16 South Highway, Whitianga
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 Akarangi Quality 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 Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga are as follows:
Outcome Indicators
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Whāngai Establishing |
Learning Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding |
Organisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing |
Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga is a privately-owned education and care service. The centre is governed by a managing director, with two centre managers leading ten kaiako across three age-based learning spaces. The service philosophy informs a play-based, bicultural approach to learning.
Children have equitable learning opportunities through a curriculum consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children experience a sense of belonging through responsive, respectful partnerships with kaiako. The homely, play-centred environment supports kaiako to encourage children’s holistic learning. Children recognise, learn about, and celebrate each other’s culture and language. These are yet to be consistently reflected in documented assessment. Infants and toddlers experience a nurturing environment with space and time to lead their own learning.
Strategies that promote educational success for Māori children are highly evident. Te reo and tikanga Māori are integrated into the curriculum. Local iwi and whānau Māori contribute to the design of a bicultural curriculum. An understanding of traditional Māori pūrākau (story) encourages children to be kaitiaki of the local environments. Children have opportunities to grow their understanding and respect of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Leaders foster relational trust and a positive working environment conducive to building and sustaining quality adult-child relationships. They articulate valued priorities for children’s learning and enact the service philosophy, vision and goals. The perspectives and cultural expertise of parents and whānau are sought and responded to. Children’s learning and wellbeing is the primary consideration, and their developing social competence is well supported.
Those who are responsible for governance and management are at an early stage of developing the conditions and collective capacity to do and use evaluation for improvement. Kaiako are beginning to use inquiry to reflect on current practices.
Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
interpret and use the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, in relation to the values and learning priorities of the service’s kaiako, children, parents, whānau and communities
continue to develop a system and practices of internal evaluation that supports continuous growth and sustained improvement for children and whānau
strengthen the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects the cultural contexts in which they live.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga 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.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
25 March 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga |
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Profile Number |
46903 |
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Location |
Whitianga |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
59 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
54 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 11, NZ European/Pākehā 38, Other ethnic groups 5 |
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Review team on site |
January 2022 |
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Date of this report |
25 March 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2018 |
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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.
Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga is a privately owned education and care service located in the Whitianga township, Coromandel Peninsula. It opened in December 2015 and is licensed to cater for 30 children, including up to 12 under two years old in separate age-based rooms. At the time of this ERO review there were 43 children on the roll including 11 Māori. The roll also includes children from other nationalities, including Japanese.
The centre is governed by a managing director, a director and three board members. There are five registered teachers known as educators. A lead educator takes responsibility for day-to-day operations in each age-based area. Three other staff members contribute their knowledge and expertise to the teaching team. In addition there is an administrator who takes responsibility for finances and centre administration. There have been several changes in management personnel since the centre opened.
The service aims to provide a child-led, play-based approach to learning to encourage children to be resilient, creative, independent thinkers and problem solvers. They share the KAURI values of Kindness, Achievement, Unity, Respect and Identity with the nearby Mercury Bay Area School.
Children’s wellbeing, belonging and awareness of themselves as successful learners is promoted through a curriculum that is inclusive and responsive. Parents contribute their skills and knowledge to enrich the curriculum for children. Māori children and their whānau benefit from educators who acknowledge and respect their culture. Educators demonstrate a commitment to building their own knowledge of practices that promote success for Māori. The centre receives valuable support from whānau and local iwi members from Ngāti Hei.
Children up to the age of two years benefit from calm and unhurried practice that demonstrates high levels of respect. Breastfeeding mothers are well supported to continue feeding their babies during their time in the centre. Educators work in positive relationships with specialist agencies and parents to respond effectively to children with identified and additional needs.
Children enjoy actively exploring their environment and experimenting with a range of challenging equipment. They are building valuable social skills as they learn alongside trusted friends and educators. Children confidently communicate their ideas and opinions to adults. They are able to express themselves through creative experiences such as art, drama and music. Regular celebrations and events throughout the year are inclusive of families and whānau. Aspects of early literacy, mathematics and natural science are introduced in meaningful contexts through play. Transitions are well planned and at children’s own pace, both in the centre, and on to the adjacent school. Children and families are able to share and revisit learning through regular conversations with educators, in-centre portfolios, digital portfolios, and centre displays. Highly effective systems for assessment and planning enable educators to plan for the individual strengths, interests and needs of children and document their progress and development.
Educators have a shared and regularly reviewed philosophy of teaching based on respectful and responsive practices. They have established positive and trusting relationships with children and their families. Educators make consistent use of strategies that positively guide children’s choices and behaviour. They know children well, carefully listen to their ideas and respond to their preferences. Educators from a number of different nationalities share their cultures to enrich the curriculum. Effective teaching strategies are promoting children's confidence as competent learners and explorers and their understanding and enactment of the KAURI values.
Leaders work in positive and collaborative relationships to build capability across the service. A culture of reflection is promoted and supported across the teaching team. Leaders provide professional support to educators through effective modelling, formal and informal feedback, opportunities for professional discussion and participation in the wider education community. There are clear and well documented expectations to guide practices in the centre. Children, whānau and families are benefitting from responsive and professional leadership.
The owner, director and board are providing positive governance and leadership. They bring useful skills and experience to their roles. There is a documented and shared vision, philosophy and commitment to provide a play-based education and care service in the community. Leaders are dedicated to promoting equitable opportunities for families to participate in early childhood learning. Strategic planning, appropriate policies and internal evaluation are well documented and set a clear direction for centre development and improvement. Good governance and shared leadership places the service in a strong position to provide a sustainable service for families and children.
Educators and leaders need to continue to build their understanding of:
culturally responsive practices that respond to the language, culture and identity of each child and their family
ways to further empower older children to lead their own learning and extend their knowledge and use of early literacy and mathematics concepts across all areas of play.
Leaders have developed an appraisal system which aligns with current Education Council recommendations and requirements. It is now necessary to document and fully implement this system for all educators.
There is a need to continue to review and strengthen internal evaluation. This should include alignment of the strategic plan with Ministry of Education guiding documents and regulations as a basis for and evaluating the resulting outcomes.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga 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.
ERO found areas of non-compliance with regard to securing heavy objects that could topple or fall.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008: HS6.
The next ERO review of Kauri Learners, Early Education, Whitianga will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
25 May 2018
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 |
Whitianga |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46903 |
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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 |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
43 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 23 Boys 20 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
11 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
April 2018 |
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Date of this report |
25 May 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
First report for this centre |
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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:
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.