5 Seatoun Avenue, Leigh
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Leigh Community Pre-School Inc is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Leigh Community Pre-School Inc is a not-for-profit centre, governed by a committee consisting of staff members and parent/community representatives. It is licensed to provide for 28 children, including eight under two years of age. The roll includes a small group of Māori children. Children play and learn in two learning areas, each with its own separate outdoor play area.
The centre's professional leader works with the administrator to manage day-to-day centre operations. Most of the staff are qualified early childhood teachers. Since the 2015 ERO report there have been several staff changes.
The centre's philosophy is being reviewed by the new staff team. It is guided by the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and promotes respectful, trusting relationships with a focus on the individual child. The philosophy supports a child-led learning programme. Teachers promote engagement with the centre's unique coastal environment.
The professional leader and teachers have continued to build on the strengths outlined in the 2015 ERO report.
Infants and toddlers learn in a calm, inviting environment and teachers demonstrate a strong commitment to the care of babies. Routines are unhurried, and respectful care practices support the development of children's self-help skills and independence. Teachers talk with children about their play, skilfully fostering their language development through meaningful conversations.
Children are settled and engaged in their play and enjoy periods of uninterrupted play in an inclusive environment. They are confident, articulate learners and have many opportunities to make their own choices about their learning. Teachers treat children with respect. Interactions between teachers and children are warm, positive and nurturing.
Children's wellbeing and learning are central to decision making. Programmes are child-led, and interest based. The curriculum has a strong focus on the use of natural resources and learning about the local community. Parents contribute their knowledge and skills to the learning programme.
Children's curiosity is fostered, and they are encouraged to explore and learn at their own pace. Teachers support children's social competence and foster peaceful conflict resolution. Literacy, numeracy and science are woven into children's play experiences.
The indoor and outdoor learning environments are purposely designed and thoughtfully presented to invite children to play. Open-ended resources and activities are presented to encourage creativity and imaginative play, and to foster conversation and oral language development. The outdoor area incorporates inventive ways for children to explore the natural world. There are good opportunities for children of all ages to extend their physical skills.
Teachers weave bicultural practices and a respect for te ao Māori through the programme. They naturally integrate te reo and waiata into daily practice. Good models in the centre help to build their confidence and capability. Teachers respond to families with diverse cultural backgrounds by encouraging them to share their language and cultures with the children.
Children's individual and group interests are regularly documented and shared with families. An electronic system for sharing children's learning enhances communication with parents and enables them to have a greater input into their children's learning.
Transitions into and within the centre are thoughtfully managed and based on the needs of each child and family. Teachers have built positive connections with the local school to support children's successful transition to school.
The centre leader has created a professional learning culture based on high expectations and continuous improvement. Teachers are encouraged to develop their individual strengths and capabilities. Self review processes have been established and are being refined and strengthened. Centre policies are being reviewed to ensure that they align with all licensing requirements.
Key steps for the centre include:
continuing to strengthen the assessment of children's learning, programme planning and evaluation
engaging with professional development to increase teachers' understanding about and implementation of Te Whāriki
linking the annual plan and philosophy to the centre's strategic goals
implementing a robust appraisal process that aligns with Teaching Council requirements.
Before the review, the staff and management of Leigh Community Pre-School Inc 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.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
the documentation of fire drills
risk analysis and management systems
staff appointments processes.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
23 October 2019
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 |
Leigh, Rodney |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20336 |
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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 |
28 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
34 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 21 Boys 13 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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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 |
August 2019 |
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Date of this report |
23 October 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2015 |
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Education Review |
October 2012 |
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Education Review |
September 2009 |
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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.
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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.
Leigh Community Pre-School continues to provide education and care for children from six months to five years of age. The centre is led by a committee consisting of three staff, and seven parent and community representatives. The management team includes a curriculum and teaching manager and a centre manager. As a result of staff changes over the last two years, at least half of the staff are new and all members of the management team are new.
The pre-school is licensed for 28 children with 39 on the roll at the time of this review. It offers sessional and full day care. The pre-school is adjacent to the local primary school. Children from the pre-school have access to the school’s facilities and centre managers have good connections with school staff who support children’s transition to school.
The pre-school has strong connections with its community and very good links to local whānau, hapū and iwi. All teaching staff are qualified. Since ERO’s 2012 review some teachers have specialised in working with children up to 2 years of age, and have accessed personal learning in te reo Māori.
The 2012 ERO report recommended that staff extend their understanding and use of self-review. ERO also noted that managers should work in partnership with management to develop effective strategic planning. During the 2015 review ERO found that these aspects of self-review and strategic planning have substantially improved.
Positive, sensitive and responsive interactions between staff and children are evident. Teachers know children and their families well. Respectful relationships and positive interactions support children to be confident and engage in their learning. Children’s affirming interactions with their peers and teachers during play helps promote a caring and supportive environment for children.
A significant feature of relationships between families and the centre is the ‘key teacher’ approach. An identified teacher keeps each family informed about their children’s care and learning. This enhances opportunities for ongoing and more in-depth communication about children’s learning.
Teachers and children use te reo Māori incidentally with confidence. Children sing waiata and know these songs well. They use Māori vocabulary in their conversations. Stories and the history of the local region and tangata whenua are identified in documentation and in the centre surroundings. The centre reflects the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand very well.
A sense of responsibility and self-confidence is evident in children’s behaviours. Children select their areas of play and are imaginative, creative and happy in their environment. They are free to play as individuals or in group situations and it is notable that children are encouraged to take care of one another.
The transition to school programme is well supported by the centre and local school staff. Parents support their children through participation in the programme, and through kapa haka.
Teachers have high expectations of their practice. They discuss children’s learning and think about ways to further support children’s learning. Teachers work collaboratively and make good use of children’s interests to guide their planning for play. Teachers discuss and evaluate children’s learning regularly during and after play sessions.
Managers have introduced a good process for appraisal. It is collaborative, evidence-based and complies with legislative requirements. The appraisal process incorporates the practicing teacher criteria, and the manager and mentor monitor appraisals to ensure they are rigorous and that improvement is sustained. The management team have a shared leadership approach to managing their responsibilities and priorities.
The inside and outside environments are well resourced. The outdoor area provides good opportunities to challenge children and provide them with a sense of adventure. Teachers are inventive in providing water play and this adds another dimension to children’s experience of the natural world. The inside area provides space where children engage in different activities. There is good flow and access from inside to outside.
Teacher's next steps include considering ways to keep records of their discussions and thinking about children’s play on a daily basis. They should also further develop evaluation processes to identify the impact of programmes on children’s learning. This would be useful in identifying the extent to which they have added value to the programme for children over time.
Self-review continues to develop. The centre leaders acknowledge that self-review requires further improvement so that it more effectively covers and contributes to all aspects of centre development and management.
Before the review, the staff and management of Leigh Community Pre-School Inc 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 Leigh Community Pre-School Inc will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
10 December 2015
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 |
Leigh, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20336 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
39 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 21 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
9 |
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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 |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
10 December 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
September 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 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.