4 Palm Springs Boulevard, Papamoa, Tauranga
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.
First Steps Papamoa is situated in Papamoa in the Western Bay of Plenty. It is an all-day education and care centre licensed for 70 children including up to 12 aged under two years. It operates three age-based rooms catering for infants, toddlers and young children. At the time of this review there were 81 children enrolled, mostly of Māori and Pākehā descent and including a small number of children from other nationalities.
Since the last ERO review in 2014 the governing organisation has changed its name from Kidicorp to BestStart Educare Limited and has become a not-for-profit organisation. A professional service manager and business manager provide support for the centre. The centre operates under the Central North Island Waikato regional management team within BestStart.
The philosophy of the centre is to provide a learning environment that supports children to develop their creativity and confidence. Priority is placed on respecting the dual heritage of New Zealand, Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnerships and working collaboratively with families and the local community.
The centre has responded positively to the next steps identified in the 2015 ERO report and have strengthened internal evaluation processes. They have refined and improved assessment, planning and evaluation practices. Stability of staffing has been maintained and some teachers have been long serving in the centre.
This review was part of a cluster of four reviews in the BestStart Educare Limited Central North Island region.
Children and their families are warmly welcomed into a homely environment where they experience trusting and respectful relationships. Teachers recognise the importance of children learning
through their friendships, interests and play. Transitions into the centre, within and on to school are individualised and responsive to children's wellbeing. Teachers give priority to:
using intentional teaching strategies and learning conversations to encourage children to critically think and problem solve through research and inquiry learning
giving ongoing positive affirmation of children's contributions and efforts supporting them to view themselves as capable and confident self-managing learners
inclusive practices and deliberate planning, promoting equitable outcomes for children who require additional learning support.
Children enjoy rich curriculum experiences. Literacy, mathematics, sustainable environmental practices and other curriculum areas are naturally interwoven into the daily programme. Strengths of the curriculum include:
contextually relevant learning experiences for children through outings in the local community. These include excursions to the beach, local library, visiting historical sites and sharing local Māori stories and history of the area
personalised, respectful care practices for infants and toddlers
optional extra curriculum activities including swimming lessons, ballet and sport activities outside of the centre
assessment, planning and evaluation processes that are holistic and strengths based. Teachers work collaboratively with parents to plan their child's learning goal. Children's successes and progress over time are celebrated in portfolios and through an on-line system.
Leadership in the centre is strong and effectively grows the capacity of teachers. Systems for internal evaluation are robust and support improvement and sustainable practice. Strengths are:
highly effective internal evaluation which improves outcomes for children's learning and wellbeing
centre support for community-based organisations that contribute positively to social and local community outcomes
regular mentoring and coaching for teachers.
BestStart's vison is to make a positive difference in the lives of children. Governance and management have developed clear strategic goals with guidelines and expectations for centre practice and curriculum. Regional leadership and management support centre leaders and teachers to enact the vision and goals of the service. There are comprehensive, well-established systems and practices to monitor, evaluate and plan for improvement across the organisation.
The next step for centre leaders and teachers is to fully implement the newly introduced individual assessment, planning and evaluation system including:
analysis of learning to show stronger links to progressions and added complexity of learning overtime
the visibility of children's language, culture and identity particularly, for Māori.
There is also a need to develop centre strategic approach to implementing Te Whāriki, Early childhood curriculum.
Before the review, the staff and management of First Steps Papamoa 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 First Steps Papamoa will be in three years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
26 October 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.
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Location |
Papamoa, Western Bay of Plenty |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
40309 |
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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 |
70 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
81 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 42 Girls 39 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
19 |
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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 |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2018 |
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Date of this report |
26 October 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
August 2012 |
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Education Review |
September 2009 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
First Steps Papamoa is located in the suburb of Papamoa, Tauranga. The service operates under the management umbrella of Kidicorp Ltd. It is a full-day education and care service licensed for 70 children from birth to school age. Children learn and play in three age-group areas, two of which share the same outdoor playground. Currently there are 75 children on the roll and 11 identify as Māori.
Since the previous ERO review in 2012, the roll has stabilised and the centre is now operating at capacity, with more children attending for a greater number of hours. The centre manager remains the same but there has been several changes to the teaching team. In response to the area for development in the previous ERO report, teachers have been engaged in professional development focused on strengthening self review. They are also reviewing the centre philosophy to better reflect current priorities.
An ongoing focus has been the review and improvement of the outdoor environment to create opportunities for children to access more of the natural world. The centre is also exploring ways to learn about and embed aspects of the Māori world into everyday practices. A significant strength is the way that teachers and managers have increased the quality of relationships and connections with the parent and local community.
Teachers know children and their families/whānau well. They provide them with a welcoming and caring environment and establish positive and respectful relationships. Children initiate play and are supported by flexible routines and responsive teachers who promote self-care and self-managing skills. Children with particular learning needs are responded to sensitively with the assistance of external support when required. A current focus has been on reviewing and enhancing provisions for infants and toddlers. These younger children benefit from caring and nurturing interactions, unhurried routines, and a high standard of care from their teachers.
The curriculum is generated from children’s interests and preferences. Children have access to a wide range of resources both indoors and outside. They are encouraged to learn about the local environment including trips to the beach, growing plants, and learning about local landmarks related to aspects of Māori history. There is a strong emphasis on science, and children are able to inquire and investigate areas of interest, and persist with investigative activities over sustained periods of time. Additional opportunities for children to develop their physical skills include the provision of external, parent-funded programmes such as ballet and soccer.
Individual children’s portfolios reflect their participation in centre activities and events. A recent initiative has been the use of an on-line programme to share learning stories with parents. This supports parents to be more actively engaged in their child’s learning journey.
Teachers engage in a useful performance appraisal process with regular goal-setting and reflection meetings, and good quality support in the early stages of their careers. The centre manager has had a successful focus on rebuilding the recently established teaching team and providing opportunities for teachers to develop their leadership skills and share their knowledge. An experienced and knowledgeable Kidicorp Professional Services Manager and Business Manager provide valuable support and guidance for high-quality early childhood practice.
Well-developed and comprehensive policies and procedures guide centre operations with clear and useful strategic and annual goals that are aligned to centre operations. The recently developed teacher appraisal process is likely to have a positive effect on teaching practices and outcomes for children. Managers encourage centre leaders and teachers to engage in ongoing internal and external professional development.
Currently centre managers are focused on building teacher professional capability to achieve consistently high-quality practice. To support this process, priority should be given to:
Before the review, the staff and management of First Steps Papamoa 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.
The next ERO review of First Steps Papamoa will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
22 May 2015
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 |
Papamoa |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40309 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
75 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 40 Girls 35 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Cook Island Indian Other European |
11 54 2 5 3 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
22 May 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
September 2009 |
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.