141 Ranolf Street, Rotorua
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 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 The Treehouse on Ranolf are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
The Treehouse on Ranolf is a privately owned service. The owners actively support the manager who is responsible for daily operations. The philosophy prioritises the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and providing a safe, secure, caring environment. A small number of tamariki, Māori tamariki and some fānaú (children) with Pacific heritage are enrolled.
Older and younger tamariki confidently make choices for themselves. Their independence is fostered through a play-based curriculum. The teaching practices of kaiako are responsive to the individual ages and developmental stages of tamariki. They are well supported by kaiako to develop social competency skills to interact with each other and positively participate in group activities.
The service is at an early stage of developing culturally responsive practices. Māori tamariki hear some basic te reo Māori and experience aspects of tikanga Māori. There is yet to be consistent use by kaiako of te reo Māori. Pacific cultures are acknowledged through celebrations. The teaching team is developing ways to improve how they respond to the cultures, languages, and identity of all tamariki.
The manager and kaiako are working to improve assessment records and planning for the learning of tamariki. This work has been hindered by staffing changes. The teaching team is yet to plan for intentional teaching strategies that respond to and deepen the learning of individual tamariki in meaningful ways. This is particularly relevant for younger Māori tamariki. Teachers are yet to develop a shared understanding of the intended learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Owners and the manager are beginning to focus on how changes made, impact on the learning of tamariki. As a new teaching team, building a shared understanding of strategies to support the learning of tamariki is a priority. Internal evaluation and professional growth cycles have been established but are yet to be fully implemented.
The Treehouse on Ranolf will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Treehouse on Ranolf completed an ERO 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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
23 January 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Treehouse on Ranolf |
| Profile Number | 30273 |
| Location | Rotorua |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 38 children, including up to 16 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 37 |
| Review team on site | November 2023 |
| Date of this report | 23 January 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, January 2021; Education Review, August 2015 |
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 (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. Information about Akarangi | Quality Evaluations can be found here.
ERO’s judgements for The Treehouse on Ranolf are as follows:
Outcome Indicators | ERO’s judgement |
| What the service knows about outcomes for learners | Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning | Whāngai Establishing |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement | Whāngai Establishing |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement | Whakaū Embedding |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management | Whakatō Emerging |
At The Treehouse on Ranolf, older and younger children play and learn in two separate areas. The owners work with the centre manager to govern and manage the service. The manager has responsibility for professional leadership. Several staff and the centre manager have been appointed since the August 2015 ERO evaluation.
The service is working towards implementing a responsive, inclusive curriculum. Children lead their own learning, take responsibility for the environment and are developing social competence. Infants and toddlers’ sense of security is enhanced through strong relationships between parents, teachers and children. Those requiring additional learning support are actively engaged in learning by teachers who work alongside parents and external agencies.
Culturally responsive practices are developing. Teachers are building their use and understanding of te reo and tikanga Māori. They are yet to fully explore teaching strategies that promote educational success for Māori and children of Pacific heritage. New approaches for parents to contribute to planning and share their cultural knowledge are evident. This should increase opportunities for all children to have their cultures, languages and identities reflected and responded to within the curriculum.
Teachers are beginning to explore children’s learning and progress in relation to the intended outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Recently strengthened assessment and planning processes are intended to reflect children’s learning journeys. A current review of the philosophy is helping to identify the service's values and priorities for children’s learning. From this work, development of a localised curriculum should help teachers identify more relevant outcomes for children to support their progress in learning.
Leaders have established relational trust amongst the teaching team that is promoting improvement. Increasing collaboration amongst teachers is allowing them to share expertise and build professional practice. Leaders continue to develop a range of systems and processes to support the services operation. Ongoing strengthening of compliance systems, assessment and planning, internal evaluation and strategic planning should further improve outcomes for children.
The Treehouse on Ranolf will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Treehouse on Ranolf 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.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 January 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Treehouse on Ranolf |
| Profile Number | 30273 |
| Location | Rotorua |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 38 children, including up to 16 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 47 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 15, NZ European/Pākehā 27, Other ethnic groups 5. |
| Review team on site | October 2020 |
| Date of this report | 21 January 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, August 2015; Education Review, August 2012. |