Little Waikato Scholars Prep School

1 Evaluation of Little Waikato Scholars Prep School

How well placed is Little Waikato Scholars Prep School to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Little Waikato Scholars Prep School is a privately owned, full-day education and care service located in Grey Street, Hamilton. The service is licensed for 33 children, including up to five under the age of two years. At the time of this review there were 26 children enrolled, nine of whom identify as Māori. The centre provides for children in a mixed-age setting and caters for a diverse community, including children whose first language is not English.

The centre manager owns and operates two centres in Hamilton. She retains overall governance and management responsibilities including strategic planning, compliance with legislative requirements, and staff performance management. She is supported by a fully-qualified senior teacher. The centre staff has a team of seven, four of whom are qualified early childhood or primary school teachers.

The philosophy of the centre is to value learning through play. The centre seeks to create an inclusive atmosphere in which children are able to respect their peers and the environment, and to grow to be independent and competent learners in life. The centre states a belief that all children and families have a voice and that children are unique and develop at their own level.

In response to the 2015 ERO review, the centre manager has sought external advice for strategic planning and the centre has invested in new fencing of the outdoor area.

The Review Findings

Governance and management are strongly committed to providing positive outcomes for all children. The centre owner is proactive in advocating for children and whānau and works alongside families to obtain suitable external support. Appropriate policies are in place to guide daily operations and these are regularly reviewed. There is a collegial approach between the manager and senior teacher who work together to provide leadership for the centre. Self review of centre processes and practices is largely spontaneous. Day-to-day operations and centre sustainability would be enhanced by alignment with strategic planning, and implementing a robust teacher appraisal cycle that includes targeted professional development.

Children are participating in a well-planned programme. There is a mixture of teacher-led and child-initiated play, including intentional thematic activities that are extending children’s understanding of the world. Children are able to make decisions about their learning, and are able to move freely from one activity to another, and between the different learning spaces. Natural science is well-integrated through gardening, caring for animals and the opportunity to explore in a spacious outside environment. Planned activities build children’s early literacy and numeracy knowledge and skills. Opportunities for creative and dramatic play encourage children to express themselves. The centre's programme is promoting children’s independence and social competence in a safe, supportive environment.

Māori cultural values are respected through the inclusion of some te reo Māori and aspects of te ao Māori including wall displays, resources, waiata and karakia. Children are developing an appreciation for New Zealand's bi-cultural heritage. The centre should give consideration to how their local curriculum could further reflect the language, culture and identity of each child and family.

There are positive relationships between teachers, whānau and children. Teachers communicate well and support one another. They meet regularly to discuss and document planning for groups and individual children. Teachers know children and their families well. They engage with children, listen carefully to their ideas and respond to their needs and requests. Some teachers have undertaken professional development in behaviour management and there is consistent use of positive guidance strategies. Teachers work with specialist agencies to implement individual education plans (IEPs) for children with additional needs and they promote and encourage an inclusive environment for all children. Children up to two years of age experience responsive, nurturing care in a mixed-age setting. Their routines and needs are supported through warm and respectful practice.

Children’s portfolios document their participation in the programme. Parents express appreciation for the recent digital communication initiative and regular conversations with teachers about their child's learning and development. Teachers would benefit from ongoing professional development to support further strengthening of professional practice and to develop a shared understanding of how to fully implement the revised Te Whāriki curriculum document.

Key Next Steps

Priorities for centre improvement are:

• to align centre strategic planning with targeted self review with a focus on strengthening curriculum design and teaching practice
• the implementation of a robust appraisal cycle to support teachers to inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching and develop their professional practice.

Further development of these areas should result in positive outcomes for children's learning.

Recommendation

ERO recommends the centre accesses external professional development to support centre leaders to address the key next steps identified in this report.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Little Waikato Scholars Prep School 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.

ERO identified areas of non-compliance.

The service provider must ensure that:

1. assessment and management of risk is documented whenever children leave the premises on an excursion
   [Licensing criteria for Education and care centres 2008, HS17]
2. a system of regular appraisal is implemented that meets the Education Council requirements for certified teachers.
   [Licensing criteria for Education and care centres 2008, GMA7]

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Little Waikato Scholars Prep School will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

20 June 2018

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.