77 Hutt Road, Petone, Lower Hutt
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 Imagine Childcare are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whāngai Establishing |
Imagine Childcare is a privately owned and operated early childhood centre in Petone, Lower Hutt. The owners are qualified teachers and with their team leader provide professional support and guidance to a teaching team of nine. Separate learning spaces are provided for infants, toddlers and young children, with a shared outdoor environment.
Children experience a responsive curriculum in well-resourced learning environments. Māori values such as manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga guide curriculum decisions.
Kaiako work alongside children supporting and extending them in their learning. Excursions into the community offer an extension to the curriculum provided. Infants, toddlers and younger children and those with diverse learning needs are well supported. Partnerships with parents and whānau are established with regular opportunities for parents to participate and contribute to the curriculum.
The bicultural programme is developing. Aspects of te reo me ngā tikānga Māori are reflected through the programme in increasingly authentic ways. Kaiako are beginning to explore a
place-based curriculum with children. The use of te reo Māori with children is not yet consistently used by all staff.
The strands and goals of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, predominantly provide the basis for assessment. It reflects children’s ongoing interests and identifies how teachers have supported their learning at the time. This documentation illustrates how well teachers know the children and parents frequently contribute to the portfolios. Greater emphasis should be placed on integrating parent cultural aspirations and reflecting these through teacher practice and documentation.
A sound appraisal process is in place which supports the professional growth of kaiako. Leaders use a collaborative approach to encourage teachers to engage in research, reflect and improve key areas of practice.
Internal evaluation is led by leaders who provide opportunities for teachers to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence to engage in evaluation. Purposeful and systematic internal evaluation practices result in ongoing improvements. Reviewing the impact of the actions taken as a result of the internal evaluation in a timely way should better support leaders to evaluate the impact on outcomes for children.
The positive working environment and low turnover of teachers are conducive to building and sustaining quality relationships with children and whānau. The strategic plan clearly outlines the centre’s direction and the learning and organisational conditions from Te Ara Poutama required to reach this.
Imagine Childcare will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Imagine Childcare 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.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care Services 2008, HS8.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
30 March 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Imagine Childcare |
| Profile Number | 45988 |
| Location | Lower Hutt |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
47 children, including up to 14 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
67 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 9, NZ European/Pākehā 42, Chinese 4, British 4, Other ethnic groups 8. |
|
Review team on site |
February 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
30 March 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2017; Education Review April 2014. |
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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.
Imagine Childcare is a privately owned and operated early childhood service located in Petone, Lower Hutt. It is licensed for full day education and care for 47 children, including at any one time 14 up to the age of two.
The centre owners are experienced and qualified early childhood teachers. They provide professional support and guidance for the teaching team of nine. All teaching staff have current Practising Teacher Certificates with the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
A position of team leader has been established since ERO's April 2014 report. The owners and the team leader make up the leadership team and oversee curriculum review, design and implementation, and the day-to-day operation of the service.
A separate building has been erected since ERO's previous review. This provides the service's youngest children with play and eating spaces and sleeping and toileting facilities. Two other spaces cater for toddlers and older children. Each have their own teaching teams. A large shared outdoor learning area and gardens provide the mixed-age groups with outdoor play and learning experiences.
The centre philosophy is inclusive of te ao Māori. It seeks to uphold the principles of whānau tangata, involving families and community and ngā hononga, having positive relationships with children their families and whānau. Leaders view this as vital in supporting and empowering, whakamana, children to learn and develop to their potential.
Children enthusiastically participate in a range of well-considered planned and spontaneous learning experiences within a biculturally responsive curriculum. The principles and strands of Te Whāriki and a commitment to the meaningful inclusion of te ao Māori are evident in the service philosophy and curriculum and enacted on a daily basis.
Leaders' and teachers' collective approach to promoting children's holistic development is underpinned by the concept of kotahitanga. Leaders support and guide teachers well in achieving this, enabling increased consistency of teacher practice.
Centre staff work conscientiously to develop partnerships for learning with families, whānau and aiaga. The concept of ngā hononga, relationships with children and their families and continuity of learning between home and the centre is embedded in practice and effectively supports children's and their families sense of wellbeing and belonging. Children’s learning is further enhanced through regular outings and experiences in the community.
A calm, positive and inclusive tone prevails throughout the centre. Interactions between adults and children are nurturing, respectful and reciprocal. Families and whānau work in partnership with centre staff to support their children’s learning. Families' aspirations for their children are sought and progress towards achieving them are shared through evidence-rich, respectful assessment information in children's individual learning portfolios.
Caregiving for the service’s youngest children is underpinned by relationship-based teaching and learning. This results in teachers knowing young children and their whānau well. Adults are nurturing, highly attuned to these youngsters’ verbal and nonverbal cues and responsive to their needs and requests.
As children get older there are increased opportunities to determine the direction of their own learning. Teachers support this well. They are intentional in the teaching strategies they use and provide children with more complex learning experiences. Many activities have a particular emphasis on the inclusion of te ao Māori, literacy, mathematical and science skills learning.
Teachers analyse learning stories well. Rich assessment information demonstrates that they recognise children's goals for themselves and identify who may require support or extension. Assessment guides responsive teaching practice and ongoing curriculum decision making. Children's developing working theories, skills, knowledge acquisition, attributes and as a consequence positive dispositions for learning are encouraged.
A focus of current development is to work collaboratively with families and schools to share assessment information to enhance continuity of learning for children as they make this transition. This practice continues to develop and strengthen. ERO affirms this practice and encourages the continuation of this collective approach to supporting children's learning pathways.
Centre managers and staff work collaboratively to continually improve outcomes for children, their families and whānau. The centre's professional leaders bring a range of valuable skills and experience to their roles.
Internal evaluation for improving practice and accountability purposes is well understood. Next steps to strengthen this process are to show how practice has been modified and clearly evaluated to determine its impact for ongoing improvement.
Building and supporting professional practice is well considered, led and aligns to the service’s strategic and annual priorities for development. An external consultant is contracted to appraise centre owners.
The employment of a team leader has contributed positively to the day-to-day operation of the service, building teacher's capability and increasing the consistency of teaching practice. A mentoring programme is in place for Provisionally Certificated Teachers. Leaders and teachers are reflective practitioners who adapt their teaching in light of current practice.
Continue to deepen leaders and teachers understanding of effective internal evaluation practices for sustainable and ongoing improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Imagine Childcare 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.
The next ERO review of Imagine Childcare will be in four years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
17 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 |
Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45988 |
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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 |
47 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
65 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 41, Boys 24 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Other ethnic groups |
9 46 4 6 |
|
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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 |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
December 2016 |
||
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Date of this report |
17 February 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2014 |
|
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.