6 Bicknell Road, Mangere, 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 Living and Learning Family Centre Mangere are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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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 |
Living and Learning Family Centre Mangere provides social services to its community and works closely with external agencies. The centre’s governance and management is overseen by the Living and Learning Foundation and Kindercare Learning Centres. The centre director and supervisor lead a team of 15 qualified teachers, six unqualified and four teachers in training. A high percentage of Māori and Pacific children attend the centre.
Children display a sense of belonging in the service. They experience meaningful interactions and relationships with adults who treat them with dignity and respect. They participate well in daily activities, are comfortable with the centre routines and enjoy healthy meals. Kaiako are supporting children to learn how to negotiate and problem-solve with each other. Children are developing confidence to make choices and direct their own learning.
The centre is well resourced to support children’s exploration. Kaiako have thoughtfully set up an environment that encourages children to experience a wide range of activities. Children’s wellbeing is prioritised.
Children with additional learning needs are included in all aspects of the programme. Infants receive sensitive, positive care. A speech/language therapist supports the teaching team. Kaiako adopt and use specific strategies to support children’s ongoing language development.
Children are encouraged to learn about te ao Māori. They use simple te reo Māori kupu in their play. Children with Pacific heritage have opportunities to celebrate their cultural identities. Songs and dances of different ethnic groups are integrated into the programme.
Kaiako are inclusive and accepting of children. They establish positive relationships and respond positively to the different needs of individual children and their families. Parents who spoke with ERO talked about the trusting relationships they have with staff. They enjoy accessing their children’s learning online, and they highly value the extra support the service provides to families.
The area manager, centre director, and centre supervisor work very well together. A shared vision, philosophy and goals guide teaching practice and decision making. Ongoing professional learning and development promotes professional growth and capability. The service also supports student teachers in training. The service has sound systems and procedures focused on improving outcomes for all children.
Living and Learning Family Centre Mangere will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Living and Learning Family Centre Mangere 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
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
27 July 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Living & Learning Family Centre Mangere |
| Profile Number | 20295 |
| Location | Mangere, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
110 children, including up to 35 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
110 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 14%, NZ European/Pākehā 8%, Samoan 36%, Indian 13%, Tongan 13%, Cook Islands 7%, other Pacific 6%, other ethnic groups 3% |
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Review team on site |
May 2021 |
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Date of this report |
27 July 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2018 |
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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.
Living & Learning Family Centre Mangere is a community-based service. It is licensed to provide sessional and full-day education and care for up to 110 children, including up to 35 under two years of age. The centre has five rooms for different age groups. Children often mix as movement between spaces, including the outdoors, is very flexible. Most children have Pacific or Māori heritage with smaller numbers of Pākehā, Indian and Asian children. The centre vision is 'Faith, Hope, and Love'. Teachers aspire to provide 'safe and fun-loving environments which promote a zest for learning'.
The service is one of two Living & Learning Centres supported by the Kindercare organisation. Although they report to the Living and Learning Foundation Trustees, the centre director and area manager autonomously manage the centre. A significant feature of the centre is its links with community agencies and health professionals. Together they provide a wrap-around service for centre whānau and the community.
The centre director is supported by a curriculum leader and team leaders. There are 11 registered teachers and a number of unqualified staff. At the time of this review a new centre director had recently been appointed.
In the 2014 report ERO identified several positive features of the service. Caring and respectful relationships supported children's sense of belonging, and the responsive curriculum encouraged child-initiated learning. ERO recommended that teachers strengthen their evaluation processes and aspects of the programme. Appraisal processes and bicultural practices were also areas for development. Teachers have continued to work on these areas.
Children observed were happy and confident in the centre. Their identity, language and cultures are affirmed. Children have positive relationships with teachers, and engage in play that interests them. They enthusiastically explore the outdoor environment, often playing in small groups, communicating respectfully with each other, and responding well to adult support. They benefit from uncluttered indoor spaces and a good variety of natural and open-ended resources. Children's independence is fostered through opportunities to make choices and develop self-help skills.
Teachers know children well. They respond to individual interests and are sensitive to children with additional learning needs. Infants and toddlers enjoy nurturing care and benefit from good adult to child ratios. Programmes support their developmental milestones, and teachers encourage them to explore interesting resources. Toddlers frequently play with older children, as they develop their mobility and social skills. This enables children to transition easily through the centre.
Adults' conversations with children encourage them to share their ideas and sustain their play for long periods. Teachers often use te reo Māori and foster the use of children's first languages. They support children to develop early literacy and numeracy skills in meaningful contexts. Teachers are planning to enhance children's transition to school. As part of this initiative, those working with older children could now further challenge children to develop more complexity in their play.
Teachers maintain extensive planning folders and journals to document shared interests and highlights of children's play. They record individual learning in learning stories, but currently do not maintain hard copy assessment portfolios for children. Unfortunately these systems do not provide strong guidance for intentional teaching or continuity for children's individual learning. Leaders have identified the need to enhance teachers' critical evaluations of programmes.
Leaders encourage teachers' ongoing professional development. Internal workshops, mentoring and external learning opportunities are linked to teachers' appraisal goals and centre goals. Leaders plan to increase teachers' leadership capabilities and their knowledge of intentional teaching. Allocating curriculum leadership roles may be a useful strategy, and could also help teachers to plan more deliberately for their roles in extending children's learning.
Leaders and teachers maintain trusting relationships with families. They are responsive to the social, emotional and physical needs of the centre community. Respect for Māori and Pacific languages, culture and taonga provides a sense of belonging for all. Leaders consult families informally and through surveys. They also have a digital portal for families to access learning stories. As this process does not work well for many families, leaders are now considering ways to re-establish hard copy assessment portfolios.
The centre is well managed. The centre director and leadership team are well supported by the area manager to operate the centre efficiently. Centre management is guided by a sound policy framework and health and safety systems. A strategic plan guides centre goals. Implementation and evaluation processes for these goals would help leaders to document progress and the achievement of their aspirations.
Centre leaders agree that key next steps for centre development should include:
developing the quality of internal evaluation including teachers' understanding of critical reflection
strengthening programme planning, assessment and evaluation to enhance the focus on individual children's interests and learning dispositions
refining the teachers' appraisal process to align with the Education Council's requirements.
Before the review, the staff and management of Living & Learning Family Centre Mangere 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 Living & Learning Family Centre Mangere will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
28 March 2018
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 |
Mangere, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20295 |
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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 |
110 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 |
||
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Service roll |
113 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 51% Boys 49% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
18% |
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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 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
January 2018 |
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Date of this report |
28 March 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2011 |
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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.