282 Cambridge Road, Bethlehem, Tauranga
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 (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.
ERO’s judgements for Nestlings Preschool are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whāngai Establishing |
Nestlings Preschool is a privately owned service. Christian principles, values and beliefs are at the foundation of the centre’s philosophy and operations. The centre manager leads a team of six qualified, long serving teachers. The service responded positively to the key next steps from ERO’s 2017 evaluation.
Children experience positive, warm, and responsive relationships with teachers. Learners’ social and emotional competence is nurtured as they play alongside their peers in the large, well-resourced environment. Transitions into the service carefully consider the needs of the child, enabling whānau and the learner to develop a strong sense of security and belonging. Children play in a calm and settled environment which benefits their learning and development.
Teachers are starting to use assessment processes to consider how well their curriculum responds to children’s developing capabilities and supports equitable opportunities to learn. Individual planning for children with additional needs supports an inclusive approach. A transition to school programme has a strong focus on literacy development. News sharing and project work fosters children’s listening and questioning skills. Leaders and teachers are involved with their Kahui Ako group, promoting relationships between local schools and the service. Children’s learning is enhanced through the literacy rich curriculum.
The service is beginning to grow learning focused partnerships with parents. Teachers regularly discuss learning and provide verbal feedback to whānau. Parents have begun to share aspirations for their child’s learning with teachers. The valuing and embedding of parent voice through planning, assessment, and other operational systems is yet to be established.
Leaders and teachers are in the early stages of developing their cultural competence. Christian values are aligned to Māori values. Teachers are starting to use the cultural expertise of Māori whānau. Older children regularly hear and use te reo Māori in meaningful ways. Children’s cultures and languages are beginning to be openly reflected in the programme.
Leaders have purposefully built a culture of collaboration and trust. Internal evaluation for improvement is aligned to strategic goals and teachers’ individual inquiries. Established operational conditions support positive learning outcomes for children and their whānau.
Nestlings Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Nestlings 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:
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.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
22 November 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Nestlings Preschool |
| Profile Number | 40285 |
| Location |
Bethlehem, Tauranga |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 3 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
46 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 1, NZ European/Pākehā 39, Other ethnic groups 6. |
|
Review team on site |
June 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
22 November 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, November 2017; Education Review, November 2013. |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Nestlings Preschool provides full-day education and care for children from two years to school age. The centre is privately owned and operated. It is situated in a semi-rural area of Tauranga and is licensed for 30 children. Currently 41 children are enrolled, including two who identify as Māori.
The centre's Christian-based philosophy strongly follows and promotes values such as kind and caring relationships. The centre aims to promote children's interests and uniqueness through a structured programme that fosters their confidence and competence.
The centre is a member of the Otūmoetai Community of Learners|Kāhui Ako.
Since the last ERO report in 2013 an external appraiser has been appraising the centre manager and the outdoor environment has been upgraded. The teaching team has remained constant with a new co-manager appointed in 2016.
The centre has established strong, positive and reciprocal partnerships with families. Effective communication encourages them to take an active role in centre life. An online assessment tool provides parents with good opportunities to have input into the programme. Parents and whānau are actively engaged and well informed in their children's learning.
Children's wellbeing and belonging is effectively supported by respectful and responsive teaching. They benefit from long-standing teachers who provide stability and continuity of learning. Children are encouraged to play co-operatively and social competency is fostered through positive and sustained interactions. Children are empowered to become increasingly knowledgeable and capable self-managing learners.
The Christian-based curriculum is responsive to the strengths, interests, and capabilities of all children. The well considered and spacious environment encourages all areas of learning to be accessible and utilised. Teachers effectively use assessment for learning, which follows the children's interests. Teachers plan for a programme that is authentic, personalised and meaningful for each child. To further extend on this, setting realistic goals for children will allow their progress to be visible over time. The curriculum is designed to reflect a play-based approach to learning. A mix of adult-led and child-directed experiences promotes children's confidence and independence.
Teachers use deliberate strategies to extend children's emerging interests and ideas. Children are supported to make choices and decisions about their sustained play. They are able to fully participate in an inclusive learning programme. Te reo and tikanga are well-supported by teachers who are strongly committed to promoting bi-cultural practice. Teachers' use of rich language through engaging interactions is enhancing children's communication skills. Children’s learning is fostered and supported by intentional teaching practice.
Distributed leadership empowers teachers to take responsibility and lead aspects of centre operations. Leadership is focussed on reflective and collaborative practice, building teacher capability and improvement through ongoing self review. Through the guidance of an external facilitator, the appraisal process for the centre manager has been strengthened and now includes a stronger focus on building capacity and effective goal setting. Leaders have established a culture in which children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are, and what they bring to their learning.
The centre owner provides effective governance and management for the centre. She is committed to the establishment of a high-quality education and care service. Systems and procedures guide the daily centre operation and collaborative relationships with staff and families is a feature of the service. Christian beliefs and values strongly underpin the vision and philosophy that drive the centre's direction and development. The owner has created a strong organisational culture that is leading to ongoing improvement and positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO and leaders agree that the important next steps for improvement are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Nestlings 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:
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 Nestlings Preschool will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
27 November 2017
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.
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Location |
Tauranga |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
40285 |
||
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 3 aged under 2 |
||
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Service roll |
41 |
||
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Gender composition |
Girls 21 Boys 20 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
October 2017 |
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Date of this report |
27 November 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
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|
Education Review |
January 2008 |
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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.