1105-1107 New North Road, Mount Albert, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Lollipops Mount Albert is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lollipops Mount Albert provides full-day education and care for children in two adjacent buildings, one for children up to the age of three and the other for children between three and five years of age. Each building has a separate outdoor area. Children are from diverse cultural backgrounds. A small number have Māori or Pacific heritage.
The centre was previously known as Little World Early Childhood Centre. Since ERO's 2015 review the centre was purchased by Evolve Education Group (EEG). Visiting personnel from EEG support the centre in its day-to-day operations, long-term planning and development projects.
Centre leaders include a manager and two head teachers. Four other qualified teachers and four unqualified staff complete the teaching team. The centre's philosophy focuses on respectful relationships in a nurturing environment. Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are acknowledged as guiding documents.
Key next steps in ERO's 2015 report included extending children's input into curriculum planning and internal evaluation, increasing teachers' use of te reo Māori and embedding the philosophy in the curriculum. There has been progress in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Evolve Education Group.
Infants and toddlers settle quickly at the centre, supported by caring relationships with teachers. Teachers ensure that care routines are respectful. They are responsive to children's non-verbal cues. Teachers foster children's developing self-help skills through calm, unhurried interactions. Teachers should review how well the length of the group mat time reflects their commitment to supporting young children as self-directed learners.
Older children have positive relationships with their teachers. They are confident and articulate, and engage in play alongside their peers. Children have a sense of ownership and belonging in the centre environment. They have good opportunities to participate in experiences that challenge their thinking and curiosity.
Teachers in both buildings use effective strategies to support children's oral language development. Karakia and waiata are integrated as part of daily routines. Teachers take pride in providing attractive environments and a range of experiences to prompt children's exploration.
Teachers regularly document the experiences that children have at the centre. They skilfully recognise children's learning and progress. Teachers' planning for individuals and groups of children is increasingly based on their interests and strengths. They could now use Te Whāriki more specifically as part of this planning. Transition to school programmes could be reviewed and adapted to ensure that they align with current theory about best practice in early childhood education.
Parents/whānau are very satisfied with the service. Those who spoke with ERO valued the opportunities their children have to learn about other cultures and languages. Teachers use a range of strategies to gather parent feedback. They could now strengthen learning partnerships with parents and whānau by responding to their aspirations for their children's learning.
EEG has established an effective process for centres to implement internal evaluation. The teaching team undertakes regular reviews that affirm their current approaches. They could now review how well some of their established teaching and curriculum practices align with Te Whāriki.
EEG provides a framework of policies and procedures to guide centre practices. This framework continues to be reviewed. A robust process for staff appraisal is in place. EEG need to ensure centre managers are implementing this process effectively.
Key next steps include teachers:
developing shared understandings about and consistently good practices in the curriculum provided for children up to three years of age.
improving curriculum planning and the transition to school programme to better reflect the valued outcomes of Te Whāriki.
Evolve Education Group senior managers agree that their key next steps include:
ensuring the company's vision and values, goals and principles reflect the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
addressing staffing issues in some centres to ensure quality teaching practices are evident, promoting positive outcomes for all children and ensuring sustainability of quality practice
reviewing how effectively the levels and quality of learning resources in centres promote collaboration amongst children and promote more complex thinking
providing professional learning and development for leaders and teachers to ensure a deeper engagement with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Before the review, the staff and management of Lollipops Mount Albert 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.
To improve current practice, Evolve Education Group senior managers must take steps to ensure that health and safety policies and procedures are implemented rigorously across all services.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
19 December 2019
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 |
Mount Albert, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45283 |
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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 |
60 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
74 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 37 Girls 37 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
September 2019 |
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Date of this report |
19 December 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2015 |
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Education Review |
June 2012 |
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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:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.
The centre caters for 60 children who are grouped by age in two adjacent buildings; one catering for children up to the age of three, the other for children from three to five years of age.
Children and teachers are from diverse cultural backgrounds. The centre curriculum reflects the values of its community. It is influenced by the Reggio Emilia philosophy as well as Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The centre is led and managed by owners who set and monitor the strategic direction of the centre. There is a high level of consultation between teachers and families/whānau to ensure that centre priorities result in high quality outcomes for children and their families.
The positive features of Little World Early Childhood Centre that were acknowledged in ERO’s 2012 report continue to be evident. All suggestions for improvement have led to the review and refinement of centre practices. Ongoing improvements benefit children’s learning, and contribute to a centre that serves its community of learners very well.
Children at Little World are confident and love learning. They are trusted to make their own choices and have established genuine friendships with their peers. Children are competent communicators and share their interests and needs with adults. Their sense of wellbeing and belonging is supported through established routines and effective centre organisation.
Teachers know children very well. They recognise the importance of consistency and continuity in the care and education of young children. Adults give children the space to develop as independent learners. Teachers provide a calm slow pace that allows infants and toddlers the appropriate time and space to lead their own learning. The primary caregiver approach contributes to the secure foundation for children’s development.
Older children engage readily in the programme. They confidently initiate play and have good access to play areas and equipment. Teachers focus on developing language and interactions with children that promote problem-solving and deeper thinking.
Programmes are thoughtfully developed to promote Te Whāriki and Reggio Emilia approaches which form the basis of the centre’s philosophy. Teachers design programmes that focus on children’s dispositions as learners. Children’s learning journeys are very well documented in portfolios that also reflect their cultural backgrounds.
Biculturalism is fostered through opportunities for children to become familiar with te reo and tikanga Māori as they play. Teachers recognise the importance of continuing to strengthen their bicultural practice through everyday use of te reo Māori throughout the programme.
Culturally responsive practices are highly evident in the centre. The teaching team reflects the diverse community and use children’s home languages routinely throughout the day. Children have many opportunities to celebrate their own and each other’s cultures. They play together in inclusive groups, developing friendships through collaborative play.
Children transition within the centre when they are ready. These decisions involve conversations with families to ensure that children transition smoothly. Centre leaders encourage families’ involvement in the centre, providing opportunities for parents to be actively engaged in their children’s learning.
Centre leadership is highly effective. The centre owners utilise external management support effectively to complement their professional leadership. Teachers work very well in a collaborative team and enthusiastically commit to professional development in order to improve their practice and enhance outcomes for children.
High quality self-review processes enable staff and leaders to make effective changes to systems and procedures, contributing to a culture of ongoing improvement.
Centre leaders continually review their practices in order to maintain the high standards they have established and to support the centre’s continued improvement. They have identified that key next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Little World Early Childhood Centre 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 Little World Early Childhood Centre will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
27 February 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 |
Mt Albert, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45283 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
60 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
94 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 48 Girls 46 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Indian Ethiopian Samoan Chinese Pakistani Tongan African Eritrean Niue Australian Ghanaian Somali other |
3 15 17 13 9 7 5 5 3 3 3 2 2 2 5 |
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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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
27 February 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2012 |
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:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
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.