Sunshine Childcare Preschool

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Sunshine Childcare Preschool are as follows:

2 Context of the Service

This service is one of two centres under shared ownership and leadership. Providing a kiwi outdoor environment is central to the philosophy. Children play and learn in five age-based areas. Approximately a third of children enrolled are identified as Māori, and a small number are Pacific. Centre staff and leadership have changed, and a new mentor teacher appointed.

3 Summary of findings

Children’s learning and development are beginning to be supported by leaders and teachers who provide a curriculum where the following are evident:

• Children have opportunities to explore parts of the natural world and learn in a play-based environment.

• Māori learners experience aspects of their culture. There is some use of te reo Māori, waiata, and karakia practices. Tuakana-teina (older-younger child) relationships are evident where rooms share outside spaces.

• Pacific learners are starting to have their culture affirmed. Wall displays acknowledge this, and some Fijian language has been gathered to support transitions.

• Māori and Pacific resourcing is minimal. Teachers and leaders have self-identified a need to build their knowledge and practice to respond to Māori and Pacific learners.

• Children with additional learning needs are included in the programme. Relationships with external agencies are in place. Parents and teachers acknowledge that further development is required to support the needs of these children and extend their learning.

• Infants and toddlers learn in an unhurried and calm environment. Individual rhythms and routines are catered for. Their belonging is promoted. Outdoor experiences are not integrated into their curriculum.

The service’s organisational conditions are at the early stages of promoting children’s valued learning. Evaluation and professional growth systems are established but are not yet supporting continuous improvement or identifying evidence of outcomes for children. To inform change, leaders are beginning to analyse assessment, planning and the experienced curriculum. Systems to monitor and respond to children's health and safety are not well positioned to improve the quality of care.

4 Improvement actions

Sunshine Childcare Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

• Strengthen teachers' use of meaningful te reo Māori throughout the curriculum.

• Build a shared understanding and practice of the competencies in Tapasā - Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners.

• Access support for staff to grow their knowledge and understanding of children with additional learning needs, to identify and implement strategies that support and extend their learning.

• Define, and build a shared understanding of high-quality assessment and planning processes, ensuring these reflect the valued learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Sunshine Childcare Preschool 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.

6 Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• Having a written emergency plan that includes evidence of review of the plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

25 August 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service