25 Main Road, Tawa, Wellington
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centres Tawa is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centres Tawa is one of eight learning services in the Wellington region owned and operated by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd (the organisation). The centre is licensed for 100 children, including 25 aged under two years. Of the total roll of 115, six children are Māori, and four are Pacific. Families represent a number of diverse cultures.
The purpose-built centre caters for children in age-specific rooms and outdoor spaces. The organisation provides policies, procedures and a framework to monitor health and safety. An area manager works in partnership with the centre director to support the operation of the centre.
The service philosophy is based on Kindercare’s three key values, ‘Safe, Loved and Learning.’
Since the April 2016 ERO report there has been significant turnover of staff and leadership. The previous ERO report identified areas requiring further development. This included assessment, planning and evaluation, internal evaluation practice, the bicultural curriculum, and responsiveness to Māori and Pacific families. Progress is ongoing in all these areas.
The review was one of five in Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd in Wellington.
Interactions between children and teachers are respectful and responsive. Teachers model positive attitudes and affirm learning dispositions such as persistence and confidence. They notice and support children’s interests. A good range of cultural celebrations extend the curriculum.
Infants and toddlers explore at their own pace in a suitably unhurried programme.
Teachers use positive strategies to effectively promote children’s social competence. Children with special learning and behaviour needs benefit from a useful, well-considered planning approach. Teachers proactively collaborate with relevant experts to support these learners.
Leaders acknowledge that culturally responsive practices need improvement. Professional learning, and strategic planning at governance level, are being put in place to support improvements. To improve outcomes for children, leaders and teachers should:
deepen their understanding of bicultural practices
build their understanding, and implementation, of targeted and specific strategies that promote the success of tamariki Māori and Pacific children
work in partnership with families to gather information about children’s diverse cultural contexts in order to enrich and individualise teaching strategies.
ERO and leaders agree that the service should continue to update and improve assessment, planning and evaluation practices. These should focus much more strongly on intentional teaching practices and clear evidence of improved learning outcomes. Some useful strategies to build understanding of and consistency in evaluation are in the beginning stages. Teachers should also ensure that assessment draws meaningfully on children’s unique cultures, languages and identities.
In consultation with whānau and community, leaders and teachers should establish localised valued learning priorities that reflect Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Clarifying what learning matters most, should support consistency and deliberate actions within the programme, and in assessment, planning and evaluation practices.
Teachers are reflective and engage with readings and professional learning to grow their understanding in useful areas. However, internal evaluation and teacher inquiry continues to require development. Leaders and teachers should focus evaluations and inquiries on impacts for children. By focusing on outcomes teachers would be better able to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives, practices and improvements.
The organisation has established systems to support the professional learning and development of teachers. There is a clear focus on building leadership. To better promote positive outcomes for children, the implementation and consistency of appraisal and mentoring processes should be improved.
A next step for the organisation is to evaluate how consistently leaders, including managers and centre directors, build teachers’ capability and improve practice. To better promote timely improvements feedback at all levels should be more strongly focused on constructive critique, meaningful challenge, and evidence of teaching and learning progress.
At service level, priorities are to:
establish priority learning outcomes, in collaboration with families and community
implement and deepen the understanding of the bicultural curriculum
build understandings and practices to better promote success for Māori and Pacific children
improve the quality of assessment, planning and evaluation
further develop internal evaluation and teacher inquiry to focus on outcomes for children.
The organisation should continue to strengthen and embed:
their reflection of the principles of The Treaty of Waitangi in guiding documents and teacher practices
evaluation of effectiveness at leadership, management and governance level
alignment of strategic planning, internal evaluation and reporting.
The organisation needs to strengthen the effectiveness of leaders in building teachers’ capability and improving practice. Attention should be paid to ensuring the key next steps identified in this service’s ERO report are addressed.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres Tawa 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 practice, broaden the assessment and management of risks for excursions off-premises.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
24 September 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 |
Wellington |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45680 |
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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 |
100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
115 |
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Gender composition |
Males 59, Females 56 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
July 2019 |
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Date of this report |
24 September 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2016 |
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Education Review |
August 2013 |
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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.
Kindercare Learning Centres Tawa is situated in a purpose-built complex. Full-time care and education is offered in buildings designed to suit the developmental stages of infants, toddlers and young children. The centre is licensed for up to 100 children, including 25 up to two years of age. Twelve percent of children enrolled identify as Māori.
This centre is one of seven early childhood education and care centres operated in the Wellington region and owned by the national organisation Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The centre director has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the centre.
Operation and programmes are firmly based on three key values identified in the centre's philosophy, ‘Safe, Loved and Learning’.
The August 2013 ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included: curriculum evaluation; teacher appraisal; developing the bicultural curriculum; strategies to support educational success for Māori; and promote parents' contributions to their children's learning. Progress in these areas is evident.
This ERO review was part of a cluster of five education and care centre reviews in the Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd organisation.
Children confidently explore their interests in a play-based curriculum. Teachers work alongside them, appropriately extending these interests. Teachers effectively support children's developing independence.
Routines are consistently implemented, giving children a sense of security and structure for the day. Children have a sense of belonging in the centre. They play with and alongside their peers for sustained periods of time. A calm and purposeful atmosphere is evident.
Teachers know children well and respond to their individual preferences. In the infant and toddler areas, teachers maintain a calm, slow pace in which younger children have space and time to lead their learning. Responsive and respectful caregiving occurs. Effective two-way communication between the home and the centre is captured in the daily journal entries.
An appropriate centre-wide focus on healthy eating and physical activity is in place. A wide range of opportunities, made available daily, promote and extend children's developing physical abilities.
The bicultural programme continues to develop. At times, te reo Māori is spoken and aspects of tikanga Māori are incorporated into the curriculum. Strengthening the bicultural emphasis through the programme planning cycle is an important next step.
Leaders and teachers demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting educational success for Māori. Internal evaluation findings are the impetus for ongoing development in this area. Leaders and teachers focus on developing relationships with parents and whānau. They invite them to share expertise within the programme and seek and respond to parents' aspirations. Positive outcomes are evident. A similar approach is developing for Pacific families. A next step is for leaders to consult with parents and Māori whānau about the centre philosophy and what educational success might look like for their children in this context. This should then be reflected through the curriculum.
A curriculum leader effectively guides and supports teachers to implement assessment, planning and evaluation. Regular monitoring occurs and useful next steps are recognised. Leaders have identified that ongoing development is required in the assessment process. ERO's evaluation affirms this direction. Next steps should include:
Responsive professional learning is strengthening teachers’ skills, knowledge and practice. Good processes support teacher induction and ongoing development through targeted professional learning opportunities. Emerging leadership is actively promoted.
Regular appraisal is undertaken to promote teachers' development. Next steps to strengthen this process are to clearly document the outcome of set goals and strengthen the feedback provided to help decide clearer next steps.
An established, improvement-focused process guides internal evaluation. Implementation of this process requires further development. Next steps should include gathering a robust range of
well-analysed evidence to evaluate how well practices support children's learning and for subsequent decision-making.
The centre director provides good leadership. She is committed to the centre philosophy and to advancing teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for children.
The Kindercare Learning Centres organisation continues to provide strong governance for the service. Established policies, procedures and systems guide the operation of the centre.
ERO and leaders agree that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres Tawa 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 Kindercare Learning Centres Tawa will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
7 April 2016
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 |
Wellington |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45680 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
102 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 51, Boys 51 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
12 |
|
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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 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
7 April 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2013 |
|
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.