130 Rintoul Street, Newtown, Wellington
View on mapAkarangi | 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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for The Park Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
The Park Early Learning Centre is one of three privately owned and operated services situated in Newtown, Wellington. It has two purpose-built buildings offering seven learning rooms and outdoor areas catering for children from six months to school age, supporting a culturally diverse community.
A wide range of engaging experiences supports children’s learning. Environments are well presented and resourced. Teachers effectively use the play-based context to support and extend children’s participation and learning. The calm tone supports perseverance in play and a general sense of wellbeing.
Teachers have created a calm, slow pace that supports infants and toddlers to lead their own learning. Interactions are gentle, nurturing and respectful. Learning experiences are developmentally appropriate and encourage exploration.
Children’s cultures, languages and identities are recognised and promoted. Cultural celebrations are planned for. Carefully considered displays and resources further acknowledge the ethnic diversity of the community.
A bicultural approach is developing. Manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are modelled and well established. Te reo Māori is used purposefully with children. Waiata Māori, pakiwaitara and individual pepeha are regular aspects of the learning programme. A localised curriculum is being developed through which places and stories of value to iwi are celebrated and shared.
Teachers are intentional in their approach to group and individual planning for learning. Assessment information provides a range of information about children’s efforts, challenges and successes. Assessment information does not consistently show how children’s progress is promoted over time or how parents’ input and aspirations have been responded to.
A useful framework for internal evaluation and teacher inquiry is in place and leads to improvements in teacher practice. Internal evaluation and teachers’ inquiries do not yet sufficiently focus on the impact of improvements on outcomes for children.
Distributed leadership and collaborative ways of working are highly evident. Leadership provides effective guidance for practice. Teachers grow their practice through wide range of purposeful professional, learning and development opportunities.
Leaders and teachers collaboratively develop and enact the services goals values and priorities. Resourcing is well aligned to the strategic direction, philosophy and curriculum priorities. Collaboration with relevant organisations to support educational outcomes for children is well facilitated by management.
The Park Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Park Early Learning 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
3 August 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
The Park Early Learning Centre |
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Profile Number |
45843 |
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Location |
Newtown, Wellington |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
150 children, including up to 50 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
192 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 15, NZ European/Pākehā 120, Pacific 4, Indian 11, Chinese 9, Other ethnic groups 33. |
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Review team on site |
May 2021 |
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Date of this report |
3 August 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2017; Education Review, October 2013. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Little Wonders Childcare @ The Park in Newtown, Wellington, operates under an all-day licence and caters for up to 150 children, including 50 under the age of two. Eight children identify as Māori. The centre is one of eight Little Wonders services owned by the Hurst Family Group.
The centre is purpose built. In 2016, an additional learning space was added. It is co-located with a retirement complex. Together they offer the Intergenerational Program to Learn, Appreciate, Yield, Engage and Dream (iPLAYED). This arrangement promotes opportunities for the different generations to come together to interact, learn and engage.
A healthy menu designed by a whole foods nutritionist, supports the centre's priority of implementing a holistic approach to supporting children's health, wellbeing and learning.
The philosophy of Little Wonders Childcare @ the Park is underpinned by a shared vision, values and the beliefs of the parent organisation. These outline the desired outcomes for children and guide the development of the curriculum. The priorities for children's learning are clearly identified as: being involved; taking an interest; responsibility; expressing a point of view or feeling; and persisting with difficulty or uncertainty.
Children are actively encouraged, and provided with time and space, to follow their interests. Their curiosity is promoted through teachers' open questions, new experiences and equipment. Children are empowered to take increased responsibility for themselves and their environment.
Children's sense of belonging is nurtured. The centre has a strong and well-considered process to build confident children as they move through, and beyond the centre to school. Effective partnerships with parents guide and support transition at the natural point of readiness of the child.
Leaders and teachers are inclusive and welcoming to all children and their families. Children with additional needs are well supported by external agencies through personalised plans, and the building of deep relationships with parents.
Effective communication with parents of children up to the age of two years focus on children's routines and parent preferences and include information about children's care and education. These children are actively nurtured and their learning is fostered.
The curriculum provides a wide range of opportunities and experiences for children to explore the world around them. The learning environment:
is well resourced with materials freely accessible for children
has a natural world focus
is calm, unhurried and purposeful.
Leaders and teachers are focused on implementing a bicultural curriculum. They are working to improve their confidence and competence in using te reo Māori. Success for Māori learners as Māori should be further prompted. This should include increased emphasis on te ao Māori in planning and assessment.
Respectful and positive interactions between adults and children are highly evident. Teachers genuinely listen to children to support and nurture their strengths, needs and interests. They provide good care and support when children need it.
Teachers use authentic contexts to engage children's interests, extend their learning and stimulate questioning, knowledge building and inquiry. Teachers plan well to support groups' and individuals' interests. Parents and teachers collaboratively develop individual learning plans for each child. They are strongly focused on children's problem-solving and experimentation. Continuing to grow the use of parent aspirations meaningfully into children's planning and assessment is an agreed next step.
The 'Teachers' Toolkit' gives clear guidance for high quality teaching practice. This document supports and personalises the induction process well. The centre has identified that continuing to support and develop teachers to broaden the range of strategies to engage with and extend children's learning is the next step. This should also consider how the centre expectations can underpin ongoing work to support and sustain the consistency of practice across the centre and over time.
A new process for teacher appraisal was introduced for 2016. This system provides a useful framework for regular reflection on, feedback about, and monitoring of teachers' progress in relation to their goals. Including explicit outcomes for children in this process should result in a more effective evaluative approach for ongoing improvement.
Professional development is appropriately selected and clearly aligned to centre-wide goals and individuals' needs. Leadership opportunities are actively promoted and well supported by management. The centre manager has high expectations and, through these, has built a collaborative culture focused on improvement.
The strategic and annual plans clearly identify long-term direction for Little Wonders Childcare @ the Park. Identified goals inform planned reviews to guide and build quality and effectiveness. A useful process for review is well established. This supports leaders and teachers to evaluate and reflect on their practice. Strengthening the evaluation of outcomes for children is an important next step to guide well-informed change.
ERO and centre leaders agree that the key next steps are to:
enhance the deliberate approach to supporting and building on Māori learners' culture, language and identities
promote and sustain the consistency of practice across the centre and over time.
Before the review, the staff and management of Little Wonders Childcare @ the Park 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.
The next ERO review of Little Wonders Childcare @ the Park will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
15 February 2017
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 |
45843 |
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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 |
150 children, including up to 50 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
155 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 55%, Girls 45% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Other ethnic groups |
5% 65% 5% 25% |
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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 |
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Review team on site |
December 2016 |
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Date of this report |
15 February 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 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 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.