Little House Montessori

Education institution number:
47194
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
56
Telephone:
Address:

4 Little Gem Road, Hornby, Christchurch

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Little House Montessori

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 Little House Montessori 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

Whāngai Establishing

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Little House Montessori is a privately-owned early childhood centre in Christchurch. The service has two owners, one is the director, the other, the administrator. Most staff, including the director, are registered Montessori teachers. The centre serves a culturally diverse community.

3 Summary of findings

Children have many opportunities to learn through a responsive curriculum that is consistent with Montessori approaches and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Leaders and teachers model care and respect for one another, children and their families. They work collaboratively to promote partnerships with parents in supporting children’s learning. Montessori values such as ‘grace and courtesy’ are given prominence when working with children. Children benefit from a well-organised learning environment. They have easy access to high quality Montessori resourcing and caring teachers to inspire their curiosity and positively impact on their active engagement in learning.

Children’ s learning and development is supported by teachers with culturally relevant knowledge and expertise. They have deep understandings of cultural perspectives, including the importance of family aspirations for children’s learning of English as an additional language. As a result, children have many opportunities to celebrate their own culture, and the cultures of others, within a curriculum that fosters appreciation of cultural heritage.  

Teachers effectively build children’s confidence and competence as successful learners. They actively promote their thinking, reasoning, and social skills, using calm and respectful interactions. Te ao Māori is acknowledged with thoughtful resourcing and through the use of te reo Māori during group times. Leaders have identified that extending te ao Māori understandings and practices is a key priority for 2022.

Leaders and teachers collaboratively develop and enact the services philosophy, vision, goals and priorities. There are high expectations for teaching and learning including ensuring consistency in ways of working with children to promote equitable outcomes. Assessment practice informs the curriculum design and over time builds each child’s cultural identity, sense of belonging and learner identity. Evaluation of the impact of intentional teaching strategies on outcomes for learners is yet to be undertaken.

The learning and wellbeing of children in the context of culture and family relationships are the primary considerations in decision making. Leadership has established sound systems that strengthen the focus on what is happening for children and their learning. Use of internal evaluation to promote sustained improvement and innovation is at an early stage. Collective capacity to use evaluation for improvement is being built. Formal monitoring and evaluation of strategic priorities is yet to be undertaken.

4 Improvement actions

Little House Montessori will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These include to:

  • strengthen understandings of te ao Māori and use of te reo Māori to further enrich the curriculum
  • evaluate the impact of intentional teaching strategies on outcomes for learners
  • extend leadership capacity to build teacher capability to implement deep levels of inquiry and evaluation for improvement.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Little House Montessori 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

21 March 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Little House Montessori
Profile Number 47194
Location Christchurch

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

50 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

58

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā 8, Asian 50

Review team on site

November 2021

Date of this report

21 March 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, December 2018

Little House Montessori - 13/12/2018

1 Evaluation of Little House Montessori

How well placed is Little House Montessori to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Little House Montessori is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Little House Montessori is a privately-owned centre licensed for 50 children over two years of age to school age. The centre opened in February 2017. This is its first ERO review. It is a purpose-built centre and comprises two learning spaces, one for children aged 2 -3 years, and one for children aged 3- school age. The outdoor area is a shared space for all children in the centre.

The centre has two owners. One is the centre director and a fully-trained early childhood teacher, and the other teaches within the centre. One of the owners and most of the teachers are Montessori trained. Most of the teaching staff are qualified and registered early childhood teachers.

The centre uses the Montessori curriculum and Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum. The centre's philosophy emphasises a holistic approach which focuses on relationships with families and children, a collaborative approach to children's learning and providing a nurturing, home-like environment.

The centre aims to encourage children to develop independence and confidence while working and learning alongside others, so that they foster a lifelong love of learning.

The Review Findings

The centre's philosophy, mission, vision and core values are meaningfully reflected in the preschool programme and practices. The centre is deeply committed to the Montessori child-centred educational approach.

The preschool is a welcoming environment. Teachers and centre management actively foster positive and supportive relationships with children, parents, extended families and the wider community. Children and families transitioning into the centre are welcomed through a supportive gradual transition programme. There are flexible transitions into, across and out of the centre to support children’s sense of belonging and wellbeing.

Teachers are actively engaged in children's play and are responsive to children's interests. Teachers work collaboratively to be responsive to children's strengths and capabilities. There is a strong focus on developing each child's unique and individual pathway towards being a lifelong learner. Children play cooperatively together for extended periods of time, developing their social skills.

The centre's commitment to Montessori practice is clearly evident and interwoven into all aspects of the preschool. The Te Whāriki and Montessori curriculums are aligned to ensure a well-grounded curriculum. Literacy and numeracy are prioritised and evident in programmes in ways that are meaningful to children. A wide range of curriculum areas are taught and explored to extend children's learning. Multiculturalism is thoughtfully integrated into the learning programme. Children's language development is well supported and teachers are very responsive to the second language learning needs of children.

Children benefit from spacious, easily accessible learning areas. There is an excellent range of resources that are well used, inside and outside. The preschool provides opportunities for children to explore the local community and also locations throughout the wider community and city.

Teachers are strongly child focused. They have a sound knowledge of each child, and information from assessments is effectively used to inform planning that engages children in meaningful and appropriate ways. Teachers are extremely well supported by leadership to have the time to reflect, extend and develop their practice.

The centre is well managed. Leaders are successfully building respectful professional relationships that are based on relational trust and focused on collaboration and ongoing improvement. Leaders and teachers have a shared focus on providing high quality learning and teaching for all children. Their focus is constantly on ensuring positive outcomes for children within an orderly and supportive environment.

Key Next Steps

The leaders of the centre have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps for the centre's development should include:

  • further developing the philosophy to encompass the centre's core values, vision, valued outcomes, Te Whāriki, and a commitment to bicultural practice
  • continuing to increase bicultural knowledge and understanding to expand centre-wide practice
  • strengthening records of individual children’s learning to ensure there are clear links to teaching strategies and identified ways to support their learning and development.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Little House Montessori 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 Little House Montessori will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

13 December 2018

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

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

47194

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children

Service roll

54

Gender composition

Boys 29 ; Girls 25

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese
Filipino
Other ethnicities

1
5
25
17
6

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2018

Date of this report

13 December 2018

Most recent ERO report

No previous ERO 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.