Milford Baptist Kindergarten

1 Evaluation of Milford Baptist Kindergarten

How well placed is Milford Baptist Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Milford Baptist Kindergarten provides all-day and sessional programmes for children from two-and-a-half to five years of age. The kindergarten is licensed for 58 children over two years of age. About a quarter of the children attending are Korean or Chinese and speak languages other than English at home.

The service's philosophy is Christian based and describes a "semi-structured programme based on the needs, strengths and emerging interests of individual children". The philosophy guides the programme.

The board of trustees includes members of the Milford Baptist Church, and parent and staff representatives. The supervisor, who leads the curriculum and day-to-day operations, is supported by a team of registered teachers and an administrator.

The 2014 ERO report identified strengths, including positive relationships with the church and parents as well as the provision of activities fostering children's literacy and numeracy learning. These features continue to be evident. Key areas for improvement in 2014 included opportunities for child initiated learning, challenging resources and experiences, and teacher appraisal. There has been some progress in these areas.

The Review Findings

Children are enthusiastic and busy, and enjoy a strong sense of belonging. Teachers are skilled at supporting children with settling into the programme. Learning environments are spacious and well resourced. Accessible equipment enables children to learn and play confidently both indoors and outdoors. Teachers foster friendships amongst children, who frequently participate in conversations with each other and with adults.

Children and families are greeted as they arrive either in English or te reo Māori. Teachers interact with children in warm responsive ways. The teachers are continuing to build te reo Māori into the daily programme. They could consider ways to integrate te reo more naturally within the context of play and learning.

Children and families with English as a second language are well supported. Teachers work with families and external agencies to ensure that children with additional needs enjoy positive outcomes within the centre.

The teaching team has established strong relationships with parents and the local community, including the neighbouring church and local businesses. Teachers provide varied opportunities for parents to become involved in kindergarten events and celebrations. Parents meet with teachers to share their aspirations and discuss their children's progress and learning.

Teachers are continuing to build their knowledge and understanding of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. They use an online portal to document and share children's learning with parents. Teachers are competent at noticing what children are interested in and the dispositions they display. They make interesting and relevant resources available, creating responsive environments that encourage children to explore and learn.

The Rocket programme is a chance for older children to engage in small groups with teachers. It comprises activities and experiences based on children's interests with a focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills. The teaching team has undertaken an extensive review of this programme since the 2014 ERO report. It is timely to now evaluate the extent to which this programme supports the enactment of the kindergarten's philosophy and aligns with the teaching approaches in Te Whāriki.

Internal evaluation is regular, collaborative and focused on improving outcomes for children. Teachers could now begin to evaluate and document the impact of their internal evaluation on outcomes for children.

A well-developed strategic plan with clear development goals and success indicators. An annual plan also guides the development of teaching practices. The teaching team could now evaluate progress towards strategic goals and the resulting outcomes for children.

The well-developed policies, systems and procedures provide guidance for everyday operations. Teachers' appraisal processes have been reviewed to align with new requirements. Their professional learning is based on their individual goals as well as the service's strategic direction. The supervisor provides relevant and ongoing professional support for teachers.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps for ongoing development include:

• improving programme planning and the assessment of children's learning through focused professional learning and development

• developing teaching practices that empower children to develop thinking skills and lead their learning

• growing leadership capacity across the teaching team.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Milford Baptist 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 Milford Baptist Kindergarten will be in three years.

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

11 June 2018

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.

1 Evaluation of Milford Baptist Kindergarten

How well placed is Milford Baptist Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Milford Baptist Kindergarten is licensed for 58 children over the age of two. The service operates in a new purpose-built building and currently provides sessions to approximately 45 children from about three years to school age. The kindergarten offers 20 free hours a week for all children who are three and four years old. While some children attend for mornings only, most children attend all day.

The kindergarten is part of the outreach ministry of the Milford Baptist Church. Most members of the board of trustees that govern the centre are associated with this Church. The kindergarten supervisor manages day-to-day operations and provides professional leadership for teachers. Administrative tasks are completed by the centre manager.

The centre’s philosophy describes an educational programme that is both child-initiated and semi-structured, and that recognises the learning and developmental needs, strengths and interests of individual children. The programme includes Bible stories and Christian teachings. The afternoon Rocket Programme is a semi-formal early literacy and numeracy programme that includes opportunities for children to learn about science and technology. The kindergarten has made a commitment to respect and honour the Treaty of Waitangi.

The 2011 ERO report acknowledged the good relationships between staff and parents. It commented positively on the learning environment and on support teachers gave children to help them learn. It also noted teachers’ commitment to providing children with opportunities to understand New Zealand’s bicultural heritage and the other cultures of children who attend.

The report suggested that teachers review their planning and assessment practices to better provide programmes that focused in empowering children to follow their interests and make choices about their participation in the programme. This 2014 ERO report also recommends that teachers develop a more child-initiated programme.

The Review Findings

Children are well cared for and have many opportunities to learn. Teachers respond well to children and encourage them in their play. Children experience a wide range of activities that teachers set out each day.

Children show respect for each other, their environment and resources. Friendships are very evident and children are considerate and look after each other.

Relationships in the centre, and with parents and the church community, are positive and supportive. Teachers work well as a team. Parents enjoy spending time with their children and sometimes contribute to the programme.

The kindergarten staff continue to work effectively in partnership with parents to provide for children. Teachers have reviewed their communication with parents to ensure they are consulted and well informed. Parents often talk with teachers about their children when they are in the centre.

The new kindergarten building provides good support for children’s education. It is spacious, light and well ventilated. Children have easy access to the outdoor area. Good use is made of display areas to share children’s work and inform parents about the programme.

Teachers have made a clear commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and to supporting children to learn about Māori culture and language.

Children are busy and engaged. Many of the kindergarten activities foster children’s early literacy and numeracy learning. This is especially true of the afternoon Rocket programme, where children work on teacher-initiated activities in age-related groups.

The day-to-day operations of the centre are well managed. There are good health and safety systems in place and effective ways to communicate with staff, parents and trustees.

Self-review processes are developing well and decisions are generally well informed through consultation. Policies are up-to-date and reviewed regularly. Processes for appraising the performance of staff have been recently updated.

Key Next Steps

Teachers could now develop the programme so that it is more child-initiated and less teacher directed. They could consider:

• recording conversations with parents about children’s interests at home and use this information, along with teacher observations, to guide programme development
• accessing professional development opportunities that promote teaching practices consistent with children initiating their own play
• setting appraisal goals that encourage teachers to be responsive to children’s strengths and interests
• developing more challenging resources and experiences to promote children’s exploration and problem solving.

The kindergarten board of trustees could support the supervisor’s commitment to ongoing improvement by establishing clear strategic goals and developing action plans to guide the achievement of these goals.

The new teacher appraisal process has the capacity to promote improvement when it is applied more rigorously. Increased levels of critical reflection on teaching practice in relation to indicators linked to the registered teacher criteria would be useful.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Milford Baptist 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 Milford Baptist Kindergarten will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

18 August 2014

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.