Early Learners Cate Rd

Education institution number:
30131
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
36
Telephone:
Address:

41 Cate Road, Flagstaff-Hamilton, Hamilton

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The Kids Club - 19/08/2019

1 Evaluation of The Kids Club

How well placed is The Kids Club to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

The Kids Club is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

The Kids Club is a privately owned centre located in Rototuna, Hamilton. The centre provides all-day education and care for children from two years to approximately four years old. At the time of this review 31 children were enrolled including three of Māori heritage and a number of children from other ethnicities. A high proportion of children transition into The Kids Club 2, which is a centre catering for older children, operated by the same provider. A third centre next door to The Kids Club and under the same licence and ownership, The Kids Club Little Learners, closed at the end of 2018. This centre catered for children up to the age of two years. The licence has not yet been updated to reflect this change.

Caring, respectful and collaborative relationships are at the heart of the centre’s philosophy. Teachers aim to support children to develop a positive attitude to learning by providing a purposeful localised education programme, based on how children learn and incorporating the values of ‘caring, educational, structured and fun’.

Since the 2016 ERO review there have been significant changes to the leadership and teaching team. The centre director is now in the role of senior teacher at The Kids Club to replace the previous senior teacher who recently left the service. A leadership restructure was implemented in 2019, with a new curriculum and compliance manager position created.

The areas identified as next steps in the previous ERO report were to increase children’s opportunities to initiate their own exploration and imaginative play and to review children’s ongoing access to resources. Teaching practice was to be strengthened to use authentic contexts and children’s real-life experiences for meaningful mathematics and literacy learning. Leaders and teachers have reviewed these areas but there has not been a significant impact in change of practice. These remain areas to prioritise with the new teaching team.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from positive, sensitive and respectful relationships with their teachers. Children's social competence is well supported and self-management skills are valued. Transitions into the centre and on to The Kids Club 2 are based on readiness and in consultation with parents. Children with additional learning needs are well supported with inclusive practice and teachers working in partnership with families and external agencies where required. Children learn in a calm and settled environment.

Children participate in a range of planned and spontaneous learning experiences. Portfolios capture children's engagement in activities and events at the centre. They are yet to capture children's individual language, culture and identities. Learning shared is mainly linked to The Kids Club own identified learning outcomes. Further professional development is required to ensure that teaching knowledge and practice reflects the holistic way in which children learn and develop.

The curriculum needs to be revised to more strongly reflect the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki. There is a high focus on literacy and mathematics. Children can access the well-resourced outdoor environment.

Children are supported to appreciate the cultures that are reflected in their community with celebrations, events and some use of home languages. This supports children and families with English as a second language to settle. The bicultural curriculum needs strengthening to further support Māori learners and ensure that all children grow up with an appreciation of the rich heritage of New Zealand.

Leaders are effectively building teacher capability to promote positive learning outcomes for children. There has been an increased focus on creating leadership roles for teachers. The appraisal process has been strengthened. Internal evaluation is robust and systematic with a focus on impact for children and families.

A clear philosophy and values set the direction for the centre. There is strong alignment between strategic plan, internal evaluation, professional learning, and staff appraisal. While policies are regularly reviewed, consideration should be given to strengthening the robustness of the process including consultation with parents. The director demonstrates a strong commitment to providing education focused on preparing children for school.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for The Kids Club to:

  • prioritise the revision of the curriculum, teaching practice and documented learning outcomes to more strongly reflect the intent of the New Zealand early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki

  • making visible individual children's language, culture and identity in planning and assessment documentation

  • strengthen the bicultural curriculum, resources and teaching practices to reflect the dual heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of The Kids Club 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.

In order to improve current practice matters relating to safety for children need to be consistently identified and any potential risk responded to.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

19 August 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

Hamilton

Ministry of Education profile number

30131

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

55 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

31

Gender composition

Female 18 Male 13

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other

3
20
8

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

May 2018

Date of this report

19 August 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

January 2016

Education Review

May 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

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.

The Kids Club - 13/01/2016

1 Evaluation of The Kids Club

How well placed is The Kids Club 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

The Kids Club is a privately owned centre that provides sessional education and care for children from birth to approximately three and a half years of age. A high proportion of children transition to The Kids Club 2, which is a centre catering for children from approximately three and a half to school age, and is operated by the same service provider. The Kids Club operates as two age-related sections in adjacent facilities in the north-eastern suburbs of Hamilton. The current roll is 73, with a low number of children who identify as Māori.

The owner retains overall responsibility for governance matters such as employment, finance, centre philosophy and values, and the policy framework. In addition, she is a qualified teacher and regularly contributes in both of The Kids Club centres. A senior teacher leads each age-related section and is responsible for daily operations. The three senior teachers in The Kids Club and The Kids Club 2 are also taking increasing responsibility for professional leadership including staff performance management in their own section. The centre has maintained a high proportion of qualified teaching staff.

The Kids Club philosophy places emphasis on developing a strong sense of belonging for children and creating partnerships with families through positive social interactions. The programme planning seeks to incorporate the centre’s core value themes as being ‘caring, structured, educational and fun’.

The owner, senior teachers and staff have been involved in significant and sustained professional development that has been built on the recommendations in the 2012 ERO report. Extensive self review of curriculum areas and many aspects of practice has supported the centre to maintain a strong focus on continual improvement, and to continue to provide quality education for the children enrolled.

The Review Findings

Children and their families experience respectful, caring and positive relationships. This is reflected in the deliberate daily communication between staff and families that includes time for personal greetings and the exchange of relevant information about children. This process strongly supports a settled, calm environment built on mutual trust, and contributes to the strong sense of belonging for children and their families. Familiar routines support children to develop confidence in independence and self-management skills. Transitions into and within the centre are well managed to ensure the full support and involvement of families.

The bicultural development of the programme is evident in the promotion of each child’s identity, culture and language. The daily programme includes waiata and karakia. Māori myths and legends are shared with children, and cultural symbols are evident in the environment. In addition, thoughtful consideration is given to children of other cultures to ensure that a sense of genuine inclusion is experienced.

Babies and toddlers benefit from safe, settled areas for independent exploration and play. Both inside and outdoors areas are well resourced with age-appropriate furniture and equipment. Effective daily communication between teachers and parents ensures that routines at home are supported in the centre. High quality responsive care is provided for these very young children to meet their physical and emotional needs.

Teachers know children, and their family’s aspirations for them, very well. Children with particular challenges or additional needs are made to feel included and effectively supported. This knowledge supports teachers as they collaboratively plan and evaluate programmes on a daily and weekly basis. This detailed work is informed by observations of children’s current interests and integrated into a thematic approach. Planning and evaluation is made visible for parents throughout the centre.

Teachers prepare well-presented individual portfolios for children that illustrate their learning and involvement in the centre’s extensive programme. Learning stories frequently make reference to the strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Portfolios also include a summary report each term for parents, and invite family input into children’s future learning goals.

Children’s development of oral language is well supported through teacher conversations, songs, stories, and the rich literacy environment. Teachers are at an early stage of developing children’s understanding of the natural world around them. A next step is for teachers to make greater use of authentic contexts and children’s real-life experiences for meaningful mathematical and literacy learning.

Children arrive to a teacher-prepared environment intended to support their engagement and settling into the centre. Each session programme includes specific times for children to be gathered together for meals, mat times for music and movement, and storytelling. The remaining time in the session allows children the opportunity to choose where to play in teacher-prepared areas. The owner and senior teachers are aware of the need to review children’s ongoing access to resources in light of current best practice in early childhood education.

The owner/service provider continues to provide strong supportive leadership for the centre community. She has successfully built a collegial staff, which share her commitment and vision. The owner and head teachers work together to build leadership and professional capacity in their teams. Performance management has a strong emphasis on development, and teachers are supported to be reflective practitioners. There is a thorough, structured approach to self review which occurs both spontaneously and strategic processes. Elements of centre operations and early childhood education have been the recent focus for review.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders and ERO agree that a key step is to increase children’s opportunities to initiate their own exploration and imaginative play.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of The Kids Club 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 The Kids Club will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

13 January 2016

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

Hamilton

Ministry of Education profile number

30131

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

55 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

73

Gender composition

Boys 39 Girls 34

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Indian

Chinese

Other

8

46

3

2

14

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2015

Date of this report

13 January 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

May 2012

 

Education Review

April 2009

 

Education Review

April 2006

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.