported through secure and respectful attachments with key teachers.

Parents have many opportunities to discuss their children’s learning and wellbeing with teachers. They are actively involved in the kindergarten and encouraged to contribute their skills and knowledge to support children's learning and sense of belonging. Teachers work constructively with parents, external specialists and education support workers to ensure children with additional needs can fully participate in learning alongside their peers.

Children have many leadership opportunities as teachers sensitively support their growing confidence as learners. They have greater choice in their learning and confidently choose from a wide range of activities in the thoughtfully prepared, well-resourced indoor and outside areas. Daily care routines are well-managed and understood by children.

Transition into the centre is carefully managed to meet the needs of the child and family. Children are encouraged to be part of the newly formed "Kura Club" which aims to support effective transition to school practices. The kindergarten has established positive links with nearby local schools which has enabled children and families to experience a well-managed transition process that supports their successful entry into school.

Effective leadership from the head-teacher has contributed to a culture of effective teaching and relational trust. Staff work collaboratively and benefit from targeted professional development. This has strengthened leadership capacity and teacher capability.

Teachers participate in reflective practice that contributes to effective internal evaluation. Findings from internal evaluation are used to bring about continued improvement. The senior teacher provides a high level of professional support.

The SCK philosophy, vision, goals and systems are effectively promoting positive outcomes for children. The board, managers and leaders have proactively addressed the recommendations for the association in the October 2014 report.

There is strong alignment from the SCK strategic priorities to the kindergarten priorities and plans. The board is well informed how well each kindergarten is progressing and contributing to the strategic direction of the SCK. However, the board could know more about how well the kindergartens are improving outcomes for children and how well children are achieving in relation to the association’s valued outcomes (purpose).

The board is focussed on improving outcomes for all children, including taking deliberate action to support Māori and Pacific children and children with diverse learning needs in the kindergartens. SCK leaders have developed strong networked relationships with community organisations to support children and their whānau. The next step for the board is to consider culturally responsive practice as governors and consult with Māori whānau about their views.

There are effective systems and processes for ensuring that regulatory requirements are met within the kindergartens. Relevant professional learning, improved appraisal processes and effective ongoing coaching and mentoring by the senior teachers are building teacher capability within the kindergartens.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for teachers, with the support of the senior teacher are to:

  • continue to consolidate curriculum priorities and unpack the valued learning outcomes for children
  • strengthen curriculum assessment, planning and evaluation processes
  • report to the association on the progress that all children are making against the valued learning outcomes.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Tī Kōuka 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 Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

29 June 2018

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

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

46304

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

44 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Service roll

56

Gender composition

Boys: 29

Girls: 27

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Others

9

36

8

3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

May 2018

Date of this report

29 June 2018

Most recent ERO report

Education Review

October 2014

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.

Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten - 07/10/2014

1 Evaluation of Ti Kōuka Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Ti Kōuka Free Kindergarten 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

Ti Kōuka Free Kindergarten is located in Timaru and opened in October 2013. It is one of eleven kindergartens in the South Canterbury Free Kindergarten Association (SCFKA). It is the only one that provides a full-day education and care service for children aged from birth to five years.

Forty children may attend the centre and programmes are provided for them in two separate areas. These are known as ‘Ruma Pēpi’ for younger children and ‘Ruma Tamariki’ for older children.

In the short time the centre has been open:

  • a parent committee has been formed
  • the outdoor play areas have begun to be developed
  • permanent appointments have been made to the teaching team
  • a vision and philosophy have been developed to guide the centre’s programmes and teachers’ practices.

Teachers, in partnership with parents, aim to provide a high quality education programme where children are supported to achieve their full potential. The bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand is celebrated. Teachers aspire for children to have respect for the natural environment. They have a strong focus on sustainability.

This is the first review of Tī Kōuka Free Kindergarten.

The Review Findings

Children and their families benefit from caring and respectful relationships with their teachers. Building these relationships has been a top priority when setting up this new kindergarten. Teachers have worked hard to get to know families. Recently, they have begun to meet formally with new starting to share information and discuss what the families’ wishes are for their child’s learning. Teachers make good use of this information when planning the learning programmes.

Other important priorities have been to establish for children and their families, a sense of belonging, wellbeing, and the kindergarten as a place for learning. This is evident in the way teachers:

  • carefully manage children’s transitions into the kindergarten and between Ruma Pēpi and Ruma Tamariki
  • constantly review and make changes as to how they organise the day to support children’s wellbeing
  • use attractive wall displays to show what children are learning in everyday activities
  • have clear expectations for how children care for each other and for the kindergarten environment.

Children benefit from the ways that their teachers sensitively talk with them, build on their ideas and support their learning. Teachers carefully listen to children and value their ideas. For example, the children and teachers have developed rules for playing and learning at the kindergarten. On the day of the review ERO observed children settled and absorbed in their play. They played well together and in small groups.

In Ruma Pēpi, younger children are cared for by teachers who have experience and enthusiasm for working with this age group. Each child has a key teacher responsible for him or her. Teachers have respectful conversations with children and as much as possible involve them in care-giving routines. The indoor area is set up with quiet and interesting spaces for children. The resources set out allow easy access for children and the furniture allows them to be independent. For example, there are low tables and chairs that children easily climb into.

A strength of this kindergarten is the inclusion of a bicultural dimension. This is evident in the way:

  • teachers extensively use te reo Māori in conversation and value this as a living language
  • Māori language books are well represented in the children’s library
  • teachers are developing a partnership with a local marae
  • values such as manaakitanga (caring) and whanaungatanga (relationships) are evident in planning and form the basis of teaching practices.

As part of the review, ERO investigated how well the programme supports children to develop early mathematics concepts. Teachers find many opportunities for mathematics learning to be integrated into in the daily programme. As the centre develops it is likely that mathematics will be more deeply embedded in the curriculum. Later, teachers can review the effectiveness of their programmes and practices in relation to mathematics.

The team has passion and enthusiasm for the success of this new kindergarten. Teachers work well together. Each person’s strengths are valued and made way for. They are open to new ideas and constantly looking for ways to improve what they do.

They are developing effective ways of working in a full-day centre within the kindergarten umbrella and traditions. The leaders and teachers have a clear sense of the future direction and the top priorities for the kindergarten.

Governance

The SCFKA is governed by a board and managed by a newly appointed general manager. The board:

  • has a strong commitment to teaching and learning
  • seeks parents’ views about important matters in the association
  • has made changes to the roll size and opening hours of the kindergartens to be more responsive to community needs and maintain the financial viability of the association
  • is very responsive to important government initiatives such as ensuring educational success for all children.

Next steps for the board are to:

  • know more about its roles and responsibilities as the governing body
  • develop strategic planning
  • ensure that reports review how well the association’s goals are met, are more evaluative and are better used for future planning
  • refine appraisal systems to ensure that staff and teachers to more formally receive critical feedback about their work.

The senior teachers provide useful ongoing professional development and maintain a strong focus on teaching and learning to the kindergartens within the association. They have shared with the teachers at Kowhai Kindergarten the expectations they have for teaching and learning and how well they think the team is meeting those expectations.

Key Next Steps

Many initiatives in the kindergarten are in the early stages and the next steps are to further develop and consolidate these. The outdoor environment and Ruma Tamariki indoor play area require further development.

ERO agrees with the team that the next steps are to continue to further develop and consolidate:

  • the kindergarten vision
  • team practices and shared understandings
  • systems for planning, assessment and evaluation.

The team needs to develop their understanding of self review and use this to monitor the effectiveness of the programme and practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Ti Kōuka 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.

ERO noted that noise levels in Ruma Tamariki, the older children’s playroom, were high. The SCFKA should take steps to help reduce noise levels in this room by investigating ways that adequately do this.

To improve current practices teachers should ensure that the systems for recording health and safety requirements are consistently followed.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Ti Kōuka Free Kindergarten will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

7 October 2014

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

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

46304

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Service roll

54

Gender composition

Boys 26

Girls 28

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Samoan

Fijian

Other

6

40

2

1

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

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2014

Date of this report

7 October 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous reviews

 

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.