Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc

Education institution number:
46255
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
25
Telephone:
Address:

Cnr Lawcocks and Douglas Roads, Amberley

View on map

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc

1 ERO’s Judgements 

Akarangi | 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 ​Amberley Community Preparatory School​ Inc are as follows: 

Outcome Indicators 

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) 

Whakaū Embedding​ 

Ngā Akatoro Domains 

 
Learning Conditions 
Organisational Conditions 

Whakaū Embedding​ 

​​Whakaū Embedding​ 

2 Context of the Service 

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc is one of two community early learning centres governed by a community board. A centre manager oversees the running of both centres. A small group of children attending are Māori, or children from diverse ethnicities. Good progress has been made to address the recommendations from ERO’s 2020 report.   

3 Summary of findings 

Children experience a broad, responsive curriculum underpinned by the philosophy values of manaakitanga (care), whanaungatanga (relationships) and whanau tangata (community). The learning environment provides many opportunities for them to be creative, explore, and to develop early literacy and mathematics concepts and social skills. Children with diverse learning needs benefit from focused resourcing and expertise from external agencies. Well-established connections within the community fosters ongoing communications between the service and school to support children’s transition to school. 

Leaders and teachers are deliberately growing and implementing the bicultural curriculum. There is a systematic approach to learning and using te reo Māori within the curriculum. Children confidently speak their own pepeha and the centre’s pepeha, and they engage in karakia and waiata. There is a commitment to promote Māori success as Māori

There is a systematic process for assessment, planning and evaluation that considers the needs of all learners. Kaiako are increasingly intentional in showing planning for learning that is supported with a range of useful experiences and strategies. Documented evaluation of teaching strategies requires strengthening to better show how well teachers have supported learning and progress over time.  

Centre leaders implement well-planned and systematic internal evaluation practices. Positive changes occur as a result of planned actions for improvement. Aspects of the process require strengthening. These include establishing clearer baseline data to better understand the extent of shifts in practice and the difference made for identified individuals and groups of children. Building all teachers’ confidence to do and use effective evaluation is ongoing.  

Effective leadership within the organisation develops and maintains strong connections with the local kāhui ako, schools and community. Coherent systems and processes underpin the operations of the service. Strategic planning leads to well-informed decision making about priorities for professional learning and curriculum resourcing to benefit children’s learning and wellbeing. Leaders are yet to regularly report to those in governance roles on progress against the service’s strategic plan.  

4 Improvement actions 

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning: 

  • More clearly show in children's documented assessment, their learning and progress over time, and evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching strategies.  
  • Continue to strengthen internal evaluation practices to better understand the extent of shifts in practice and differences made for identified individuals and groups of children. 
  • Report more regularly to those in governance roles on progress against the service’s strategic plan to be better assured of how well the service is progressing in relation to its vision, goals and priorities for learning.  

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements 

Before the review, the staff and management of 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; kaiako 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. 

Patricia Davey 
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) 

​21 November 2023​  

6 About the Early Childhood Service  

Early Childhood Service Name Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc 
Profile Number 46255
LocationAmberley
Service type  ​Education and care service​ 
Number licensed for  26 children over 2 years of age  
Percentage of qualified teachers ​80-99%​ 
Service roll 26 
Review team on site September 2023 
Date of this report ​21 November 2023​ 
Most recent ERO report(s) ​Education Review​, ​June 2020​; ​Education Review​, ​August 2015​ 

 

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc - 08/06/2020

1 Evaluation of Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc

How well placed is Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Amberley Community Preparatory School is an early childhood education and care centre located in the rural town of Amberley, on the Amberley School site. It is one of two community early learning centres that are governed by the Amberley Community Preschool Inc. The preparatory school provides education and care specifically for children aged 3 to 6 years. Almost all teachers are fully qualified and registered. The service supports staff to train as qualified teachers.

The service is a charitable trust, not-for-profit incorporated society. The management team is made up of current parents and professional service leaders. The centre manager oversees the running of both centres and is responsible for the service's strategic direction and teacher performance. A financial administrator works closely with the centre manager. Each centre has a head teacher responsible for the curriculum and the day-to-day running of the programme. This report relates to the preparatory school only. There has been a change in leadership since the previous ERO review in 2015. A new head teacher was appointed from within the teaching team in 2017.

The service philosophy places importance on fostering: Manaakitanga -care and respect for children, community and environment; Whanaungatanga - relationships at heart of centre; Whānau Tangata- community; kuru pounamu - as a treasured gift. The teaching statement at this centre places an emphasis on working with older preschool children and holistic approaches to teaching and learning that support children's successful transition to school.

Service leaders have been responsive to the recommendations from the 2015 ERO review. They have strengthened self review and intentional teaching practices and processes. Leaders and teachers are continuing to look at ways to empower parents and whānau as partners in their children's learning.

The centre manager has an early childhood education leadership role on the Puketeraki Kāhui Ako and also supports Pacific education within the wider early learning community.

The Review Findings

The preparatory school’s philosophy is evident in the day-to-day practices of teachers and leaders. They know children and their families well. Strongly-shared values are aligned with collaborative and supportive shared leadership, teaching practices and relationship building to meet the needs of all children.

Leaders and teachers foster respectful, caring and nurturing relationships with children and families. Teachers place importance on developing children's social and emotional skills, including empathy and care for others. Children with additional needs are well supported to succeed within an inclusive learning environment. Regular celebrations of learning promote a sense of shared purpose and belonging within this small learning community.

Teachers are intentional about providing children with a calm, well prepared and inviting learning environment that promotes opportunities for children to explore, be creative and undertake physical challenges. They offer scope for child-led learning and projects where children can extend their own learning and interests over time. Literacy and numeracy are well integrated into the curriculum in ways that are meaningful for children. There are many opportunities for children to learn about sustainable practices and the natural world. This includes the establishment and care of a community garden.

Children’s transitions to school are a feature of the curriculum and are well managed. Teachers apply holistic approaches to children’s learning and wellbeing that ensure transitions are personalised and responsive to each child’s needs. Reciprocal professional relationships with local schools, and the sharing of valued information about the child as a learner in the context of their family and culture, help to support continuity of learning and successful transitions. Purposeful links with schools and wider community connections enrich the preparatory school’s curriculum for children.

Teachers have a shared commitment to continuous improvement and positive outcomes for children. Internal evaluation is focused on the preparatory school’s priorities that are linked to strategic planning, improving the quality of teaching and sustaining staff and children’s wellbeing.

The leaders and whānau management team have strengthened management and administrative systems to guide the effective operation of the service. Leadership capacity and teacher capability are being successfully built over time. The preparatory school benefits from policies and procedures that support and promote positive learning and care outcomes for all children.

Key Next Steps

Service leaders have identified, and ERO's evaluation confirms, that the key next steps are to:

  • strengthen culturally responsive practice, including te ao Māori and Pacific cultural understandings and practices
  • build on aspects of assessment, planning and evaluation to focus more explicitly on children's learning outcomes, including empowering parents and whānau as partners in children's learning
  • further develop, implement and evaluate the strategic and annual planning of service priorities and outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

8 June 2020

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

LocationAmberley
Ministry of Education profile number46255
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for26 children over the age of 2 years
Service roll21
Gender compositionGirls 10, Boys 11
Ethnic compositionMāori
NZ European/Pākehā

18
Percentage of qualified teachers80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenOver 21:8Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteJanuary 2020
Date of this report8 June 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewAugust 2015

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.

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc - 11/08/2015

1 Evaluation of Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc

How well placed is Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc is very well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Amberley Community Preparatory School is one of two centres governed by a not-for-profit community-based early childhood education service in Amberley. The new purpose-built centre is located in the Amberley Primary School grounds. A dedicated management committee works collaboratively with the senior teacher, head teacher and the teaching team to provide positive learning outcomes for children and families.

The centre philosophy strongly reflects Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum. Both documents provide a strong foundation for a bicultural learning programme that is focused on positive and reciprocal relationships.

Teachers are all qualified and registered. They work well together to promote the learning and wellbeing of children aged 3½ to 5 years old.

This centre was established in June 2013. This is the first ERO review for the centre.

The Review Findings

Children and their families are warmly welcomed by friendly and caring staff. Transitions into the centre are responsive to the individual needs of tamariki, parents and whānau. Leaders and teachers actively foster respectful and inclusive relationships to support a good sense of belonging for children and families. Children with additional needs are well supported to be successful with their learning.

Teachers promote a child-centred curriculum that is highly responsive to children’s interests, strengths and capabilities. They take time to listen to children and encourage them to extend their thinking and reasoning. They provide a wide range of interesting activities and experiences to promote children’s literacy, curiosity and creativity. Strong links to the community enhance the learning programme offered to children. Parents are well informed of children’s interests and participation in learning through attractive and informative displays and profile books.

Children have many opportunities to develop their understandings of Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural heritage in ways that are meaningful and respectful of the Māori culture. Te reo and tikanga Māori are integrated naturally into the curriculum. Māori children are well supported to succeed as Māori through the sensitive acknowledgement of their language, culture and identity.

Leaders and teachers have given careful consideration to planning for positive transitions. They have engaged with parents, whānau and community, including other early childhood centres and many of the local schools, to ensure that knowledge of the child as a learner, in the context of their whānau, remains the focus as the child moves through the prep school and on to school.

Leaders successfully build on the strengths and capabilities of others through a shared leadership approach and well-planned professional development. They are focused on promoting a reflective team culture and improving the quality of education and care through ongoing systematic self review. The opinions and contributions of parents and whānau to the operation of the service, and the learning programme, are actively encouraged and highly valued.

Leaders actively seek and make good use of professional relationships within the wider community to extend on knowledge and to promote high expectations. This is well reflected in the centre's effective management systems and processes.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and ERO agree that in order to better reflect the strengths of the curriculum the key next steps are to:

  • better document self-review planning and evaluation of outcomes
  • continue to place a greater focus on the ways teachers can add value to children’s learning in planning documentation
  • further empower parents and whānau as partners in their children’s learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc 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 Amberley Community Preparatory School Inc will be in four years.

Chris Rowe

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

11 August 2015 

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

LocationAmberley
Ministry of Education profile number46255
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for26 children over two years of age
Service roll30
Gender compositionBoys 18; Girls 12
Ethnic compositionMāori
Pākehā
  2
28
Percentage of qualified teachers80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenOver 21:8Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteJune 2015
Date of this report5 August 2015
Most recent ERO reportFirst ERO reportNew Service

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.