289 South Road, Hawera
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.
Topkids South Road is one of nine early learning services in the Taranaki region, owned and operated by Best Start Educare Limited (BestStart). An all-day service is provided for children aged up to three and a half years. The centre's staff and learning spaces are allocated to two age-related groups, infants and toddlers. Many children move on to Topkids South Road Preschool, located across the street. The two centres are jointly managed and work closely. Almost half the children enrolled at Topkids South Road identify as Māori.
Significant changes in regional and local leadership and staffing have occurred since the July 2014 ERO report. A professional services manager has been recently employed to oversee the centre, alongside a business manager. Daily operation and curriculum implementation are delegated to a newly appointed centre manager. She is supported by two head teachers. Most teaching staff are qualified. A cook and administrator are also employed. All food is provided.
The service philosophy emphasises compassion, empathy, unity and trust.
The 2014 ERO review identified a number of areas requiring improvement. These included: self review; provision for literacy and numeracy; cultural responsiveness to Māori; and assessment, planning and evaluation practice. These remain areas to develop.
Children benefit from positive relationships. Significant improvements have been made to the centre environment, indoors and out. Community excursions and events extend the curriculum. With the team now established, it is timely that professional leaders support teachers to widen their range of teaching strategies to add further depth and complexity to children’s learning. Teachers should draw on children’s interests to promote a range of new learning. Opportunities should be made the most of to promote literacy and mathematics.
Children aged up to two years, experience positive, sensitive and responsive interactions with teachers. Careful thought has gone into the redevelopment of an inviting play space. Teachers are attuned to children’s communication and cues. A new focus on Resources for Infant Educarers and Pikler philosophies supports consistently respectful teacher practice. Strengthening assessment, planning and evaluation should support teachers to better challenge young learners and support their progress.
Teachers’ developing knowledge of the local area and culture has helped them foster children's awareness of their community and sites of significance to Māori. Leaders and teachers are beginning to explore ways to engage with children’s culture, language and identity. Te ao Māori is visible in the centre environment, through artefacts, resources and wall displays. A next step is for teachers to strengthen their use of meaningful te reo Māori in everyday conversations with children, and within documentation.
Teachers seek guidance from local iwi. A next step is to strengthen relationships with whānau Māori and explore ways to draw on their cultural expertise to enhance learning outcomes for their tamariki.
The centre has identified a need to redevelop their assessment, planning and evaluation. BestStart should support and monitor improvements. Documentation should clearly show how teachers:
plan specific, challenging teaching strategies that directly impact on children's learning
monitor children's progress over time
explicitly address parents' aspirations for their children's learning
draw on information about children's culture to inform assessment, planning and evaluation.
Children with diverse needs are identified and referred to relevant support agencies. Individual learning plans are developed as appropriate. Teachers should use assessment documentation to monitor these children’s progress against their plans and identify their next learning steps.
Clear, detailed processes guide children's transitions into, through and out of the centre. These processes are flexible and individualised. Helpful information is shared with children and families.
Self review is currently used for research and development. Leaders agree that they should now make the shift to internal evaluation of practice. The evaluative aspect should be strengthened through:
narrowing the scope of evaluations
linking data directly to measurable indicators of best practice
analysis of evidence to inform changes and make evaluative judgements.
Leaders and ERO agree it is timely to review the centre philosophy to reflect the values of the new team and whānau and establish what these will look like in practice. This process should support teachers to gain an explicit understanding of their role.
Teachers are reflective, and engage in a range of professional learning opportunities. Useful frameworks guide mentoring and appraisal. Leaders have indicated that these processes are currently under review. This review should include consideration of:
specific and challenging goals and critical feedback and feed-forward
evidence to clearly demonstrate ongoing progress
targeted, individual teacher inquiry into the impact of their teaching practices on outcomes for children, including planning to promote the educational success of priority children.
BestStart managers are supportive and improvement focused. They use knowledge of current best practice to guide and inform change. In 2017, this support has been disrupted while new regional managers have been appointed. This process has been completed. New managers have shared their intention to resume regular support to individual centres through providing ongoing feedback on centre operation, feedback to teachers and regular professional development based on teacher needs and centre priorities.
BestStart management and centre leaders have identified that key next steps are to:
continue to strengthen assessment, evaluation and planning processes
further strengthen appraisal
strengthen understanding and implementation of internal evaluation practices
explore targeted strategies to promote the educational success of priority learners.
ERO agrees with these priorities. In addition ERO identifies the need for teachers to:
explore and implement an extended range of teaching strategies
integrate meaningful literacy and mathematics learning into the daily programme
build their confidence in using te reo Māori.
Before the review, the staff and management of Topkids South Road 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Topkids South Road will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
25 September 2017
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 |
Hawera |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
50093 |
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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 |
44 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
73 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 41, Boys 32 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
27 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2017 |
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Date of this report |
25 September 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |
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Education Review |
June 2011 |
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Education Review |
February 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.
Topkids South Road, in Hawera, is one of two centres owned and managed by Kidicorp. It is an all day service catering for children aged up to three and a half years. Many move on to Topkids South Road Preschool, located nearby, at approximately three and a half years of age.
A number of changes to staffing have occurred since the June 2011 ERO report. Many are beginning teachers being supported to meet full teacher registration status. Centre leaders work collaboratively to guide programmes and teaching practice.
A shared philosophy underpins respectful interactions and continuity of learning within the centre. Kidicorp provides staff with clear policies and guidelines for the care and education of children.
A positive tone and inclusive practice prevails in the centre. Teachers are respectful and affirming with children. Constructive interactions support children’s wellbeing and provide a positive platform for active exploration and learning.
Programmes of learning reflect the principles and strands of Te Whāriki. The philosophy is based on developing trust, respect, empathy and compassion in children. This expression is the result of staff, parents, whānau and Ngāti Ruanui aspirations held for children. This unified approach, kotahitanga, is captured in the centre whakatauki: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tamariki! He tamariki! He tamariki!.
The child-focused, thoughtfully planned and regularly reviewed environment effectively supports children’s holistic development. Infants, toddlers and young children engage in a varied range of inviting activities and group learning experiences based on their interests. Adults foster all children’s emotional and social competence.
The service’s youngest children are very well catered for by specific teachers who astutely recognise their cues and desires. These infants and toddlers experience an unhurried approach and nurturing care routines. They explore the appropriate range of play equipment and activities available at their own pace.
Transitions within the centre are well considered. They are determined by the child's readiness, and in consultation with families and whānau. Children’s early literacy and mathematical learning is promoted through play-based experiences.
The use of Kidicorp's improvement focused systems builds the capability of leaders and teachers. Sustainable practice focuses on improving outcomes for children. Staff at Topkids are highly reflective and collaborative practitioners. The service’s self review identifies ongoing priorities to deepen teaching and learning practices.
The 2011 ERO review identified further developing planning and assessment practices as a next step. Professional development and learning is underway to address this. ERO’s evaluation affirms this as a continuing priority to improve outcomes for children.
Self review of the centre philosophy has had positive outcomes for children. It is now timely to review other priority areas of the curriculum. Leaders should strategically plan for and further develop self-review to determine the successful practices that:
Developments should inform relevant changes to the centre’s curriculum expectations and include clear indicators and measurable outcomes for teaching practice to show how success will be reviewed.
Before the review, the staff and management of Topkids South Road 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.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Topkids South Road will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region
29 July 2014
|
Location |
Hawera |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
50093 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education and Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
44 children, including 12 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
65 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 38, Girls 27 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Other ethnic groups |
24 39 1 1 |
|
|
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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
June 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 July 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
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.