Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga provides education and care for 100 children, including up to 25 children under two years. Since the last ERO review the centre has combined the two on-site licences. The complex is made up of six age-grouped rooms that cater for local children who have a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga is managed in accordance with the Kindercare philosophy, policies and procedures that provides guidance and support for the operation of the service. The staffing remains constant and includes a cook who provides healthy options for children. The service is open from 7.30am till 5.30pm to cater for working parents.

Kindercare’s philosophy promotes an environment where children feel safe and loved, and where learning is fun. Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga continues this tradition and teachers focus improving programmes and care.

The service has a history of positive ERO reporting and continues to strengthen its operation by responding effectively to outcomes of self-review.

The Review Findings

Children show a strong sense of belonging and have well developed social skills. They play confidently in their environment and initiate interactions with others. Children are curious explorers who pursue their play both individually and in groups.

Children play in calm, respectful and engaging learning environments which are inclusive and well resourced. They stimulate children’s thinking, exploration and learning. Children are encouraged to revisit and extend their play through photographs and child response folders and are given opportunities to play without interruption. Children lead their own learning, develop independence, use flexible routines and work at their own pace.

Teachers establish high quality relationships with children and families. They respond positively to children’s interests, strengths and needs. Teachers constantly focus on improving their teaching practice.

Parents have opportunities to respond to their children’s development and learning through the centre’s online portal. Teachers hold parent information evenings around teaching and learning approaches and ways children transition to school successfully.

Strong curriculum processes are in place that bring about positive outcomes for all children. Teachers plan learning programmes for individuals and groups of children. They promote children’s language acquisition and strengthen early physical and mathematical skills. The child as a whole person is well considered.

Teachers use te reo and tikanga Māori in their daily interactions, allowing children to become familiar with and respond to te reo Maori. Teachers enhance this provision by displaying Māori artefacts and providing poi in preschool rooms. Māori and other languages and cultural values could be more prominent in all rooms so that children can recognise the different cultures.

Children’s learning environments for all ages are richly resourced. Teachers use respectful approaches offering younger children choices in their play. They know their children well, can read their cues, and positively respond to the ways children communicate. Teachers foster secure one-on-one relationships with infants. They build trust by creating a predictable, calm and nurturing environment.

Leaders have developed a strategic approach for teachers to grow their capabilities. A positive culture of collaboration between teachers and leaders exists. They willingly develop new ideas and approaches. Leaders plan to embed this practice by further developing systems to enhance centre-wide practices.

Leaders have effective ongoing systems to ensure the centre is a high quality service. The Kindercare support team continually monitors, maintains and improves the service. Leaders successfully maintain very good professional support to ensure ongoing positive outcomes for children. They could continue to build self-review and evaluative processes by including and documenting children’s ideas and contributions.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga 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 Kindercare Learning Centres (8) Pakuranga will be in four years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

20 January 2016

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

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.