31 Huka Road, Birkenhead, Auckland
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.
Twinkling Stars Early Childhood Centre operates from a converted home in a residential part of Birkenhead. The centre caters for 15 infants and toddlers from around five months to two years of age. All four teachers are fully qualified early childhood educators. Other staff are employed to provide children with healthy meals.
The centre has two separate sleep rooms to accommodate the sleep needs of younger and older babies. Children have access to a spacious indoor area and small deck in the upstairs part of the centre. The large outdoor space on the lower level is accessed by a staircase connected to the upstairs deck area.
The centre's philosophy promotes positive relationships with parents and families in a home-like environment. It recognises the specific learning and care requirements for infants and toddlers, and promotes respectful interactions and practices that meet their wellbeing needs.
Since the 2013 ERO report the service has changed ownership. The new owners have employed a specialist early childhood management group to support them with aspects of management and governance. The centre continues to be led by the same long-serving and experienced supervisor. New teachers have joined the teaching team. The centre is staffed with more teachers than required, providing opportunity for children to have individualised care and attention.
Children are settled and secure with their teachers. They are confident with adults, play happily alongside other children and are free to explore learning areas. Teachers use calm, gentle voices and approaches with babies and toddlers. They are affectionate and responsive to children's care needs and the routines established at home. Teachers know children and their families well, and share the learning and care responsibilities for all children in the centre.
Teachers follow children and support their play interests. They plan individualised programmes based on children's dispositions and interests, including those that parents share from home. Children enjoy the opportunities provided to play in the outdoor part of the centre. These play times offer greater freedom of movement and access to different equipment and resources than is available indoors.
Teachers are supportive of one another and work well as a team. They share knowledge and skills to enhance the programme and care for children. Central to the centre's approach are the positive and inclusive relationships established with parents and families. Teachers communicate regularly with parents about their children's care, development and learning. They provide families with useful information about parenting and early learning. This is part of their focus on promoting children's wellbeing and learning.
The supervisor is a supportive and encouraging leader. She creates a positive environment for children, staff and families, and ensures that teachers have increasing opportunities for leadership. Teachers have good access to professional learning and are encouraged to improve their practice. The supervisor is well supported by the management group consultant to promote and guide change in the centre.
Managers and teachers have a good understanding of internal evaluation as a tool for improving outcomes for children. Teachers' appraisals are aligned to the Practicing Teacher Criteria and provide opportunities for teachers to reflect on the impact of their practice on children's learning. The centre's policy framework is currently being reviewed to ensure that policies reflect changes in legislative requirements.
Centre managers agree that next steps include teachers and managers:
Before the review, the staff and management of Twinkling Stars Early Childhood Centre 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 Twinkling Stars Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
8 May 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 |
Birkenhead, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20253 |
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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 |
15 children under 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
17 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 12, Girls 5 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
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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 |
NA |
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Review team on site |
January 2017 |
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Date of this report |
8 May 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2013 |
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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:
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.
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.
Twinkling Stars is a small privately owned centre licensed for 15 infants and toddlers under two years of age. The centre is located in Birkenhead, in a two-storey converted house. It has been open for 20 years and was previously known as Oak Tree Childcare. Ownership changed in April 2013, and the centre has also had staffing changes in the last eighteen months.
The centre philosophy is underpinned by shared values and beliefs that outline the service’s desired outcomes for children. The philosophy is evident in practice. Children’s positive sense of self is developing on a foundation of secure relationships between, children and teachers and teachers and families.
The supervisor, who is a long serving teacher, has provided continuity through the period of staffing changes. She is well-known to families. All teachers are qualified. The service has good recruitment and induction processes to support new staff and provisionally registered teachers.
The owner employs an external agency that provides effective support to govern and manage the centre. Useful self review frameworks are guiding ongoing improvement.
Twinkling Stars Childcare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children. A core curriculum based on children’s interests underpins the programme. Music, dance and creative play choices support infants and toddlers’ learning development. Teachers are also focussed on an emerging curriculum and are responsive to the interests of individuals and groups of children. Assessment records provide good descriptions of children’s learning dispositions and stages of development.
Children are curious, confident and highly engaged learners. Children’s learning through play is respected and valued. Teachers are available to infants and toddlers, supporting them in their learning. Children are empowered to take increasing responsibility for the wellbeing of themselves, others, and the group.
Children’s speaking skills are encouraged. Teachers support children’s language development through interpreting and responding to the cues offered by infants and toddlers. Teachers respectfully talk with children about decisions that affect them.
Well resourced indoor areas invite children’s exploration and equipment is easily accessible. The main play area is upstairs with a small deck available for outdoor play. The spacious lower outdoor area is accessed by children and teachers via a stairwell. Although this is not ideal, exploration and exercise is encouraged. Teachers are undertaking a review of this space to make it more attractive with enhanced learning opportunities for children.
Teachers have been reviewing bicultural practices at the centre and are developing their own confidence to use te reo me ōna tikanga Māori. Centre leaders acknowledge the importance of reflecting a commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand in the centre’s philosophy.
Teachers have inclusive relationships with parents and regularly discuss with them their child’s development. Parents and whānau are consulted and centre leaders have responded to some of their aspirations. It would be useful to collate and use this consultation information to help plan strategically for ongoing improvement.
Centre leaders and ERO agree that to further enhance centre operations and practice, self-review and other processes should continue to be formalised. Areas for review could include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Twinkling Stars Early Childhood Centre 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.
The next ERO review of Twinkling Stars Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
20 December 2013
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.
|
Location |
Birkenhead, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20253 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
15 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
16 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 11 Boys 5 |
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Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Chinese South East Asian Indian |
11 2 2 1 |
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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 |
|
Review team on site |
September 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
20 December 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
No previous ERO reports |
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.