5A Albert Crescent, Ostend, Waiheke Island
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.
Waiheke Island Playcentre is a well-established family cooperative in the semi-rural community of Waiheke. The centre is licensed for 30 children, including up to 15 under two years of age, and is open for four sessions each week.
Centre practices are based on Playcentre's philosophy of families learning together. The philosophy affirms parents as valued and best educators of their children. Sessions are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. There is an expectation that during sessions te reo Māori will be used.
The centre is one of 21 in the North Shore Playcentre Association. The Association provides a management and policy framework, and centre support personnel. Playcentre Aotearoa is in the process of a national restructure and the North Shore Association is now part of Playcentre's northern region. A new regional manager has been appointed and support personnel roles and expectations are being confirmed.
Since the 2013 ERO report centre members have sustained good practices and continued to enrich learning opportunities for children. They have strengthened planning and evaluation processes and worked to improve the documentation of self-review. Centre members have improved the learning environments to make spaces safer and more inviting. While there have been membership changes, most members are currently enrolled in Playcentre training courses.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the North Shore Playcentre Association.
Centre members provide a play based programme that enacts Playcentre philosophy and Te Whāriki. Bicultural practices and a deep respect for te ao Māori are woven through the programme. A focus on environmental sustainability is another characteristic of the centre.
Parents/whānau value child-initiated play and are aware of children's strengths, interests and dispositions. The programme is highly responsive to children’s learning and development, and provides very well for the mixed-age group attending.
There is a strong sense of whanaungatanga in the centre. Responsive, respectful relationships between children, parents/whānau and the local community contribute positively to children’s emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging. Centre members affirm and share the strengths that children and their whānau bring. Children show trust, kindness and empathy towards adults and other children.
Children are confident, capable learners and they play cooperatively. Older children often lead group activities and include younger children. They have fun and use literacy, mathematics and science in meaningful contexts. Children engage in a wide range of learning experiences. The very well-resourced environment promotes investigation, innovation and hands-on learning.
Parents/whānau enrich children's conversation and language development as they affirm and build on children's ideas and strengths. They sensitively support and enrich children's play with affirmation, suggestions and additional resources. Adults ensure that the youngest children are also well provided for at the centre. They encourage toddlers to explore, make choices and try out new activities. Infants are confident and relaxed and actively engage in the programme.
The spacious outdoor area provides good opportunities for children to experience physical challenge, engage in imaginative play, and learn about the natural world. Children join in sustained, purposeful play and have a positive attitude to learning.
Highly effective systems for assessment, planning and evaluation record how adults notice, recognise and respond to children's learning. Session evaluations contribute to planning, and support continuity of learning. Children’s individual assessment portfolios are highly valued as taonga that clearly show each child's learning journey. Multiple parents/whānau contribute to individual children's portfolios. These are used by children and adults to revisit past learning experiences.
The Association management team has a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and to maintaining a bicultural partnership with Māori whānau. This commitment is evident in Association operations and in centre support. Centres can access funding to help them build confidence with bicultural practices. Whānau Māori are invited to join Roopu Mahi Ngātahi o Puāwai. The natural inclusion of te reo and tikanga Māori are an integral part of Waiheke practices that affirm Māori children’s cultural identity.
Families' multicultural backgrounds are valued and celebrated. Pacific children and families are also well supported through the inclusion of aspects of their cultures and languages.
Centre members' enthusiasm for, and involvement in, Playcentre training reflects their commitment to taking an active role in their children’s education and centre operations. Sound leadership and shared high expectations support newer members to understand Playcentre philosophy, and how to support child initiated play.
Internal evaluation contributes to ongoing sustainability and is helping to guide improvements. Centre members take a strategic, professional and collaborative approach to maintaining a high standard of education and care for children.
The Association currently has effective governance and management practices. A voluntary executive committee takes responsibility for specific management and centre support tasks. Good systems help them to monitor the quality of programmes, adult education levels, and health and safety requirements. The management team provides professional leadership to help centres respond to changes, particularly as they transition to the new national and regional structure.
Centre members have identified appropriate key next steps, including:
exploring further ways to record child-led planning
supporting newer members in leadership roles and Playcentre education
deepening their understanding and use of internal evaluation to guide and improve practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waiheke Island Playcentre 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 Waiheke Island Playcentre will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
24 November 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 |
Waiheke Island, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
22055 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
22 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 11 Girls 11 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
Parent led |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
September 2017 |
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Date of this report |
24 November 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Waiheke Island Playcentre provides for up to 30 children and their families. It has been operating for 40 years and was the first early childhood service opened on the island. The playcentre is cooperatively managed and programmes for children are implemented by the families who are centre members. Centre practices are based on the playcentre philosophy of families learning and growing together. The centre offers four family sessions each week and a ‘Big Kids’ session for older children. A paid co-ordinator is employed to lead this session.
Positive features identified in ERO’s 2010 report remain evident. Warm, caring relationships and respectful interactions between adults and children continue to provide a strong foundation for children’s learning. In 2010, ERO recommended that members develop the consistency of good quality teaching and learning practices, and enhance adult responses to children’s interests. Members have continued to work together to strengthen these aspects of the programme.
The playcentre operates as part of the North Shore Playcentre Association, an umbrella organisation for twenty one playcentres situated in North Auckland. Many of these centres are semi-rural. The association manages and distributes centres’ funding and provides a training programme for parents/whānau to achieve playcentre qualifications. It also has good systems to support centre members to manage the playcentres and to provide educational programmes for children. The association is currently reviewing many aspects of its operations to help reduce the administrative workload for its members.
This review was part of a cluster of 12 reviews in the North Shore Playcentre Association.
Children demonstrate a sense of wellbeing and belonging in their playcentre. They are well supported by members to make choices for themselves and to play independently. Infants move confidently away from trusted adults to explore their environment. Toddlers and older children benefit from a programme that is responsive to their interests. They enjoy mixed-age play opportunities. An attractive outdoor area supports children’s active exploration and investigation.
Members engage in encouraging and caring interactions with children. They value children’s knowledge and take the time to listen to them. The ‘Big Kids’ session for four year olds supports children’s growing independence as they transition to school.
The curriculum is guided by members’ belief in children as capable and competent learners. Adult-planned activities are thoughtfully integrated to promote children’s curiosity and participation. Individual portfolios show children’s enjoyment of these experiences. A review of planning processes has resulted in members focusing on ways they can provide continuous learning across sessions. Journey books celebrate children’s involvement in these group interests.
Members work collaboratively to manage the centre. They value the collective knowledge within the group and have developed useful centre goals to guide ongoing improvement. Members are committed to continued involvement in playcentre training. Some members have taken on roles at association level, including providing curriculum workshops and contributing to Association-wide training provision.
A bicultural partnership with whānau Māori is evident in association operations. The management team have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to building both adults’ and children’s familiarity with te reo and tikanga Māori. Members at Waiheke Island Playcentre regularly reflect on how they integrate te reo Māori and bicultural practices into the programme.
The association management team takes responsibility for specific tasks relating to the function of the association. They are committed to and enthusiastic about their involvement in Playcentre and actively foster emergent leadership to help sustain the association. The management team demonstrates the professional leadership necessary to help the association respond to change, make decisions and manage issues as they arise. The association provides effective support to help Waiheke Island Playcentre remain well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO and centre members agree that key next steps include:
The association management team has also identified that self review could be more robust and better documented.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waiheke Island Playcentre 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 Waiheke Island Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
15 November 2013
|
Location |
Waiheke Island, Auckland |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
22055 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
34 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 19 Girls 15 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other |
4 25 5 |
|
Review team on site |
September 2013 |
|
|
Date of this report |
15 November 2013 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
Education Review |
March 2008 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2004 |
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.