Lollipops Aubrey Street

Education institution number:
50092
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
54
Telephone:
Address:

22 Aubrey Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth

View on map

Lollipops Aubrey Street

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Lollipops Aubrey Street is one of three centres in New Plymouth owned by Evolve Education Group. There are separate learning spaces for infants, toddlers and young children. At time of the review a range of ethnicities were enrolled, including small groups of Māori and Pacific learners. A newly appointed area manager, alongside a regional quality manager support the centre manager and teaching team.

Summary of Review Findings

Infants, toddlers and young children experience positive interactions with adults. Children are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. The service curriculum provides opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development - both indoors and outdoors. The design and layout of the premises supports effective supervision.

Children have opportunities to develop an understanding of the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Assessment, planning and evaluation demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning.

A philosophy statement guides the services operation and suitable human resource management practices are implemented.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • Continue to develop the local curriculum to reflect what is important to children and their families, to kaiako and the wider community.

  • Increase the opportunities parents and whānau have to actively contribute to their child’s learning goals, drawing on the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

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

15 September 2022 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Lollipops Aubrey Street

Profile Number

50092

Location

New Plymouth

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

66

Review team on site

August 2022

Date of this report

15 September 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2018; Education Review, November 2014

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; teacher certification; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

Lollipops Aubrey Street - 15/11/2018

1 Evaluation of Lollipops Aubrey Street

How well placed is Lollipops Aubrey Street 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

Lollipops Aubrey Street, has been owned and operated by Evolve Education Group 5 Ltd (Evolve) since October 2016. It was licensed as a single service in early 2017, through the merger of Bubbles New Plymouth Infants and Toddlers, Bubbles New Plymouth Junior Centre and Bubbles New Plymouth Preschool. At that time the Ministry of Education placed the service on a provisional licence. A full licence was re-issued in February 2018.

Full-day education and care is provided in the purpose-built facility. There are separate learning spaces for infants, toddlers and young children. Most teachers are qualified.

The service is licensed for 100 children including 20 aged up to two. Of the 100 children enrolled, 16 are Māori.

Governance and management undertaken by Evolve. An area manager, appointed in 2017, has overall responsibility for all Evolve early learning services in this region. Since the November 2014 ERO report of Bubbles New Plymouth services a new centre manager has been appointed with oversight for day-to-day operation. Staffing is now stable after a period of high staff turnover.

The philosophy is strongly bicultural. Whanaungatanga is valued. A holistic curriculum is promoted.

The previous 2014 ERO reviews identified significant areas for development for owners, managers and teachers to improve and develop their understanding and practices in: self review: planning, assessing and evaluating individual children's learning; developing a shared understanding of high quality interactions that build and extend children's language and thinking; annual and strategic planning to better inform centre priorities for teaching and learning; and strengthening appraisal processes. Non compliance with regulations was also identified.

A Ministry of Education, funded programme of support, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) was provided in November 2015. Additional professional development was also accessed. Good progress is evident and areas of compliance have now been addressed.

This review was part of three in the Evolve organisation.

The Review Findings

Children engage in sustained play in a curriculum where they have choices about their participation. The physical environment includes equipment and resources that promote challenge and exploration. Teachers work alongside children, supporting and extending their interests. Literacy, mathematics and science are meaningfully integrated into activities. Children with additional needs are well supported to participate in the learning programme.

Infants experience a warm, responsive and unhurried programme where whanaungatanga is highly evident. Teachers recognise and use learning opportunities well within routines, to promote children's developing independence.

Te ao Māori is strongly evident within the environment, curriculum and teacher practice. Te reo Māori is regularly spoken by children and teachers. Culturally responsive practice has been identified by leaders as an area to continue to strengthen.

Teachers have a shared understanding of planning for learning. They intentionally plan for children based on their interests and prior knowledge. Whānau aspirations are beginning to form part of each child's learning journey. Children's learning is progressed over time and well recorded in assessment documentation.

A comprehensive and well-considered process for transitioning children into, between rooms and on to school is in place. A clear procedure is in place to guide teacher practice and promote sustainability of the approach.

Regular visits by the area manager are valued by centre leaders. To strengthen support, visit reports should be more comprehensive and evaluative. It is timely for Evolve to promote deeper understanding of the shifts in practice required to fully enact the intent of Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum.

A focus on improvement is evident. The appraisal process has been strengthened to better support growth in teacher practice. Clear goals for leadership are evident. Leaders are focused on improving the quality of education and care. Collaborative ways of working are fostered. Professional development is valued and aligned to centre priorities.

New ownership in 2016 prompted an in-depth review of the centre philosophy. Wide consultation has taken place and has informed decisions about the development of this process. Teachers are working to embed the philosophy in their practice and are considering next steps to guide ongoing evaluation.

Strategic and annual planning appropriately reflect centre priorities for teaching and learning. Leaders and teachers are developing their understanding of internal evaluation. A suitable framework guides practice. Leaders should continue to support teachers' understanding and effective implementation of the process.

Useful systems are in place to monitor health and safety, recruitment and legislative requirements.

Key Next Steps

At centre level, leaders and ERO agree next steps are to continue to strengthen:

  • culturally responsive practice to better respond to all learners

  • understanding and use of internal evaluation for improved outcomes.

At governance and management level, next steps are to strengthen:

  • area manager visit reports that provide a fuller picture of the centre's performance overtime and next steps for improved outcomes

  • support for teachers to fully enact the intent of Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Lollipops Aubrey Street 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 Lollipops Aubrey Street will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

15 November 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

New Plymouth

Ministry of Education profile number

50092

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

100 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

101

Gender composition

Girls 57, Boys 44

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

16
65
20

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

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2018

Date of this report

15 November 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

November 2014

Education Review

December 2011

Education Review

May 2008

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.

Bubbles New Plymouth Junior Centre - 21/11/2014

Evaluation of Bubbles New Plymouth Junior Centre

How well placed is Bubbles New Plymouth Junior Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Bubbles New Plymouth Junior Centre requires further development in teaching practices, leadership and management and systems to be well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Bubbles New Plymouth Junior is a privately owned full day education and care service in central New Plymouth. It is one of three centres on the central city site that come under the Bubbles umbrella.

Centre owners are responsible for governance and management of the centre. A programme manager (PM) is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the preschool with support from an operations manager. Teachers are qualified in early childhood education and most have been at the centre for some time.

The centre philosophy has a focus on children’s holistic development in an environment that promotes fun, children's self-help skills and independence. Teachers seek to work in partnership with parents and families.

ERO's 2011 report identified a number of areas for development and review. Many continue to require improvement.

This review was part of a cluster of seven education and care service reviews in the Bubbles organisation.

The Review Findings

Teachers have an appropriate focus on establishing relationships with children and families. Transition processes assist children and families new to the centre and those moving to the preschool. Information is shared with families.

The environment has a range of resources available for promoting children's literacy and numeracy learning. An increasing emphasis on the use of te reo Māori and experiences that reflect te ao Māori results in opportunities for children to learn about Aotearoa/New Zealand’s dual cultural heritage. A next step is to make use of Ka Hikitia: Accelerating Success and Tātaiako, Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori learners to be more responsive to Māori children’s cultural, language and identity.

Children are confident to approach adults. They are familiar with centre routines and expectations. Children take turns and share ideas with each other. Teachers make some links to home in their conversations with children. Some children are involved in play for sustained periods. Improving the consistency and use of strategies to support and extend children’s learning, language and sustained play are key next steps.

The curriculum requires further development. A review of the centre philosophy is ongoing and is timely. Teachers and managers are inquiring into how well the philosophy is reflected in experiences for children. The review should include:

  • developing shared understanding of high quality interactions that build on and extend children’s language and thinking
  • centre routines that reflect current and best practice in early childhood education.

There have been some developments to centre processes and policies. Some of these require strengthening, including assessment, programme planning and annual planning. The strategic vision is yet to sufficiently focus on priorities for improving teaching and learning.

Governance and management processes to support and build teaching capability need to be improved. A priority is to fully address the areas for review and development identified in ERO's 2011 report. Appraisal needs to align with the Registered Teacher Criteria. Opportunities for centre leaders to inquire into and improve their leadership are an important next step to strengthen outcomes for children.

Self review continues to be an area for development. The owners, managers and teachers need to distinguish between reviewing for accountability and evaluating for improvement. Developing robust ways of knowing the impact of teaching practices and policies on children’s learning and development should lead to improved outcomes for children.

The Bubbles 2014-to-2015 management plan requires strengthening. The focus of the plan is on centre operations and a broad teaching and learning objective for the seven centres. Consideration should be given to developing a plan collaboratively with teachers and parents that identifies priorities and associated goals to strengthen individual centre operations. This should include governors and managers developing a better understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities.

Key Next Steps

The centre has yet to fully address the areas for development identified in the 2011 ERO report. Owners, managers, and teachers should improve and develop their understanding and practices in:

  • self review to more clearly show the impact of teachers’ practices and learning on outcomes for children

  • assessment and programme planning, including how this information is used to plan for and extend individual children's learning

  • annual and strategic planning to better inform centre priorities for teaching and learning

  • developing a shared understanding of high quality interactions that build on and extend children’s language and thinking

  • strengthening appraisal processes, including a focus on appropriate leadership goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Bubbles New Plymouth Junior 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management and the provision of an effective early childhood education for children. To meet requirements the service needs to ensure that:

  • the service is effectively governed and managed in accordance with good management practices, in particular review practices, appraisal, strategic and annual planning.[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA6, GMA7]

  • the practices of adults providing education and care demonstrate an understanding of children’s development and knowledge of relevant theories and practice in early childhood education[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Service 2008, C4]

To improve current practice, centre management should make sure that all non-registered personnel, including managers and volunteers, are police vetted every three years.

Development Plan Recommendation

ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Bubbles New Plymouth Junior Centre will be within two years.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region

21 November 2014

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

New Plymouth

Ministry of Education profile number

50092

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

39 children, including up to 6 aged under 2

Service roll

54

Gender composition

Boys 32, Girls 22

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Latin American

Indian

Other ethnic groups

5

43

2

2

2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2014

Date of this report

21 November 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

December 2011

 

Education Review

May 2008

 

Education Review

October 2004

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.