14 Larch Street, Rotorua Central, 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 Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding |
Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten is a not-for-profit center governed by the Steiner School Trust Board. Of the children enrolled during this review, a small number identify as Māori or as Pacific. The service philosophy values children learning truth, beauty and goodness through rituals and rhythms in a homelike natural environment.
Children experience a curriculum that effectively blends the theories of Rudolf Steiner with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The centre philosophy is strongly enacted through intentional teaching practices within the learning environment. Tuakana-teina (older-younger child) relationships support younger children to grow their capabilities. Children’s additional learning needs are well supported through partnerships between teachers, families, and external agencies. Children’s interests, ways of learning, understandings about the world, imagination and creativity are extended. They lead their own learning and engage in sustained play.
Leaders and teachers have formed strong, respectful partnerships with parents and whānau. Daily transitions into the centre are calm and unhurried, with time given for sharing information and gathering parent aspirations. Home languages, te reo Māori, waiata and local Māori stories are integrated into daily rituals. Parents have some opportunities to share aspects of their culture. Staff are building their cultural responsiveness within the curriculum.
Leaders and teachers work collaboratively together to build their professional knowledge. Teachers are beginning to include the valued outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in their documentation of children’s learning. Professional growth cycles are being established. Evaluation for improvement is at an early stage. The service is not yet considering the impact of changes made on children’s outcomes.
Governance and leadership have an equity lens. Barriers to inclusion and access are minimised. Systems have strengthened, and continue to be developed to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance. The well-being of children is the primary consideration in decision making.
Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Continue to develop teachers’ capability to respond to each child’s culture, language and identity and reflect this in documentation of assessment and planning.
Align the valued outcomes of Te Whāriki with both the Pathways philosophy and Rudolf Steiner curriculum to better inform assessment and planning for children’s learning.
Engage all staff in professional learning designed to give them the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage in internal evaluation for improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten 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:
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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
30 March 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten |
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Profile Number |
40053 |
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Location |
Rotorua |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
20 children, aged over 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
50-79% |
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Service roll |
27 |
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Review team on site |
February 2023 |
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Date of this report |
30 March 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, February 2022; Akanuku | Assurance Review, November 2020 |
ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten is governed by a community board of trustees. The 2020 ERO review identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that were an unacceptable risk to children. The service was reissued a full licence in February 2021. Some progress is evident. There have been significant leadership and staffing changes recently.
The service curriculum is consistent with Rudolf Steiner philosophy, and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning. The curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s developing social competency is supported and their preferences are respected. Assessment demonstrates an understanding of children’s interests and learning. Parents are provided with opportunities to contribute to the review of the service’s policies and procedures.
Health and Safety requirements are not yet being consistently implemented.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008]
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
17 February 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Pathways Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten |
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Profile Number |
40053 |
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Location |
Rotorua |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
20 children aged over two |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
29 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 5, NZ European/Pākehā 20, Other ethnic groups 4 |
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Review team on site |
December 2021 |
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Date of this report |
17 February 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, November 2020; Education Review, November 2018 |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through: