Co Kids Christchurch Limited

Education institution number:
47294
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
68
Telephone:
Address:

Unit 3, 1 Pilgram Place, Christchurch

View on map

Co Kids Christchurch Limited

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 Co Kids Christchurch Limited are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Co Kids Christchurch Limited is one of three services owned and operated by a management group. It provides care and education for tamariki from birth to school age. The service is governed by the management group and the centre manager has oversight of the day-to-day operation of the service.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and kaiako establish and maintain respectful and responsive relationships with tamariki. These are in line with the philosophy which promotes mana enhancing practice followed by the centre. Kaiako are responsive to care practices at home and in the service for pēpi. They work collaboratively with external expertise and whānau to support tamariki with additional learning needs.

The assessment framework is based on Māori values and the associated dispositions. These are evident in the assessment of learning and development for tamariki. Whānau contributions and aspirations are sought in a range of ways. Kaiako use single words and phrases in te reo Māori with tamariki. A greater focus on extending the use of te reo Māori in all areas of the curriculum is required.

Kaiako respect and make good use of family contributions and links to home for tamariki who whakapapa to Pacific cultures and values. There is evidence of a strong focus on home languages, cultures, and identities for every tamaiti, dispositions and highlighting ongoing progress.

Internal evaluation practices are well established and results in ongoing improvement to practice. All kaiako are involved in the use of research to inform collaborative sense making and in prioritising the action required. While there is some capability in the team, consistent practice is still to be realised. The annual plan is aligned to the organisational strategic plan which is developed collaboratively at management level. The effectiveness of the strategic plan has not yet been evaluated.

A clearly defined management and organisational structure supports and empowers the manager in her role. Well organised management processes and practices  support the effective operation of the service including building leadership capacity and capability, and effective succession planning.

4 Improvement actions

Co Kids Christchurch Limited will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:

  • extend bicultural practices including te reo and tikanga Māori
  • continue to build understandings, capability, and confidence for all kaiako to lead and use internal evaluation to deeply inquire into, monitor and evaluate the impact of changes to practice on outcomes for tamariki
  • formally monitor and evaluate the strategic plan and annual goals.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Co Kids Christchurch Limited 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

14 February 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Co Kids Christchurch Limited

Profile Number

47294

Location

Christchurch

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 35 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

57

Ethnic composition

Māori 4, NZ European/Pākehā 38, Other ethnicities 15

Review team on site

November, 2021

Date of this report

14 February 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, January 2019

Co Kids Christchurch Limited - 22/01/2019

1 Evaluation of Co Kids Christchurch Limited

How well placed is Co Kids Christchurch Limited to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Co Kids Christchurch Limited is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Co Kids Christchurch Limited opened in July 2017 and is one of a small number of centres across New Zealand under the same ownership. It is licensed for up to 75 children, including 35 children under two years old. Situated close to the inner city, it is purpose built and contains three large spaces that open onto a common outdoor area. Since opening, the roll has steadily increased, with children coming from across Christchurch. The centre is open from 7.30am until 6pm and provides a cooked lunch.

The centre’s philosophy emphasises child-paced learning, positive, reciprocal and respectful relationships, and a collaborative environment which focuses on the holistic wellbeing of each child. The philosophy reflects the centre’s commitment to bicultural understandings and practices, and Te Whāriki, the NZ Early Childhood curriculum.

The owners receive regular reports from the centre manager and work closely with her to ensure positive outcomes. The centre’s teaching staff are all registered teachers, the majority in early childhood education.

This is the centre’s first ERO review.

The Review Findings

Children experience a calm, caring and settled environment. Teachers support them to develop confidence and independence and take responsibility for their own learning. Teachers know children well, quietly nurturing and encouraging them to learn and develop at their own pace. Children’s learning and wellbeing are supported by a range of thoughtful resources, both inside and out.

Positive relationships are clearly evident throughout the centre. The importance of respect, kindness and care for the children, as articulated in the philosophy, is evident in the centre’s programme and in interactions of teachers and children. Children work confidently alone or happily with others across age groups.

Children under two are very well cared for in an environment that enables them to safely develop, explore, make choices and challenge themselves. Teachers ensure that information is regularly shared with parents and that children experience familiar routines.

The centre manager has established a strong culture of reflection, consistency and collaboration, supported by a high quality performance management system. Teachers collectively identify and record children’s development, and plan individual programmes that are tailored to children’s interests and abilities. Regular, shared reflection and review leads to ongoing improvement of the environment, systems and practices.

Leaders and teachers are strongly committed to embedding te ao Māori in the centre’s systems and practices. Te reo is a natural part of the learning environment. While all children benefit from this environment, the centre is still developing planning and assessment practices that fully reflect the identity and culture of individual Māori children.

Leaders and teachers have established effective processes and communication practices across all aspects of the centre. These include

  • induction of new staff
  • transition of children and whānau into, through and beyond the centre
  • policies and procedures
  • informing and engaging parents
  • consulting with the community.

These systems create clarity and consistency for leaders, teachers, children and whānau.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and teachers need to continue to strengthen internal evaluation so that:

  • it is more focused on positive outcomes for children
  • there is a clear understanding of the impact of programmes, changes and initiatives on children’s learning and wellbeing.

To better reflect and record children’s learning and development, leaders and teachers need to ensure that assessment, planning and evaluation more consistently show:

  • children’s progress over time
  • children’s next learning steps
  • the incorporation of children’s own language, culture and identity
  • the specific strategies teachers will use.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Co Kids Christchurch Limited 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 Co Kids Christchurch Limited will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

22 January 2019

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

47294

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 35 aged under 2

Service roll

64

Gender composition

Boys 32 ; Girls 32

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnicities

8
37
19

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

1:8

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2018

Date of this report

22 January 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

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.