Consols Street, Waihi
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Waihi Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Waihi Playcentre is licensed to provide mix-aged sessional education and care for 25 children three days a week. This includes 10 children up to the age of two years. At the time of this review there are 21 children enrolled and three identify as Māori.
The Playcentre Aotearoa philosophy, 'whānau tupu ngātahi - families growing together', is to empower parents and children to learn, play and grow together. Alongside this the centre philosophy aims to provide a high-quality natural learning environment in a welcoming, supportive and inclusive place where whānau learn alongside tamariki.
Since the December 2016 ERO evaluation, the New Zealand Playcentre Federation has restructured by amalgamating all associations to form Playcentre Aotearoa. Waihi Playcentre is part of the Central North Island Region and is supported by a regional manager and support person.
Whānau and families share responsibility for the curriculum. Day-to-day operation is undertaken by session support personnel and centre-elected office holders. A centre support worker and centre administrator regularly visit playcentres to provide professional support, strengthen practice and promote improvement.
This review was part of a cluster of nine centre reviews in Playcentre Aotearoa. These Central North Island Region reviews are a continuation from Term 4, 2019.
The revised parent education programme is becoming more accessible to centre members. At this playcentre the co-presidents are building knowledge and ECE capability of playcentre members through providing access to professional development and role modelling. Appraisal processes for session support staff have recently been strengthened to better evaluate performance in relation to specific roles and responsibilities, identify professional learning and development needs and focus on achievement of goals.
The national restructuring process continues to require some attention and support to implement an extensive range of systems and processes. Regular communication from Playcentre Aotearoa seeks to keep parents informed of progress, changes and upcoming requirements. National policies and procedures have recently been introduced and parents are in the process of aligning practices to these. Targeted support to embed policies and procedures will further benefit parents and centres.
Positive and affirming relationships are strongly evident among adults and children. Parents play alongside their own and other’s children. They are quick to respond to children’s feelings and support their emotional wellbeing. Children are increasingly gaining confidence in socialising with a range of adults and their peers.
Children are welcomed into a well-resourced, interesting and stimulating learning environment. There is good indoor and outdoor flow allowing children access to a wide range of choices as they initiate their own learning. The environment fosters children’s curiosity to explore and investigate the world around them.
Playcentre members have successfully established a team culture where they know children and their families well. New members are made to feel welcome and more experienced members share their knowledge. This collaborative approach is appreciated by members and contributes to the positive atmosphere at the centre.
Session evaluations encourage parents to reflect on activities provided for children. Spontaneous ongoing discussions are effective in leading to positive outcomes for children. Parents are committed to ongoing improvement to the quality of education and care provided for children.
Children enjoy and engage in a wide variety of interesting and stimulating individual and group activities. Many opportunities are provided for imaginative play and creative experimentation. Literacy and mathematical concepts are well integrated throughout the programme. Children and parents set up activities and children are free to choose their areas of interest. Parents use a variety of questioning techniques to promote learning and further support the development of children’s oral skills.
The centre continues to naturally integrate te reo and tikanga Māori into the programme. Charts and prompts support the awareness of a bicultural prospective. Children are developing an understanding and knowledge of Māori culture and language.
Playcentre Aotearoa should support centre members to:
Playcentre Aotearoa should continue to:
implement systematic monitoring systems of policies and procedures
provide leadership and guidance to promote Te Tiriti o Waitangi based practices for all services.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waihi 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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
29 June 2020
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 |
Waihi |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
30274 |
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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 |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
21 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Female 12 Male 9 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
0-49% |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2020 |
|
|
Date of this report |
29 June 2020 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2016 |
|
Education Review |
March 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2011 |
|
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.
Waihi Playcentre is located in the small township of Waihi and provides sessional education and care for children from birth to school age. The centre is a parent co-operative licenced for 25 children including 10 children under two years of age. At the time of this ERO review there were 34 children, including children from other nationalities.
It is one of 13 centres governed by the umbrella organisation known as Thames Valley/Coromandel Playcentre Association (TVCPA) affiliated to the New Zealand Playcentre Federation. It employs key personnel to undertake the day-to-day management of the association and centres. The TVCPA provides overall guidance and support that includes clear policies, procedures and guidelines for self review, health and safety and assessment, planning and evaluation. Playcentre workshops help parents establish strategies and practices that ensure positive educational outcomes for children.
The association also provides support to centres in relation to the commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi, tikanga and te reo Māori for centre members. Te Puriri Whakamaru o Hauraki Whānau provides advice, consultation guidance and education that help parents understand and implement aspects of New Zealand’s dual cultural heritage, as well as support for Māori members. The centre continues to enjoy their relationship with the local marae and adjacent Kohanga Reo.
The 2014 ERO review report identified key next steps for centre development related to self review, refining assessment practices and strengthening bi-cultural practices. Centre members have made good progress with strengthening systems and processes for self review and assessment. They are continuing to build their understanding of bi-cultural practices.
This review was part of a cluster of three playcentres in the Thames Valley/Coromandel Playcentre Association.
Children benefit from a high quality learning environment. They explore and investigate in the spacious and well-established indoor and outdoor environments. Centre members have placed a focus on children accessing wilderness areas, making use of the fire pit and planting a native tree area. Children are able to make choices in a mixed-age setting alongside motivated and well-informed families and whānau.
Older children take responsibility for managing their own learning through problem solving and teamwork under the careful guidance of their parents. They demonstrate high levels of confidence and competence as they make choices and decisions about play. They are inclusive of younger children in play. A more intentional approach to planning for older children's learning is likely to add complexity and interest for this group.
Currently there are no Māori children on the roll. Members maintain close and reciprocal relationships with the adjacent Kohanga Reo. The centre environment is enhanced by a waharoa gifted to them by a local carver. Children and families would be enriched by regular referral to and sharing of the story depicted in this carving. This is likely to support their growing understanding of te ao Māori in the local context.
Children under the age of two years benefit from participating in the programme alongside their mothers, siblings and other familiar adults. There is good support for breastfeeding mothers to enable young children to maintain familiar routines. Other adults take shared responsibility for providing support for mothers of very young children. These children are calm and settled and demonstrate high levels of wellbeing and belonging.
Members regularly document aspects of the children's learning in individual assessment portfolios. These portfolios document children's strengths, interests, and their participation in the programme. They reflect the varying levels of understanding that parents have of assessment and planning. To strengthen evaluation it is now important to include regular reflections that document children's learning and development. In addition, more support from experienced members could be given to ensure that every child has a good quality learning portfolio.
Centre members effectively model collaborative and collegial relationships that reflect the overarching playcentre philosophy of collective responsibility. A high proportion of centre members are committed to ongoing playcentre training and contribute richly to centre organisation and day-to-day operations.
ERO observed models of responsive and positive interactions between adults and children that include:
members contributing their skills and knowledge to enrich the programme
a rich continuity of learning for children between home and the centre
adults planning and preparing a quality indoor environment and provocations for learning
the use of children's first languages being heard and valued alongside English
complex oral conversations amongst adults and children that include early concepts of literacy and mathematics.
Centre leaders have worked effectively to:
document a strategic direction for centre development
strengthen self-review processes
place priority on positive and supportive relationships amongst members
improve communication systems
inspire member's enthusiasm for ongoing training.
The recent election of two parents to share the responsibility of the role of president is resulting in a manageable approach to leadership. These dedicated leaders are well informed and deeply committed to sustaining a parent-led service in their community.
An important next step for centre development is for leaders to make more deliberate use of Ministry of Education (MoE) guidelines and exemplars. This should support members to strengthen self-review processes and be assured that they are meeting MoE criteria for a quality early childhood service.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waihi 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 Waihi Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
22 December 2016
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 |
Waihi |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
32011 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
34 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 21 Boys 13 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā European Indian |
29 3 2 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2016 |
|
|
Date of this report |
22 December 2016 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2014 |
|
Education Review |
March 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:
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.