Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea)

Education institution number:
45779
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
113
Telephone:
Address:

41 Aotea Drive, Ascot Park, Porirua

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Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea)

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Not meeting

Governance, management, and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

Kindercare Learning Centre Aotea is a purpose-built service. It is owned and operated by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. Children play and learn across five age-appropriate spaces, with shared outdoor areas. An area manager and newly appointed centre manager support a large teaching team. The service roll is ethnically diverse, and this includes a small number of Māori and children of Pacific heritages.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers are calm in their engagement and have positive interactions with the children. Parents have regular opportunities to communicate with teachers, share information and be involved in decision making about their child's learning. The learning environment supports the provision and supervision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences.

Those in governance and management need to be assured that systems and processes for maintaining compliance with the regulatory standards are robust. The consistent implementation and monitoring of some health and safety practices is required.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • evidence of how evaluation of emergency drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan

  • equipment premises and facilities are comprehensively checked every day of operation for hazards to children. Hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS8, HS12.]

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

  • an ample supply of drinking water is available to children at all times, and older children are able to access this water independently

  • rooms used by older children are kept at a comfortable temperature at all times no lower than 18°C (at 500mm above the floor) while children are attending the service.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS21, HS24.]

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

13 September 2022 

Information About the Service

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

110 children, including up to 30 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

50-79%

Service roll

125

Review team on site

July 2022

Date of this report

13 September 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, October 2019; Education Review, April 2016.

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) - 08/10/2019

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea)

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Kindercare Aotea 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 110 children, including 30 up to two years of age. At the time of the review 132 children attended the centre. Families represent a range of cultures and ethnic groups.

The purpose built centre caters for children in age-specific rooms that access shared outdoor spaces. Meals are provided by a centre cook. 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 Kindercares' three key values: ‘Safe, Loved and Learning’.

Since the April 2016 ERO report there have been significant changes of staff, including three changes of centre manager. The current centre manager was appointed early 2018, with a new leadership team appointed since that time.

The previous ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included the improvement of assessment, planning, evaluation and the bicultural curriculum, further engagement with Māori and Pacific families, strengthening of respectful and responsive caregiving, further enhancement of appraisal and self-review practices. Progress has been made in cultural responsiveness and planning, and reporting has been reviewed.

The review was one of five in Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd in Wellington.

The Review Findings

The centre presents an attractive environment for learning. The carefully developed outdoor play space is well utilised for physical and social play. Children can freely access a range of resources to support their interests, both indoors and outside.

Interactions between teachers and children are positive and appropriately focused on active participation and children's wellbeing. Children are supported to become confident communicators and to participate in collaborative and independent learning opportunities. They respond well to teachers and their peers. Aspects of literacy and numeracy are evident in the learning environment and in the activities provided, especially for older children.

Good provision is made for children with additional learning needs. Teachers proactively collaborate with relevant external experts to support these learners.

Infants and toddlers are well supported with relevant learning opportunities. Teachers are kind, caring and respectful in their interactions. Further consideration of meal and bedtime routines is necessary so that they are suitably responsive to children's needs.

Teachers demonstrate a knowledge of individual children and their learning. Aspects of group and individual planning are evident in portfolios. Teachers are beginning to explore the use of deliberate strategies to extend children's learning and develop their oral language. Examples of intentional teaching were observed. Teachers have begun to collect parent aspirations to inform children's individual programmes.

Assessment and planning for learning require further development. Teachers use a range of formats to plan for infants, toddlers and children. They currently use an electronic format to share assessments and report children's learning to parents. Leaders should purposefully build teachers' practice and understanding in this area, and support teachers to transfer current theory into their everyday practices.

Te ao Māori is promoted. There has been a deliberate focus on growing teachers' understanding of, and competence in, te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. A bicultural leader supports teachers to authentically integrate this into daily programmes, with emphasis on legends and places of importance to local iwi. As a consequence, teachers have increased their use of te reo Māori in classrooms, and aspects of te ao Māori are evident in the curriculum. Continuing development in this area is a next step. Centre leaders have identified that a next step is using the document, Tapasā, to increase teachers' cultural knowledge and better promote the success of children of Pacific heritage.

The service has not yet established localised priority learning outcomes, in liaison with whānau and community, and in response to the updated early learning curriculum, Te Whāriki. Undertaking professional learning in this area is a key next step. These priority outcomes can then be promoted and monitored through assessment, planning and evaluation practices.

Internal evaluation and teacher inquiry continue to require development. Leaders and teachers should focus evaluations and inquiries on outcomes for children. Focusing on outcomes will contribute to more effective evaluation of 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.

Key Next Steps

At service level, priorities are to:

  • establish the service’s priority learning outcomes, in collaboration with families and community
  • continue to develop assessment and planning processes, including ways to add depth and complexity to the learning of individual children
  • strengthen teaching through the use of intentional teaching strategies that add complexity to children’s learning
  • give further consideration to routines for babies and toddlers so that they are suitably responsive to individual needs
  • develop internal evaluation and teacher inquiry to focus on outcomes for children.

The organisation should continue to strengthen and embed:

  • the principles of The Treaty of Waitangi in guiding documents and teacher practices
  • evaluation of effectiveness at leadership, management and governance levels
  • alignment of strategic planning, internal evaluation and reporting.

In addition, the organisation should evaluate and strengthen the effectiveness of leaders, including area managers, in building teachers’ capability and improving practice. Particular attention should be paid to ensuring the enactment of the key next steps identified in this service’s ERO report.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to health and safety. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:

  • ensure all teaching staff are aware of healthy food practices when serving food to children

  • a robust process for the identification of hazards including unsecured items that may fall and cause a serious injury

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS20, HS6

Since the review, leaders have taken steps to address some of non-compliances identified.

Development Plan Recommendation

ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

8 October 2019

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

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

45779

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

110 children, including up to 30 aged under 2

Service roll

132

Gender composition

Males 55, Females 45

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Chinese
Samoan
Indian
Other ethnicities

3
62
8
5
5
17

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2019

Date of this report

8 October 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

April 2016

Education Review

July 2013

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

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.

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.

Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) - 06/04/2016

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea)

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) is located in Porirua and provides education and care for children from birth to five years. Daily sessions are offered five days a week. The service is licensed for 110 children, including 30 children aged up to two.

All teachers are fully qualified and assisted by support staff. Since the July 2013 ERO report, a new centre director has been appointed to manage the day-to-day operation of the service.

Centre operation and programmes are firmly based on three key values identified in the philosophy - to keep children 'Safe, Loved and Learning'.

The previous ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included: strategies to support Māori success as Māori; a bicultural curriculum; increased family participation and information sharing; self review; and teacher appraisal processes. Progress in these areas is ongoing.

The service is one of seven early childhood education and care centres in the Wellington region, owned and operated by the national organisation Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd.

This review was part of a cluster of five reviews in the Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd organisation.

The Review Findings

Children participate in a play-based curriculum. They experience a warm and welcoming learning environment. Teachers follow children's interests, working alongside them to support and extend their learning. Routines are consistently implemented which gives children a sense of security.

Leaders recognise that teachers are at varying levels of skill and experience in responding appropriately to infants' and toddlers' verbal and nonverbal cues. The calm, slow paced routines enable children to have space and time to lead their learning. A next step is for leaders to determine what respectful and responsive caregiving looks like in this context, and to monitor its effective implementation. 

Children's wellbeing is effectively promoted and integrated through the physical activities and the food and nutrition focus of the curriculum.

The bicultural curriculum is in the early stages of development. This is an area that needs to be strengthened in the service.

Considerable work has been undertaken to promote educational success for Māori as Māori. Teachers regularly seek whānau aspirations to help support their child's learning. Relationships with families and whānau are well established in the service. Whānau expertise is used in the curriculum.

Leaders and teachers should consider further consulting with whānau Māori and the Pacific community to define what educational success looks like for their children in this context.

Leaders have identified that developing learning partnerships with families and whānau is a key priority. Children's learning profiles highlight their interests, friendships, participation in the programme as well as their physical development. Whānau and parent feedback and contributions are key features. It is timely for leaders and teachers to revisit the purpose of assessment and to develop a shared understanding of effective practice.

Group planning is based on themes. Children's learning is extended through the experiences provided by teachers. Leaders agree that a key next step is clearly identifying what the expected learning outcomes are as part of the planning process. This should also assist in evaluating the impact the programme has on children's learning.

Internal evaluation is improvement focused and teachers are guided by an established process. Implementation of this process needs strengthening. Teachers should consider and analyse a range of evidence to evaluate how well practices support children's learning.

Emergent leadership is fostered in the service. Systems and processes are used to monitor the implementation of the curriculum, and health and safety processes.

Regular teacher appraisal is undertaken and has a developmental focus. Ongoing improvement should include clearly documenting the outcome of the goals set and strengthening the support provided to inform the next steps.

The Kindercare Learning Centres organisation continues to provide strong governance for the service. Established policies, procedures and systems guide the operation of the centre. Clear comprehensive systems support teachers' induction into the service.

Roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders are clearly defined and well understood. Leadership opportunities are promoted within the centre and ongoing support and professional development is provided. 

Key Next Steps

ERO identified that priorities for improvement are to:

  • continue to strengthen respectful and responsive caregiving

  • engage with Māori and Pacific families to establish a shared understanding of what success for their children is in this context

  • improve assessment, planning and evaluation and the bicultural curriculum

  • further enhance appraisal and self-review processes.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Kindercare Learning Centres (Aotea) will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

6 April 2016 

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

Location

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

45779

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

110 children, including up to 30 aged under 2

Service roll

136

Gender composition

Boys 86, Girls 50

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Asian
Other European
Other ethnic groups

11
85
  9
17
11
  3

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

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2016

Date of this report

6 April 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

July 2013

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.