762 Franklin Street, Pirongia
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pirongia Playcentre is a parent-led, mixed-age service, situated in the village of Pirongia near Te Awamutu. It is licensed for 26 children, including 10 up to the age of two years. Of the 31 children enrolled, four are of Māori descent. The playcentre currently operates three morning sessions for all children on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 'Challenger' sessions for older children on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In 2018, The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) is transitioning from operating as 32 regional associations to a national organisation with six offices. In the Central North Island eight associations have merged into a regional hub renamed Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island. This region includes 95 playcentres spread over a large geographic area, with a regional office in Hamilton. The national Te Whare Tikanga Māori initiative, promotes self-determination for Māori members through regular hui and targeted funding. During an ongoing period of transition, there is some overlap between previous local association systems and new national approaches.
The revised management structure consists of a regional manager and a centre support coordinator who provide systems and processes that support strategic planning, internal evaluation, administration and human resources management. A centre support worker and centre administrator provide support and guidance for curriculum, parent education and centre operations. Responsibility for centre leadership is shared by centre members.
The centre operates from an historic building believed to be one of the first school buildings constructed in the area. Children and parents make good use of spacious grounds, an adjacent park and other local amenities. Since the previous 2014 ERO review, there have been continual membership changes. A group of new families have joined the playcentre this year and have begun participating in newly developed national playcentre education and training courses.
Through its philosophy the centre aims to promote spontaneous, child-initiated play that extends the learning of each child. Parents are valued as first teachers. They are supported to develop a curriculum which assists all children to grow up as competent, and confident learners and communicators.
The centre has a positive ERO reporting history.
Interactions and relationships between adults and children are consistently positive and supportive. Adults actively engage in children's play, tuning in to their interests and providing respectful choices about their activities. Open-ended questions encourage children to think and extend their ideas and learning. Literacy, mathematics, science, and te reo Māori are continually integrated within planned and spontaneous learning experiences. Positive guidance encourages children to make friends and support each other across age groups. Children demonstrate settled and sustained engagement in a wide range of increasingly complex activities. They are confident and competent learners.
Children under two make good use of a calm, uncluttered environment to learn and explore with parents and siblings. They have space to explore independently and in their own time. Their verbal and non-verbal cues are understood and responded to by their parents and other adults. Infants and toddlers have a strong sense of belonging at the centre as happy, settled explorers.
Attractive and welcoming Indoor and outdoor learning environments continue to be very well resourced to support children's learning and play. The easy accessibility of a wide range of equipment encourages children to be self managing in determining their play and pursuing their interests.
The curriculum is effectively led by children, with intentional support from adults. Very well established processes for assessment, planning and evaluation include the extension of children's interests and learning over time. Adults choose from a range of assessment strategies to demonstrate how they notice, recognise and respond to the interests and learning needs of each child. Learning is visible on wall displays and in well maintained individual portfolios. Aspects of Māori culture and tradition have been incorporated within the programme. Adults are aware of the need to become more familiar with Te Whāriki 2017.
The centre president effectively promotes collaboration and shared leadership among members. She is experienced, knowledgeable and well qualified in early childhood education theory and practice. Centre leaders and members are well supported by the centre support worker and the supervisor of 'Challenger' sessions. Leaders provide strong welcoming support for new families with an appropriate emphasis on parent education to build capacity for session supervision and to promote sustainability of the centre. There is centre-wide ownership of the philosophy and effective strategic and annual planning processes. Internal evaluation results in positive improvement in the provision for children’s learning and play. Centre leaders have established a positive culture of nurture, care and information sharing for children and their families.
Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island is in the early stages of providing governance support for centres. Comprehensive, national policies and processes for planning, reporting, appraisal and other operations have been developed and are now beginning to be implemented. Playcentre members understand their responsibility for local governance. As the implementation of structural changes continues, there will be a need to evaluate the resulting impact and outcomes for children and families.
Key next steps for this centre are to further develop:
awareness of Te Whāriki 2017 for all members
bicultural perspectives in assessment and the curriculum.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pirongia Playcentre 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 Pirongia Playcentre will be in three years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
6 December 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.
|
Location |
Pirongia, near Te Awamutu |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
31007 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
26 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
31 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 18 Girls 13 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
|
Review team on site |
September 2018 |
|
|
Date of this report |
6 December 2018 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2014 |
|
Education Review |
July 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
|
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pirongia Playcentre is a family based, parent-run cooperative service, located in the rural community of Pirongia, near Te Awamutu. The service operates under the umbrella of the King Country Playcentre Association (KCPA) and caters for children and families from birth to school age. The KCPA assists the centre by providing a framework for governance, including a comprehensive range of policies and administrative support.
The centre provides mixed-age sessions, open to all preschoolers and their chosen caregiver. Three general sessions run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and two supervised sessions for older children are held on Tuesday and Thursday.
The centre operates from a historic building believed to be the first school building constructed in the Pirongia area. Children and parents also make good use of the adjacent park, bike track and other local amenities. The outdoor area is spacious and affords many opportunities for active play and exploration. Since the last ERO review in 2011, the outdoor area has been extended to provide extra space, which is particularly useful during wet weather. In addition, a new administration room has been added, the library repositioned, and resources for younger children have been enhanced.
The centre aims to assist all children to grow up as ‘competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.’
The co-presidents, assisted by KCPA personnel, are providing strong and knowledgeable leadership for the playcentre community. They are ably supported by office holders and other parent members. Highly effective leadership is contributing to strong partnerships among parents and shared understandings about centre philosophy, purpose and direction.
The indoor and outdoor learning environments enable children to explore and have prolonged access to high-quality resources and learning spaces. Children have extensive choice about their learning and about their levels of involvement with activities. They are able to follow and maintain an interest, and challenge themselves within a closely monitored environment. ERO observed children happily involved in exploring their environment, communicating with their parents and playing alongside their peers.
Leaders have high expectations for parents as first teachers and children as competent learners. Teaching strategies are focused on building children’s confidence as learners and capacity as decision makers. Parents notice opportunities to become involved and promote children’s learning and independence. Interactions are characterised by positive relationships and respect for children’s rights and dignity. The programme also promotes older children supporting younger children (tuakana-teina) and leadership opportunities for older children.
The playcentre programme is designed to meet the specific needs of children and the aspirations of parents. The programme is closely based on the strands and principles of Te Whāriki the early childhood curriculum, and all areas of play are evident in the environment and in children’s learning. The programme enables children to develop early literacy and mathematics skills and concepts as they explore their theories and ideas. Children also have many opportunities to develop their creativity and expression through art, music, drama, and role playing through a wide range of spontaneous play and investigation. Parents and children also go on excursions within the wider community that support children’s current interests and ideas.
Individual child portfolios and other displays around the centre make children’s learning visible. As a result of a recent review these documents are now more accessible to children and families to share and revisit learning. Assessment practices are well understood by senior members and are focused on noticing what children are doing, recognising the learning that is occurring, and responding by planning further experiences where appropriate. Centre leaders, with support from KCPA, recognise the need to continue to build members’ capability and knowledge about current best practice in documenting children’s learning.
Leadership within the centre is focused on providing high-quality early childhood education and care.
Centre leaders have put systems in place to support sustainability and continuation of direction and practice should parents move on from the centre. Effective self review, clarity of roles, ongoing parent education and a commitment to providing relevant professional development to increase members’ individual and collective capabilities, also strengthen the sustainability of the centre.
The centre demonstrates a commitment to bicultural practice and is guided by one of the parents. Centre leaders acknowledge the need to continue to prioritise enhancing parents’ capability to integrate Māori perspectives throughout the programme, environment and interactions with children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pirongia Playcentre 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 Pirongia Playcentre will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
17 October 2014
|
Location |
Pirongia, Waikato |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
31007 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
26 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
46 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 24 Girls 22 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other |
3 42 1 |
|
Review team on site |
August 2014 |
|
|
Date of this report |
17 October 2014 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2011 |
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2003 |
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.