19 Canaveral Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre is privately owned and licensed to provide education and care for up 85 children. Many children, families and teachers speak more than one language in this culturally diverse community. The centre owners work with a centre manager and a team that includes 10 qualified teachers.
Children experience inclusive, respectful relationships with their teachers that reflect the centre’s philosophy. Well-designed and resourced learning spaces encourage children’s physical, creative and imaginative skills. The programme provides long periods when children can sustain their play and learning in the diverse and engaging environment.
Responsive teachers nurture children’s confidence and independence. They sing and talk to children throughout the day to enhance their developing language. Literacy and numeracy learning, and sensory opportunities are woven through children’s play.
Te ao Māori is integrated in centre practices. Teachers are continuing to grow their knowledge and understanding of te reo and tikanga Māori. They use te reo meaningfully in their daily interactions, and as a result children are confidently embracing the language. The teaching team continues to seek ways to maintain children’s connection with their cultures.
Teachers work collaboratively to design learning programmes based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Records of children’s learning are easily accessible for children and their whānau. This accessibility has increased parents’ understanding about the programme and their children’s learning. Parents are encouraged to share their aspirations for children and to participate in decision making through the centre’s consultation and communication processes.
The leadership team and teachers have a strong focus on continual development. External mentoring, appraisal processes and opportunities for professional learning are contributing to ongoing improvement to teaching practice. Leaders work collaboratively and support team members to develop their leadership capabilities.
The centre is very well managed. A culture of respect and trust is promoted where each team member is valued. Strategic and annual plans are well developed to help guide centre operations. A relevant framework for internal evaluation has been developed, and teachers continue to build their evaluation capability.
Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre 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.
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
13 October 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre |
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Profile Number |
20243 |
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Location |
Mairangi Bay, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
85 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers (delete if not applicable) |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
86 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 2, NZ European/Pākehā 23, Chinese 31, Indian 5, other European 13, South East Asian 5, other Asian 7 |
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Review team on site |
August 2021 |
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Date of this report |
13 October 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, November 2017 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre in Mairangi Bay, provides for up to 85 children, with a maximum of 25 up to the age of two. Pākehā children make up half of the roll, Chinese children nearly a third, and there are also small groups of Māori, Indian and Filipino children.
The centre was relicensed in February 2017, after several name and ownership changes since ERO's 2013 review. The new owners are actively involved in the centre's management and with children's learning. They work with a centre manager and a team of well qualified teachers, and families/whānau. There are team leaders in the preschool and under 2's rooms. The manager is currently acting team leader in the toddlers' room. A cook provides meals for children.
The centre's philosophy includes a focus on encouraging children to be active explorers and independent learners in a stimulating, nurturing environment. Centre practices are inspired by both the Reggio Emilia and Magda Gerber philosophical approaches.
The owners have made significant improvements. As a priority, they have focused on establishing good relationships and communications with whānau and a sense of team amongst staff. They promote inclusion, wellbeing and belonging.
New developments and practices have focused on improving outcomes for children and their families. They have been guided by a clear centre vision, and informed by careful evaluation and external support. Developments this year include:
improvements in the outdoor learning environment, and the quality and quantity of resources available to support children's learning
a deliberate focus on strengthening bicultural practices in the centre
the use of digital technologies and social media to record children's learning, and communicate with families
creating a more nutritious and varied menu for children's meals
establishing connections with local community organisations.
Very good practices provide support for infants' wellbeing, growing independence and language development. The team could now make use of existing good models to review and strengthen environments and routines for toddlers.
Programmes are underpinned by teachers' knowledge of children's interests and strengths, and regular programme evaluation. Children's individual portfolios record programme topics and children's engagement. Infants' portfolios in particular, record their individual learning progress.
Extensive professional learning and mentoring has helped owners and staff to build their knowledge of good practice in early childhood education. Staff are encouraged to take on leadership roles, and meaningful performance appraisal helps them to identify goals for improvement. Teachers' self-reflection and professional learning are having a positive impact on their practice and on outcomes for children.
The owners have established strategic and annual plans to guide ongoing improvement. They have developed an extensive range of policies and useful systems to ensure that all licensing requirements are met. Ongoing internal evaluation, and a focus on their role in facilitating learning, will help teaching teams to refine new policies and procedures, strengthen teaching practices and improve centre environments.
Managers agree that next steps include:
building teachers' capability in extending children's learning, through children's interests and the integration of literacy and numeracy in the context of play
focusing internal evaluation more specifically on the effectiveness of teaching practices and outcomes for children
increasing parents' contributions in portfolios, and focusing these assessment records and programme evaluations more clearly on individual children's learning and progress
establishing strategic goals for further development of bicultural and culturally responsive practices
aligning appraisal processes with Education Council requirements.
Before the review, the staff and management of Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre 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 Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
29 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 |
Mairangi Bay, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20243 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
85 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
63 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 33 Girls 30 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
September 2017 |
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Date of this report |
29 November 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
First report as Reach for the Stars Early Learning Centre |
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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.