Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5632
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
53
Telephone:
Address:

15 Portland Street, Welcome Bay, Tauranga

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Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten - 27/10/2015

Here is the latest report for the Governing Organisation that this service is part of.

 

1. Evaluation of Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten

How well placed is Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placedRequires further developmentWell placedVery well placed

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Ko tātou ngā kanohi ora o ngā awa, o ngā papa pounamu.

‘We are the living eyes for the mountains, the rivers and the beautiful valleys. We must preserve our natural environment’

This whakatauaki represents the whānau commitment to education for sustainability, and initiatives that are successfully embedded throughout the programme. The kindergarten has been successfully meeting the requirements of the enviroschools silver award. Te Ao Māori through Ngā purakau Māori is woven into caring for papatuanuku. Children, teachers, parents and whānau regularly go into the community to be part of the natural environment. They walk in the local reserve and parks, and undertake external visits as they strengthen their community of learners beyond the kindergarten boundary.

The kindergarten’s philosophy aims to create a place where children and their families and whānau feel comfortable and where their culture is affirmed. Kindergarten staff value the uniqueness of each child acknowledging gender, culture, heritage, religion, family diversity, age and ability in creating a community of learning that benefits children. Children are affirmed as being capable, competent and successful learners. Parents’ whānau and teachers work to provide opportunities where children can express their ideas and test their theories. Children are held in high regard and there is an emphasis on positivity, and a focus on building respect for each other and for the environment.

The kindergarten operates under the umbrella of Tauranga Region Kindergartens (TRK), which is a not-for-profit early childhood education service, governed by a board of parent-elected community representatives. Senior teachers oversee and support the professional work of the kindergarten. This work is supplemented by a resource teacher Māori who provides professional learning and support for TRK staff in te ao Māori.

The association sets the strategic direction for its kindergartens with an emphasis on nurturing reciprocal relationships with whānau and communities, education for sustainability, meeting community need, and honouring the Treaty of Waitangi. The TRK provides kindergarten staff with clear guidelines and expectations for practice. There are systematic processes and highly effective self-review practices to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching, education and care provided by this kindergarten.

Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten provides sessions on Monday to Friday from 8.10am to 12.25pm and on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1.10pm to 3.25pm for children from three years to school age. The roll of 56 children includes nine of Māori descent.

This review was part of a cluster of four reviews in the Tauranga Regional Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

A long standing, highly experienced and knowledgeable head teacher works collaboratively with her teaching team. Her engagement in ongoing professional learning informs her approach to coaching and mentoring teachers, and to providing educational leadership for the kindergarten. The teaching team, in consultation with parents and whānau, have developed a shared vision that fosters confidence, curiosity and innovation within this community of learners. Children benefit from teachers’ shared leadership that contributes to an enjoyable, caring and harmonious culture.

The knowledgeable and experienced teaching team use self review effectively to make well-informed decisions about the curriculum, and children's learning. Since ERO’s last review in 2012 music, drama, oral language, information communication technologies and assessment practise have been strengthened through self review.

Teachers give priority to establishing highly responsive and respectful relationships at all levels of the kindergarten. These relationships are foundational to a curriculum that:

  • values the strengths, interests, knowledge and expertise that children, their families, teachers and the wider community contribute to learning
  • reflects the language, culture and heritage of children, families and teachers, celebrating diversity and adding richness to children's learning
  • maximises the way expertise, talents and resources are used to enrich children's learning
  • is underpinned by highly effective collaboration between children, family, whānau and teachers
  • contributes to the strong sense of belonging and ownership to the kindergarten as a learning community.

Education for sustainability principles and practices are embedded throughout the curriculum which embraces ngā mātapono of te ao Māori. These concepts, values and ways of being are naturally integrated through teaching practises.

Assessment through the framework of Te Rakau Akopai effectively creates individual learning pathways for children. These processes engage teachers, parents and children in assessment and planning, and affirm children as capable and successful decision makers and learners.

Teachers have a deep knowledge of children. They are highly attuned and intentionally use a variety of teaching strategies and practises to co-construct meaningful learning experiences with children. Teachers share a philosophy and commitment to inclusive education that supports all children and families, and provides children with positive ways to think about celebrating differences.

Key Next Steps

The kindergarten staff acknowledges the need to continue to work with local schools to foster continuity of learning for children.

An important consideration for the association is to consult with the kindergarten community and ensure the effective transition and management of the planned reorganisation to the sessional structure and staffing.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Welcome Bay 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 Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten will be in four years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

27 October 2015

2. Information about the Early Childhood Service

LocationWelcome Bay, Tauranga  
Ministry of Education profile number5632  
Licence typeFree Kindergarten  
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008  
Number licensed for43 children, including up to 0 aged under 2  
Service roll56  
Gender composition

Boys 32

Girls 24

  
Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

British

Indian

South East Asian

Russian

Scottish

Tongan

9

38

2

2

2

1

1

1

 

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%  
Reported ratios of staff to childrenOver 21:10Meets minimum requirements
Review team on siteSeptember 2015  
Date of this report27 October 2015  

Most recent ERO report(s)

These are available at www.ero.govt.nz

Education ReviewMay 2012 
 Education ReviewDecember 2008 
 Education ReviewApril 2006 

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.

Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten - 16/05/2012

 

1. The Education Review Office (ERO) Evaluation

Welcome Bay Kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Inc (TRK) from which it receives governance and administrative support. TRK promotes autonomy for its kindergartens. This model allows each kindergarten to reflect the values of the children, families and community it serves, creating a unique and special place for staff children and whānau. This kindergarten currently provides sessional education and care for 71 children, of whom eight are identified as Māori.

The head teacher is a knowledgeable and experienced early childhood practitioner. She is a skilled professional leader who values and empowers the experienced teaching team, through a highly effective leadership model.

In consultation with their community, teachers have identified broad learning dispositions that underpin their philosophy. These are curiosity, relationships, creativity, imagination and innovation, and confidence. These dispositions form the basis of the kindergarten’s highly effective curriculum.

Relationships are central to the leadership of this kindergarten. Teachers know children and their families well and have established respectful, trusting and reciprocal relationships. High priority is given to involving parents in meaningful ways.

Kindergarten staff have held discussions with local iwi about developing ‘Te Waharoa’, the entrance to the centre. These discussions have established genuine relationships that form a sound basis for future partnerships.

Welcome Bay Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children due to the quality of governance, management, leadership, curriculum design and teaching practice.

 

Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again within three years.

2. Review Priorities

The Focus of the Review

Education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive outcomes for children. To reach these findings ERO evaluates:

  • Mana Whakahaere – how governance and management determines the services’ vision/philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children

  • Pouārahi – how the leadership and capability of all involved, including educators, enhances positive outcomes for children

  • Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is implemented to achieve positive outcomes for children

  • Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning reflect diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of partnerships with whānau and self review. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at Welcome Bay Kindergarten

How well placed is Welcome Bay Kindergarten to promote positive outcomes for children?

ERO’s findings in these areas are set out below.

Background

Welcome Bay Kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Inc from which it receives governance and administrative support. TRK promotes autonomy for its kindergartens within a guiding framework. This model allows each kindergarten to reflect the values of the children, families and community it serves, creating a unique and special place for staff children and whānau. The kindergarten’s philosophy has been developed and recently reviewed by the teaching team. Learning dispositions have been identified and indicators developed. These dispositions are curiosity, relationships, creativity, imagination and innovation, and confidence.

Findings

Welcome Bay Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children, due to the quality of governance, management, leadership, curriculum design and teaching practice.

The TRK has clearly defined expectations and provided useful frameworks for self review, professional learning and development, and health and safety systems. The appraisal system is under review, with the aim of making appraisal more effective for teachers. The teaching team has responded positively to the trial appraisal process and made effective use of the relevant professional learning opportunities, through the association and other external agencies.

The head teacher is a knowledgeable early childhood practitioner. She is a skilled professional leader who values and empowers the experienced teaching team, through a model of highly effective distributive leadership. Their professionalism and reflective practice about teaching and learning allow each teacher to develop their strengths, passions, and address perceived weaknesses. The team receives ongoing professional support, critique and positive challenge from the senior teacher.

The kindergarten’s curriculum is effectively designed to promote positive outcomes for all children. Curriculum priorities are highly visible in displays, learning environments, assessment documentation, teaching interactions and programmes.

Each teacher has a Kaitiaki role that is significantly influencing curriculum design and implementation. These include:

  • literacy
  • numeracy
  • sustainability
  • transition to school
  • Information, communication and technologies (ICT)
  • Te reo and tikanga Māori

One of the Kaitiaki roles is focused on developing partnerships and relationships with the parents and whānau of Māori children. Teachers have worked in consultation with parents and kaumatua from the local marae to design ‘Te Waharoa’ the entrance that provides a ‘gateway’ to the kindergarten. This depicts significant features that enable all people to make connections with the area. Māori children and their whānau are assured that their language and culture are valued. During consultation processes, relationships with Māori have developed and form a genuine basis for future partnerships. In addition, Pacific children and their families enjoy opportunities to share their culture with children and teachers.

Teachers have identified the need to improve the kindergarten ICT platform to strengthen their ability to respond to children as 21st century learners and support continuity of learning beyond the kindergarten.

Relationships are central to the leadership of this kindergarten. Teachers know children and their families well and have established respectful, trusting and reciprocal relationships. They provide many opportunities for parents to be involved in meaningful ways with their children’s learning.

Teachers skilfully notice, recognise and respond to children’s interests, strengths and abilities and develop a responsive programme. There is a careful balance between extending children’s interests and how teachers contribute their knowledge, expertise and passions to their learning. It is important for teachers to reflect on this balance to ensure children continue to be empowered to direct their learning.

Teachers have continued to evolve their assessment, planning and evaluation practices to make this documentation more accessible and meaningful for children and families. Since the previous ERO review they have shifted from electronic portfolios to a ‘Storybook’ model for documenting children’s engagement in the programme and learning. This information is used by teachers to directly inform programme development, resourcing and planning and to evaluate children’s learning over time. Parent voice, ideas and aspirations for their children are visible and responded to by teachers. Teachers have identified the need to further consider ways to better reflect children’s cultural identity and heritage in storybooks.

3. Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff of Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten completed an ERO CentreAssurance Statement andSelf-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

  • administration;
  • health, safety and welfare;
  • personnel management; and
  • financial and property management.

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s documentation, including policies, procedures and records of recent use of procedures. ERO also checked elements of the following areas that have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:

  • emotional safety (including behaviour management, prevention of bullying and abuse);
  • physical safety (including behaviour management, sleeping and supervision practices; accidents and medication; hygiene and routines; travel and excursion policies and procedures);
  • staff qualifications and organisation; and
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

During the course of the review ERO identified an area of non-compliance. In order to address this, centre managers must:

  • ensure the provision of warm water to the children’s and adult bathrooms for hand washing and shower. The association and Ministry of Education have been alerted to this concern.

4. Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again within three years.

 

 

Makere Smith

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region (Acting)

16/5/12

About the Centre

Type

Education and Care

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

43 children over two

Roll number

71

Gender composition

Girls 36 Boys 35

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākeha 51; NZ Māori 8; Tongan 3; Samoan 2; Tokelauan 1; Indian 1; Other 5

Review team on site

March 2012

Date of this report

16/5/12

Previous three ERO reports

 

Education Review December 2008 Education Review April 2006 Education Review December 2002

 

To the Parents and Community of Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten

These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Welcome Bay Free Kindergarten.

Welcome Bay Kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Inc (TRK) from which it receives governance and administrative support. TRK promotes autonomy for its kindergartens. This model allows each kindergarten to reflect the values of the children, families and community it serves, creating a unique and special place for staff children and whānau. This kindergarten currently provides sessional education and care for 71 children, of whom eight are identified as Māori.

The head teacher is a knowledgeable and experienced early childhood practitioner. She is a skilled professional leader who values and empowers the experienced teaching team, through a highly effective leadership model.

In consultation with their community, teachers have identified broad learning dispositions that underpin their philosophy. These are curiosity, relationships, creativity, imagination and innovation, and confidence. These dispositions form the basis of the kindergarten’s highly effective curriculum.

Relationships are central to the leadership of this kindergarten. Teachers know children and their families well and have established respectful, trusting and reciprocal relationships. High priority is given to involving parents in meaningful ways.

Kindergarten staff have held discussions with local iwi about developing ‘Te Waharoa’, the entrance to the centre. These discussions have established genuine relationships that form a sound basis for future partnerships.

Welcome Bay Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children due to the quality of governance, management, leadership, curriculum design and teaching practice.

 

Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again within three years.

When ERO has reviewed an early childhood centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management or contact person if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions.

 

 

 

Makere Smith

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region (Acting)

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT REVIEWS

About ERO

ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

About ERO Reviews
  • ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:
  • improve quality of education for children in early childhood centres; and
  • provide information to parents, communities and the Government.

Reviews are intended to focus on outcomes for children and build on each centre’s self review.

Review Focus

ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting is based on four review strands.

Quality of Education – including the quality of the programme provided for children, the quality of the learning environment and the quality of the interactions between staff and children and how these impact on outcomes for children.

Additional Review Priorities – other aspects of the operation of a centre, may be included in the review. ERO will not include this strand in all reviews.

Compliance with Legal Requirements – assurance that this centre has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of centre performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to this centre.

Review Recommendations

Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a centre is performing poorly in relation to that issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this centre.