Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

Education institution number:
25354
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
40
Telephone:
Address:

28 Puhinui Road, Manukau, Auckland

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Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool is governed by Footsteps Early Education Trust. A qualified centre manager leads a team of five registered teachers and three support teachers. There are two areas for different age groups of children. Most of the children attending the service have Pacific heritage, including Samoan, Tongan and Cook Islands Māori. A small number of children are Māori.

3 Summary of findings

Children show curiosity and actively explore the range of experiences provided for them. They demonstrate independence through selecting resources and making play choices. Learning resources are presented to children in a respectful manner, within a play-based curriculum.

The Christian values in the service philosophy, such as kindness, respect and love, are woven into the service curriculum. Tikanga Māori and te reo Māori are valued. Children participate in daily karakia, sing waiata, and children know they have their own pepeha. Service leaders are committed to further developing the teaching team’s bicultural capabilities.

Teachers and leaders respond to children’s interests and support their engagement in purposeful play and learning. They work closely with external support agencies and adapt their teaching strategies to support children with additional learning needs.

Teachers design learning programmes to foster children’s literacy, numeracy, scientific and creative skills. They align their practice to the intended outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers embrace the cultural diversity of families and whānau through cultural celebrations and use of home languages, particularly for children who have Pacific heritage.

Teachers and leaders use assessment processes to clearly document children’s individual learning. They are working to improve assessment records by writing how children’s learning progresses over time.

Service leaders, teachers and the trust collaborate to implement evaluation systems and processes. Since the 2019 ERO review, they have made good use of internal evaluation to identify learning and improvement priorities. Service leaders plan to have a greater focus on evaluating the impact of practices on improving outcomes for children.

4 Improvement actions

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Integrate practices and processes that promote success for Māori children through deepening the bicultural capabilities of the trust, managers, leaders, and teachers.

  • Strengthen assessment documentation by ensuring that children’s learning progress over time is clearly visible.

  • Continue to embed internal evaluation by monitoring of the impact of improvements on positive outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool 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.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

15 September 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

Profile Number

25354

Location

Papatoetoe, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

50 children over two years of age

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

51

Review team on site

July 2022

Date of this report

15 September 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, March 2019; Education Review, June 2015

 

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool - 07/03/2019

1 Evaluation of Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

How well placed is Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool provides education and care for up to 50 children from two years to school age. Most staff are qualified early childhood teachers. Children play and learn in two separate rooms and share an outdoor area. Each room's team is led by a qualified teacher.

The preschool is purpose-built and located next to the Papatoetoe Adventist Church. The Christian based mission, vision and philosophy guide the centre's operations and teaching practices. The preschool is governed by the Papatoetoe Adventist Early Childhood Trust (PAECT). A management committee of parents provides support and community perspectives as they work in association with the centre manager.

Since the 2015 ERO review there have been staff changes. This includes the appointment of a new centre manager who is responsible for the day-to-day operations. The centre manager is well-supported by an experienced former centre leader who visits regularly and provides ongoing mentoring.

The 2015 ERO report identified positive relationships and caring interactions between adults and children. This continues to be a feature of the centre. While leaders and teachers have made progress in addressing some key next steps from the report, there is further work to be done to strengthen bicultural practice, children's learning and internal evaluation.

The Review Findings

Children experience responsive, respectful relationships with their teachers. They confidently play in very well-resourced preschool environments. Children are familiar with the programmes and clear, daily routines. Together, these aspects help to foster children's sense of belonging and wellbeing while at the centre.

Children have many opportunities to choose activities provided by teachers in the calm, unhurried environment. Teachers skilfully include the centre's Christian philosophy and values in routines and programmes. Music and singing is naturally integrated into the daily programme.

Teachers provide a welcoming, inclusive environment for children and parents/whānau. They maintain friendly, caring relationships with parents. Teachers value and respect the home languages of children who speak languages other than English. Leaders and teachers sensitively support and encourage parents with their parenting role.

Transitions into and within the centre are well managed to meet the needs of children and their families. Supporting families through the transition to school process is a strength of the centre. Older children experience a school readiness programme that incorporates visits to local schools. Leaders and teachers need to ensure children's literacy and numeracy activities are integrated into meaningful learning experiences. They should review their use of worksheets as part of the school readiness programme.

Leaders and teachers collaboratively plan the programmes. They thoughtfully set up attractive, well-defined learning areas. Teachers sensitively support children's participation in the programme. They use a range of appropriate teaching strategies and approaches. Parents are regularly informed about their children's experiences in the planned programme. Staff use a wide variety of communication strategies to invite feedback and involvement.

The centre operates under clear governance, management and leadership roles and responsibilities. Leaders use a well-organised policy and procedure framework to guide the centre's processes and practices. Appraisal and whole-centre professional learning helps to build teachers' shared understandings and consistent teaching practice. Leaders now need to make the centre's bicultural commitment more visible in key documentation.

Leaders encourage open professional conversations. They value teachers' strengths and provide leadership opportunities. Leaders foster in-depth discussions about a wide range of relevant topics to increase teachers' meaningful engagement with children. The teaching team is open to learning and committed to providing an inclusive programme that fosters children's holistic development and wellbeing.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps include:

  • integrating evidence of the centre's commitment to the bicultural nature of Aotearoa New Zealand in key centre documentation

  • refining assessment, planning and evaluation processes to foreground children's learning as the purpose of planning and evaluation

  • recording children's learning progress over time, particularly in the school readiness programme

  • strengthening internal evaluation to clearly identify the impact of changes to improve outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool 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.

To improve current practice, leaders need to ensure that all emergency drills are recorded.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

7 March 2019

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

Location

Papatoetoe, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

25354

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children aged over 2 years

Service roll

55

Gender composition

Boys 30 Girls 25

Ethnic composition

Māori
Samoan
Tongan
Cook Island Māori
Indian
other ethnic groups

5
15
8
5
5
17

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2019

Date of this report

7 March 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

June 2015

Education Review

April 2012

Education Review

April 2009

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 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.

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.

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool - 10/06/2015

1 Evaluation of Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool

How well placed is Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool is a purpose-built centre located next to the Papatoetoe Adventist Church. The preschool has a Christian based philosophy with an emphasis on providing for its diverse cultural community. It offers half-day and six-hour sessions. The Pond Room caters for children aged between 2 and approximately 3 ½ years of age. The Beehive Room provides for older children up to 5 years of age. Children also access a shared outdoor area.

The centre is run by a charitable trust. A governance board oversees financial aspects of service operations. Daily management is the responsibility of a centre manager, supported by two lead teachers. All of the teachers are qualified and registered.

ERO’s 2012 report noted positive relationships and interactions between adults and children. It commented on the variety of curriculum experiences offered to children to promote their health, wellbeing and spiritual development. These remain positive features of the programme. ERO recommended that teachers refine programme planning, assessment and evaluation and strengthen partnerships with parents/whānau. ERO also recommended teachers improve transitions within the centre and on to school. The teaching team is committed to make ongoing improvements in these areas of their professional practice.

The Review Findings

A calm and positive tone supports children to settle quickly into the programme. Children move between clearly defined areas of play that are attractively presented to invite exploration. They are confident to work alongside other children and talk about their experiences. Children sometimes participate in sustained, cooperative play.

Teachers’ interactions with children are caring and respectful. They are alongside children and listen carefully to their thoughts and ideas. Teachers know individual children well and respect children’s diverse cultural backgrounds. They effectively support children’s developing social skills. The programme caters well for children with special educational requirements.

The centre’s Christian philosophy and values are well integrated into the programme. Teachers plan to further develop learning programmes that emerge from children’s interests, particularly in the Beehive Room. Programme planning systems make clear links with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Parent/teacher interviews are an opportunity for teachers and parents to share information and for parents to discuss their aspirations for their children’s learning. Parents/whānau also appreciate informal opportunities to talk with teachers about their children.

Children’s participation in the programme is attractively documented. Teachers skilfully identify the learning that happens in children’s play. They could more clearly show children’s learning and progress over time and evaluate group programmes to identify improved learning outcomes for children.

The centre is committed to developing practices that reflect the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Teachers are using resources to help them increase the use of te reo Māori during group times. They could also incorporate more te reo Māori in their spontaneous interactions with children. Reviewing the centre philosophy and developing a long-term goal to reflect the centre-wide focus on biculturalism and te reo Māori are appropriate next steps.

Teachers are currently strengthening their support for children and families to settle into the centre, move between the two rooms and onto school. Centre leaders report the improved transition practices have benefitted children from diverse cultural groups, particularly those from Pacific Island nations. ERO’s 2012 report noted that supporting children to develop inquiry skills could better prepare them for school. Centre leaders recognise that they could use recent research and current theory to review the centre’s ‘school readiness’ programme.

The centre manager provides effective leadership. She works collaboratively with the lead teachers to promote team approaches. Staff are focused on continuous improvement. Teacher appraisals provide opportunities for teachers to reflect on and develop their practices. Professional development is supporting teachers to strengthen self-review systems. Leaders agree that it would be useful to evaluate the impact of change on learning outcomes for children.

The governance board has a good understanding of trustees’ roles and responsibilities. Operational systems are efficient, including the management of privacy requirements. A parent committee contributes their perspectives to the overall management of the centre. The board is currently reviewing the centre’s strategic plan. Revisiting and adding to the plan annually could enable them to maintain a long-term vision for the centre’s future direction and ongoing development.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders agree that key next steps include:

  • continuing to review and improve transition practices, particularly the ‘school readiness’ programme
  • increasing the visibility of the centre’s commitment to bicultural development
  • following up on identified next learning steps to show children’s progress over time
  • using self review to evaluate how the programme and teaching practices improve outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool 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 Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

10 June 2015

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

Location

Papatoetoe, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

25354

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children over 2 years of age

Service roll

71

Gender composition

Girls 38

Boys 33

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Tongan

Samoan

Cook Island

Indian

Chinese

Niuean

Middle Eastern

Southeast Asian

other ethnicities

11

11

9

8

7

6

3

3

3

3

7

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

NA

 
 

Over 2

1:10

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2015

Date of this report

10 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

April 2012

 

Education Review

April 2009

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.