77 Dorset Avenue, New Plymouth
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 (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 New Plymouth Montessori Association 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 |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
New Plymouth Montessori Association provides education and care for a diverse community of learners. The service is governed by a parent elected council. Most teachers are qualified in early learning and Montessori education. The philosophy aspires to weave together Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, Montessori philosophy and a virtues based curriculum.
Teachers effectively support and promote children’s learning and wellbeing. Montessori progressions of learning and the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki are well utilised to extend children’s goals over time and to identify each child’s learning needs. Learning environments reflect the essential elements of a Montessori approach. Children are leaders of their own learning. Transitions in, to, and out of the centre are intentional and responsive to children’s needs. Children benefit from an inclusive and culturally rich learning experience.
Learning focused partnerships with parents and whānau are effectively developed and maintained. Multiple opportunities for parents to contribute and be involved in their child’s learning and the service community are provided. Parents express that they value the ethnic diversity of teachers and leaders. Aspects of locally relevant te reo and te ao Māori are part of children’s experiences. All children’s cultures, languages and identities are valued as fundamental to supporting their growth and development. Parent and whānau aspirations are collated, responded to and influence children’s learning.
Equity and advocacy of children’s rights underpin leadership practices. Evaluation and improvement to support individual children’s learning is embedded. Leaders promote a shared understanding of the service’s philosophy and values. Reflective Montessori practice, mentoring and professional learning enable collaboration and improvement over time. Strategic and whole service evaluation is yet to systematically determine the quality or value of improvement actions in terms of their contribution to desired outcomes.
Governance and structural considerations support quality provision. Montessori and early learning qualifications are prioritised during appointment processes. Organisation of staffing upholds children’s sense of security. Consultation with external expertise supports the council to redefine strategic intent, goals and actions. The early stages of strategic planning means that changes have not yet been evaluated to know what is working for children, and why.
New Plymouth Montessori Association will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth Montessori Association 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:
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)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 December 2021
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
New Plymouth Montessori Association |
|
Profile Number |
50511 |
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Location |
New Plymouth |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
108 children aged over 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
94 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 10, NZ European/Pākehā 23, Chinese 17, Indian 10, Filipino 6, Australian 5, British 4, European 4, other ethnic groups 15. |
|
Review team on site |
October 2021 |
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Date of this report |
21 December 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, October 2018; Education Review, July 2015. |
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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.
The New Plymouth Montessori Association is a community-based early childhood centre in suburban New Plymouth. The centre provides education and care for up to 108 children, from two to six years of age. Of the 83 children enrolled, nine identify as Māori and three are of Pacific heritage. More than one third of the children are bi-lingual or have English as their second language.
The parent-led management council is responsible for governance and is supported by an experienced principal and an established qualified team. Programmes for children are underpinned by the Montessori philosophy and the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum (2017).
Extensive property development occurred from January 2015 to November 2017.
There have been some gains since the July 2015 ERO report. The bicultural programme has been strengthened. Further development is required in appraisal and internal evaluation practices.
The service provides a rich Montessori-based programme that celebrates and develops children's interests and dispositions. Educators' commitment to the centre's philosophy is highly evident. They work collaboratively to provide a well-considered programme that supports children to be capable, independent learners.
Children are confident communicators and positively respond to peers and staff. They actively engage in purposeful learning through play and many sustain this for extended periods of time. Children are familiar with routines and expectations.
Children with additional needs are well catered for in an inclusive environment. External support is accessed when necessary.
The well-resourced indoor and outdoor classrooms provide children with choice and enriching learning opportunities. Montessori materials engage and invite exploration in science, geography, music and art. Literacy and mathematics are interwoven though a range of contexts. Teachers use deliberate strategies to foster oral language. They model positive, respectful relationships.
The outdoor environment provides an authentic context for tamariki to become kaitiaki as guardians of nature, learn about sustainability and make connections to the natural world.
The bicultural curriculum is an area of focus for the centre. Staff have undertaken extensive professional learning and development in te ao Māori. Strong links have been established with kaumatua from local hapū and iwi. Ongoing advice and guidance has been provided and followed. This has led to the building of Te Whare Aniwaniwa, a whare matauranga, a place of learning. A next step is to continue to strengthen understanding of te ao Māori by children and staff.
Teacher planning is based on careful observations of individual children. Their progress across each of the learning domains is recorded and informs the daily programme. Portfolios include narratives of children’s learning and discovery and links are made to the Montessori curriculum and Te Whāriki (2017). Teachers encourage parents, families and whānau to share aspirations for their child. The use of an on-line assessment tool for recording and sharing children’s learning successfully fosters close links between home, extended whānau and the centre.
There is a well-considered transition process for children moving into and through the centre, and out to school. A strong relationship is evident between the centre and Moturoa School.
Leaders are reflective, share professional learning and promote collaboration. Emergent leadership is encouraged and fostered.
To provide better guidance for leaders and teachers, the curriculum should include an overarching document. This should outline how the programme will be delivered, clearly state expectations of teacher practice and acknowledge the centre's philosophy, whakapapa and unique place in the community.
A new appraisal system is being implemented. Consideration should be given to developing a clearly defined procedure, focused on improving practice and outcomes for children. This should include specific and measureable goals, evaluation of practice, an evidential file and teaching as inquiry.
Internal evaluation continues to require strengthening. Building a deeper, shared understanding of evaluation and employing a useful framework to guide managers, leaders and staff through the process is a key next step.
Leaders and ERO agree on the following key next steps:
Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth Montessori Association 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:
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 New Plymouth Montessori Association will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
18 October 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.
|
Location |
New Plymouth |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
50511 |
|
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
108 children aged over 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
83 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 45, Girls 38 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
9 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
August 2018 |
|
|
Date of this report |
18 October 2018 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2015 |
|
Education Review |
August 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
|
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.