Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre

Education institution number:
46865
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
99
Telephone:
Address:

95 Napier Road, Havelock North

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Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre

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 (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 Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakaū Embedding

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakawhanake Sustaining

2 Context of the Service

Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre is a privately owned education and care service. This service sits adjacent to Cherry Grove@101 and children transition between both services. A separate family centre provides services and support for whānau and children, including facilitating collaboration with external community agencies.

3 Summary of findings

Children lead their own learning in a play-based curriculum consistent with Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum. Kaiako interactions with children are language rich and responsive to verbal and non-verbal cues. Children’s learning and social competence is supported in small groups sizes, with opportunities for exploration and curiosity. Tuakana teina relationships are nurtured and are intentionally promoted within the large, interesting and well-designed playground. Children show independence as capable and competent learners.

Children’s interests are deliberately followed through responsive teaching. Assessment recognises children’s efforts, challenges and successes and considers parent and whānau aspirations. Some te reo and tikanga Māori practices were observed in practice and in assessment. Leaders have identified that building kaiako knowledge and cultural competence is required to support Māori children’s success. Priorities for children’s learning are not yet consistently identified through evaluation of their progress and ongoing planning.

Positive outcomes for children are promoted through reciprocal relationships between staff, children, whānau and the wider community. A focus on building kaiako capability supports consistent practice across the service.

Relational trust at every level supports collaboration and openness to change and improvement. New knowledge is shared effectively within the service and the wider education community. Leaders and kaiako have opportunities to engage in professional learning and development. Mentoring and coaching is building knowledge and use of evaluation and inquiry. Leaders foster a shared understanding of the service philosophy, vision, goals and priorities for children’s learning.

Wellbeing and learning outcomes for children and whānau are promoted by effective systems and processes. Structural conditions further support quality education and care for children. Cherry Grove’s family centre further contributes to positive social and community outcomes.

4 Improvement actions

Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • build leaders and kaiako understanding of children’s cultural identity and how this supports their success as learners
  • strengthen children’s individual plans and sharpen evaluation of children’s learning to inform priorities for children’s learning.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Cherry Grove Childcare and Family 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:

  • 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.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

12 July 2021

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre
Profile Number 46865
Location Havelock North

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

110 children, including up to 50 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

186

Ethnic composition

Māori  7%, NZ European/Pākehā 85%, other ethnic groups 8%.

Review team on site

June 2021

Date of this report

12 July 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, October 2017

Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre - 09/10/2017

1 Evaluation of Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre

How well placed is Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre 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

Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre is a privately owned centre established in November 2015. It is licensed to provide all day education and care for 110 children, including 50 up to two years of age. Of the 161 children currently enrolled, nine are Māori.

The service's philosophy emphasises children's ability to create wisdom through wonder, facilitated by teachers in partnership with families.

Children are transitioned through six rooms organised by age and stage of development. A communal outdoor area allows for mixed age interactions throughout the day.

A separate family centre programme for parents and infants operates several days a week. Its intention is to support new parents and their children as well as foster relationships within the community.

A significant staff restructure was completed in May 2017. As a result, a new operations manager was appointed and management team established. Since then many systems and processes have been subject to review and change.

The service is governed by its owners, who establish philosophy and guide long term direction. Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the management team. Managing teachers each have responsibility for a number of rooms, including the staff, families and quality of the curriculum.

This is the service's first ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children engage in play-based learning within a curriculum that embodies the centre philosophy. They freely explore activities, resources and the environment. Opportunities for new learning are offered through the programme. Children appear confident, settled and sociable.

A feeling of community is developing within the service. The environment allows for children to work alongside peers as well as interact within a mixed age setting. Building connections across the centre is a current planning focus. Children's sense of belonging is fostered.

Responsive caregiving promotes infants' and toddlers' need for secure attachment. These children experience transitions that acknowledge their routines, needs and preferences. Children with additional learning needs are well supported to achieve positive outcomes. Staff work collaboratively with parents and outside agencies to provide a tailored response to these children's needs and learning goals.

Relationships with families are strengthening. Increased opportunities for parents to be involved in the programme are evident and their contributions are valued by staff. Leaders are cultivating partnerships within the wider community to reinforce their growing understanding of te āo Māori and educational success for Māori children.

A new group assessment, planning and evaluation framework is in the early stages of development. Parents, teachers and children contribute to planning for a centre wide topic. Assessment of group learning and evaluation of the programme require strengthening to clearly focus on the intended outcomes for children.

Children's participation in the programme is increasingly shared with parents via an online system. Establishing practice that explicitly identifies, assesses and responds to the learning of individual children is a key next step. Staff should more strongly promote children's culture, language and identity through this process.

Teachers foster warm, trusting relationships with children. A range of strategies are used to prompt deeper thinking, extend children's interests and support social competence. Leaders have identified that greater consistency of teaching practice is required.

Systems and processes for teacher development are emerging. External expertise has been engaged to facilitate improvement of these. A review of the appraisal system is underway to better assist teacher growth. This review should encompass:

  • more specific goals for improvement

  • targeted observations of teacher practice

  • an expectation of constructive feed forward.

Thought should also be given to creating clear expectations of good practice in teaching and learning.

The newly formed leadership team is strongly focused on improving the quality of education and care within the service. Collaborative ways of working and opportunities for teachers to contribute to service development are encouraged. An internal evaluation framework guides regular reviews across all aspects of the service to support improvement. Establishing centre-wide understanding and involvement in these evaluations, with a clear emphasis on outcomes for children, is a key next step.

Key Next Steps

ERO has identified that key next steps are for leaders to continue to develop:

  • assessment, planning and evaluation for groups and individuals

  • systems and processes that support teacher development

  • collaborative internal evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Cherry Grove Childcare and Family 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:

  • 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.

ERO identified an area of non-compliance.

The service provider must ensure that a written emergency plan is completed to ensure the care and safety of children and adults at the service. This should include a communication plan for families as well as a list of safety and emergency supplies sufficient for the numbers attending the service.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS7.]

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Cherry Grove Childcare and Family Centre will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

9 October 2017

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

Havelock North

Ministry of Education profile number

46865

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

110 children, including up to 50 aged under 2

Service roll

161

Gender composition

Girls 89, Boys 72

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

9
146
6

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

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

9 October 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous reports

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.