24 Melanesia Road, Kohimarama, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama is licensed for 50 children, including 20 up to two years of age. Families and teachers represent a diverse range of cultures and ethnic groups. It is owned and operated by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd (the organisation).
The re-purposed building caters for children in age-specific rooms and shared outdoor spaces. The centre has a long-standing team, with low staff turnover. Most teachers are qualified and registered ECE teachers.
Leaders and teachers have maintained the positive aspects identified in the August 2016 ERO report. They have worked together to build on reflective practice, appraisal, mentoring and support processes, including review of routines with a focus on engaging children.
The service philosophy is based on Kindercares' three key values for children to be ‘safe, loved and learning’. The organisation provides policies, procedures and processes to monitor health and safety. An area manager works in partnership with the centre director to support centre operations. The organisation has developed service-wide expectations and a strategic approach to understanding te ao Māori and culturally responsive practices.
This review was one of five Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd, Auckland region.
Leaders and teachers have established a strong shared vision, philosophy and values that are focused on promoting positive outcomes for all children. Leaders and teachers actively foster supportive relationships within an inclusive family-focused environment. They model care and respect for one another and for children and families. The home language, culture and identities of children, parents, whānau and teachers are valued and celebrated. Leaders provide a holistic approach to children and staff wellbeing that encourages a positive approach to learning and teaching.
Teachers take time to get to know children. They provide a child-centred curriculum that is responsive to their individual interests, strengths and capabilities as competent learners. Teachers provide a well-considered, calm learning environment and specific resourcing to encourage curiosity and creativity. Purposeful connections to the local community enhance children's social confidence and understandings of people and the wider world. Teachers are building links with local Māori to support understandings of te ao Māori and culturally responsive practices.
Infants and toddlers are well supported by familiar teachers and respectful, nurturing interactions. Teachers maintain an unhurried pace in which younger children have space and time to explore, make their own discoveries, and choose their own learning.
Parents are well informed about children’s learning interests, participation in the programme and about centre events through a range of effective communication strategies. Transitions into and within the centre are personalised to the specific needs of children and families.
Leaders and teachers work collaboratively and take collective responsibility for children’s learning and wellbeing. The organisation has established a strategic approach that is well aligned to service priorities and the professional learning and development of teachers. Governance and management practices are underpinned by a strong, shared, vision and purpose. There is a clear focus on building leadership and promoting robust appraisal and mentoring processes to promote ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children.
At service level, priorities are to:
The organisation priorities are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
5 March 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 |
Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20260 |
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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 |
50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
63 |
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Gender composition |
Male 38, Female 25 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese Indian Other ethnicities |
2 32 6 5 18 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
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 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2019 |
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Date of this report |
5 March 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2016 |
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Education Review |
March 2012 |
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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:
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 |
Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama, Auckland, provides all day education and care for a maximum of 50 children, including up to 20 children under two years of age. Children are catered for in four age-related rooms, and play outdoors in two playgrounds.
The centre is one of many Kindercare Learning Centres nationally. The overarching Kindercare organisation's philosophy of 'Safe, Loved and Learning' guides centre beliefs and practices. Teachers' education and care for children is guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
A new centre director has been appointed since the 2012 ERO review. An area manager works in partnership with the centre director to support the day-to-day operation of the centre. Seven of the eight teachers at the centre are registered teachers.
The 2012 ERO report noted the high quality of relationships and interactions between children, families/whānau and staff, and the wide range of quality resources. These are still strengths in the centre. Further development in self review remains an area of focus.
Children in this centre are settled, happy and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. Children and their families are warmly welcomed into the centre. Parents value the nurturing, respectful relationships that their children experience.
The carefully planned inside environments offer a range of good quality resources and support children's involvement in the programme. There is a wide range of sensory play, exploration and appropriate outdoor physical challenges for children.
Teachers use opportunities for learning within centre routines. Centre managers agree it is timely to review centre routines, to ensure there is sufficient flexibility and time to provide opportunities for children to lead their own learning and extend uninterrupted play more often.
Children who require extra learning assistance are well supported in their learning and external advice is used when required. The children nearing five years of age receive a structured preparation for transition to school.
Children have opportunities to hear te reo Maōri and learn about tikanga in respectful relationships. Teachers are continuing to develop their bicultural practices and understanding of te ao Maōri and recording these more explicitly in documentation. Teachers celebrate important cultural events with families. However, the environment could better reflect children's diverse cultures.
Wall displays reflect programme activities and the children’s learning. Parents are well informed about their children's interests and participation through online portfolios and daily journals. Teachers continue to explore ways of encouraging parents to have input into their children's learning programme.
Teachers work collaboratively and meet regularly to plan activities and resources. The programme planning provides a framework to include opportunities to build on children’s early literacy and mathematic skills. Topic investigations and children’s interests are integrated into programmes and activities. Teachers could now increase their use of teaching strategies focused on children's interests to deepen and extend learning through child-led play.
Teachers take leadership roles as appropriate for particular activities provided for children. A recently reviewed performance appraisal system supports teachers to reflect more critically on their practice. They are well supported by specific individual and team professional development.
The Kindercare organisation provides well established systems, policies and practices which are consistently implemented and regularly monitored. Kindercare organisational values and strategical direction guide each centre. It is now timely to use guides to develop goals that are unique to Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama. The purpose of self review is understood, and centre staff are committed to continuing to develop in this area. The ongoing support of organisational personnel ensures centre sustainability and continued improvement.
ERO and centre mangers agree that the next key steps for the centre are about strengthening and embedding good practice. To assist this process management should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama 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.
The next ERO review of Kindercare Learning Centres Kohimarama will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
18 August 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 |
Kohimarama, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20260 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
72 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 43 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
July 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 August 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 2006 |
||
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.