3932 State Highway 26, Waitoa
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 Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakawhanake Sustaining Whakaū Embedding |
Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa is a not-for-profit service managed by the Te Aroha Kindergarten Association. Governance is provided by a community board. The kindergarten caters for children under three in a daily six-hour session. Of the children enrolled, a small number are identified as Māori.
Infants and toddlers experience a purposeful and responsive curriculum that significantly supports their learning and development. Intentional teaching practices, underpinned by whanaungatanga (relationships and connectedness), ensure their rhythms and routines are unhurried. Kaiako model and enact manākitanga (respect, acceptance, and kindness), which supports learners to grow independence, self-confidence, language, and social skills.
Meaningful, collaborative assessment processes enhance children’s learning. Kaiako skillfully use children’s interests to extend their development. Parental goals for children are woven into individual learning plans alongside recognition of children’s ways of learning. Kaiako demonstrate strong understandings of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and they identify intended learning to inform holistic growth.
Kaiako are developing their cultural capabilities to enrich the daily curriculum. Children’s and whānau home languages are woven into routines and assessment. Valued cultural practices are gathered from parents, supporting learning-focused partnerships. Kaiako and leaders have identified that strengthening spoken te reo Māori is an on-going learning journey.
The association is strengthening the organisational conditions, with children’s learning and wellbeing as primary considerations in decision making. Equitable access to learning is promoted through low kaiako to child ratios and small group size. Kaiako capability is built through external relationships, mentoring, professional learning, and growth. Relational trust supports kaiako, leaders, and the governing board to collaborate. Evaluation for improvement processes are embedded, while documentation of the impacts and outcomes of change for groups of children requires strengthening. These conditions contribute to the provision of quality teaching that enhances children’s mana and identity as successful learners.
Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Strengthen kaiako capability to extend opportunities for children to hear and use meaningful te reo Māori throughout the daily curriculum.
Continue to strengthen evaluation to directly document what is and isn’t working for specific groups of children, in terms of the valued outcomes in Te Whāriki.
Implement a system for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of strategic goals at governance and service level to sustain ongoing improvement over time.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa 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.
ERO identified the following area of non-compliance:
evaluating emergency drills undertaken, to inform the annual review of the service’s emergency plan.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8].
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on, that will be used by more than one child over time, being securely covered with or made of a non-porous material (PF30).
Reviewing the written emergency plan on at least an annual basis (HS7).
Equipment, premises, and facilities being checked on every day of operation for hazards to children that include, but is not limited to, all aspects listed in the licensing criterion (HS12).
A copy of the Ministry of Health: Reducing food-related choking for babies and young children at early learning services being provided to all parents at the time of enrolment (HS22).
A written procedure for safety checking all children’s workers before employment or engagement that meets the safety checking requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
7 June 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa |
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Profile Number |
47186 |
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Location |
Waitoa |
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Service type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
|
Service roll |
34 |
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Review team on site |
March 2023 |
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Date of this report |
7 June 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 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.
Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa is a newly established infant and toddler centre situated in Waitoa, close to Te Aroha. It is licensed for 20 children, including up to 10 under the age of two years, in a mixed-age setting. A separately licensed centre for older children is alongside on the same site. The centre is open between 8.45am to 2.45pm.
The kindergarten is governed by Te Aroha Kindergarten Association (TAKA) Board of Trustees. It is one of three TAKA not-for profit, early childhood services within the wider Te Aroha community. The association provides systems and frameworks for daily operations. An experienced manager is responsible for the three centres and a senior teacher from within the association has been appointed to provide educational leadership. The head teacher is supported by a teaching team which comprises all qualified and fully-registered early childhood teachers.
Through their philosophy teachers aim to provide a heart-centred approach to learning where strong relationships are formed within a homely environment. The values of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are promoted and children's wellbeing is nurtured.
This is the first ERO review of Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa.
Children experience a rich curriculum which is highly responsive to their emerging interests. They can challenge themselves during sustained play and are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and others, promoting independence and kindness. Early literacy and mathematics skills are naturally integrated within play. Oral language development is promoted through social interactions, conversations, singing, music, rhymes and storytelling. Open-ended and natural resources and spacious indoor and outdoor environments encourage exploration and sensory learning. Children's individual learning progress is planned for and shared with families through assessment portfolios. Teachers plan for the individual interests, strengths and needs of all children, including those who require additional learning support. Children are supported to experience success in learning and to develop as competent and confident learners.
Strong relationships between teachers, children and their families support positive learning outcomes. A 'mānawa kaiako' concept of a key teacher for each child promotes their 'heart centred' practice and philosophy. Teachers make use of the flexible routines as a learning experience for the youngest children. Transitions into the centre are well supported. Respectful care and the use of intentional teaching strategies, including emotional coaching, supports social competence. Teachers provide a homely environment which is calm and unhurried. Māori children experience a curriculum in which te reo and tikanga Māori are valued and promoted. Children feel secure and their wellbeing is nurtured.
Highly knowledgeable and experienced leaders have developed a shared philosophy and vision for the centre. Each team member brings strengths and leaderships skills to the cohesive team. A senior teacher and head teacher mentor and coach team members. A new online appraisal system has recently been introduced and now teachers need further support to fully implement and time to embed it. Internal evaluation systems and practice are established, focused on positive outcomes for children and shows ongoing improvement. Professional learning opportunities are attended by teachers together, enhancing the shared approach to teaching and learning. Trusting relationships with children and their families is underpinned by the values of whanaungatanga. Children and their families have a strong sense of belonging.
Decision making at governance level is focussed on quality learning outcomes for children. Knowledgeable board members meet regularly and provide support for the association manager. TAKA has a strong commitment to sustainable high quality education and care. Only qualified staff are employed and small group sizes are maintained. The TAKA is a member of the New Zealand Kindergarten Association, providing networking within the wider educational community. Strong systems and processes guide centre operations. The Association policies are regularly reviewed. It is now timely to develop procedures specific to Tendershoots that reflect current practice, including the appraisal policy. Management have successfully established a new centre to serve the local community.
The next steps are to develop centre-specific procedures, particularly in assessment, planning and evaluation, to sustain and embed effective practices that promote positive outcomes for children's education and care.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa 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.
The next ERO review of Tendershoots Kindergarten Waitoa will be in three years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
11 September 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 |
Te Aroha |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
47186 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
25 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 13 Boys 12 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
July 2018 |
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Date of this report |
11 September 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
First ERO review |
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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.