514 State Highway 10, Oromahoe
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 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 Oromahoe Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding Whāngai Establishing |
Oromahoe Kindergarten is a well-established service in a rural community close to Kerikeri. A qualified centre manager supports a team of two qualified kaiako and two unqualified staff. An administrator supports the daily operations. The Bay of Islands Waldorf Education Trusts provides governance. A small number of tamariki are Māori or have Pacific heritages.
Younger tamariki experience a calm and unhurried curriculum where they are valued as capable and competent learners. Respectful interactions support them to develop a strong sense of belonging in a mixed-aged programme.
Oral language and literacy development of tamariki is a key feature of the service. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are intentionally woven through routines and the programme. Kaiako provide many opportunities for storytelling, rhythm, singing and puppetry. Tamariki can express themselves confidently in a range of contexts.
Tamariki experience a curriculum that is self-directed. They move freely through the environment, and their preferences are respected. Kaiako have thoughtfully considered the learning environment to enhance children’s exploration, imagination and creativity that is meaningful and enjoyable. This has supported tamariki to sustain their play.
Engagement with whānau is highly valued. Whānau have opportunities to contribute to the learning of tamariki, and they share their cultural knowledge and expertise. This supports learning-focused partnerships and a culturally responsive curriculum.
Kaiako use assessment documents to gather a range of information and capture the learning of individual tamariki. This helps to build on tamariki cultural and learner identity, and continuity of learning over time.
Leaders and kaiako collaboratively enact the service’s philosophy, with a strong focus of te ao Māori and the Steiner teaching methods. They have a clear vision for the service’s priorities to promote equitable outcomes for all tamariki.
Leaders have developed a useful framework for internal evaluation, including an inquiry process for kaiako. They could strengthen this by deepening their understanding, and modelling this process with teachers. Continuous monitoring will further support improved outcomes for tamariki.
Oromahoe Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Continue to build team capability and collaborative capacity to do and use evaluation for improvement.
Leaders and kaiako to use inquiry to identify effectiveness of teaching practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Oromahoe Kindergarten 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Having detailed records of all safety checks, which include the date of the risk assessment after all relevant information is obtained (GMA7A).
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
8 November 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Oromahoe Kindergarten |
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Profile Number |
45935 |
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Location |
Oromahoe, Northland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children over the age of two |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
26 |
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Review team on site |
October 2023 |
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Date of this report |
8 November 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, October 2019; Education Review, September 2017 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Oromahoe Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Oromahoe Kindergarten operates in a rural district close to Kerikeri. It is licensed for 25 children over two years of age. Younger children are cared for in the nursery and transition into the kindergarten at three years of age. The shared playground provides space for all children's play.
Within the last two years the kindergarten philosophy has been reviewed and changed to include te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, a strong focus on aspects of Steiner teachings and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The centre manager works with a team of two qualified teachers and two unqualified helpers. An administration assistant undertakes many centre support roles. The Bay of Islands Waldorf Education Trust, made up largely of whānau of children attending the kindergarten, provides governance support.
Children attending the kindergarten demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging. They freely move between the indoor and outdoor areas, choosing their play from a wide range of natural materials and opportunities to explore new learning. Recent work and developments have made a significant positive impact on both the indoor and outdoor areas to make the learning environment calm and effective in supporting learning.
Teachers' interactions with children are authentic and meaningful. They listen to children's ideas and respond patiently. Learning words in children's home languages helps teachers to settle children with English as an additional language. Teachers' gentle support helps all children to feel included and valued.
Teachers are intentional in their teaching. They co-construct learning experiences with children, supporting their curiosity, experimentation and creativity. Children use New Zealand Sign Language as part of their conversations. These teaching and learning practices are building children's knowledge of themselves as successful learners. Teachers pay special attention to children that they know have additional needs.
Children respond positively to other children. They play together in cooperative groups with high levels of conversation and collaboration. Tuakana/teina relationships, with older children modelling and supporting their younger peers, are highly evident.
Teachers have established strong partnerships with whānau. Regular conversations and contributions from whānau in children's Golden books, enable teachers to know children very well. This results in individual planning that embraces children's strengths, interests and abilities, and supports whānau aspirations for their children.
Teachers and children form sound relationships with the local community. Regular trips outside the centre, including visits to local farms and the ngāhere, provide opportunities for children to broaden their understanding of the wider world and to learn about others' work. A focus on sustainability provides opportunities for children to learn about recycling and re-purposing materials.
Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga are part of daily practice. Children show their understanding and confidence in using te reo. They share their pepeha, sing waiata and use te reo words and phrases. The kindergarten environment clearly demonstrates teachers' intent to celebrate the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Internal evaluation is ongoing, and responsive. Teachers have undertaken significant work to strengthen this aspect of their practice. Regular monitoring of changes in response to internal evaluation findings has improved outcomes for children. The policy and procedural framework now provide comprehensive information for teachers and whānau. The kindergarten is well placed to continue to sustain quality practices.
Teachers' appraisal processes are up-to-date and provide opportunities for teachers to access professional learning and development (PLD). Teachers have engaged in PLD that has helped them to provide successful science learning opportunities for children, and that sometimes includes teachers from other centres.
The passion and commitment of the leaders in the kindergarten contributes considerably to improved systems and programmes. There is a high level of relational trust between teachers and whānau. Children benefit from equitable learning opportunities and a revitalised programme embedded in Te Whāriki.
Teachers agree that they should continue to build and support the quality learning for children already evident in the daily curriculum.
Before the review, the staff and management of Oromahoe Kindergarten 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
9 October 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 |
Oromahoe, Northland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45935 |
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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 |
25 children aged over 2 years |
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Service roll |
34 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 19 Boys 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2019 |
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Date of this report |
9 October 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2017 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2014 |
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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.