Rutene Road, Kaiti, Gisborne
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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.
Rutene Road Kindergarten is located in Gisborne and has been operating for over 50 years. It opens from 8:30am to 2:30pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 12:45pm on Friday. The service is licensed for up to 45 children aged from two to school age. Of the 49 children enrolled, 16 are Māori.
The centre philosophy is defined by the four identified children's learning outcomes of resilience, resourcefulness, reflectiveness and reciprocity.
A head teacher oversees operation of the centre. The teaching team is fully qualified and supported by a teacher aide. Over the past three years staff have participated in professional development provided by the Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association) which has included learning about te ao Māori, working with younger children and assessment, planning and evaluation.
Rutene Road Kindergarten is one of 11 kindergartens governed and managed by the association. Two senior teachers provide ongoing professional support and guidance to individual kindergartens. A pouawhina has been appointed on a fixed term contract to guide kindergartens implementation of tikanga and kaupapa Māori practices.
The July 2014 ERO report identified a number of areas to strengthen. These included: enactment of their philosophy; assessment and evaluation practices; selfreview; and consistency of the use of intentional teaching strategies. Good progress is evident. At association level it was identified that they should undertake strategic self review. Progress is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Gisborne Kindergarten Association.
Children benefit from a programme that is highly responsive to their strengths, needs and interests. The child-led play-based programme encourages children's independence. Children are affirmed as competent and confident learners.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori is valued and visible throughout the curriculum. Te ao Māori is meaningfully integrated into the kindergarten’s planning, interactions, and environment. The philosophy states "under the korowai of whakawhanaungatanga", the values of manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, ako and kaitiakitanga guide teaching. These are clearly evident in practice.
A highly effective place-based curriculum celebrates what is unique to the location of the kindergarten. Kaupapa Māori concepts such as pakiwaitara, waiata and te reo Māori are valued practices.
Partnerships with whānau are well established. Whānau are actively involved in curriculum and strategic decisions. Their expertise is used and actively promoted.
A useful process is in place for assessment, planning and evaluation. Teachers work collaboratively to implement plans for children's learning. Planned programmes are highly responsive to parent aspirations, children’s home cultures and languages, and their strengths, needs and interests. Learning narratives are included in the assessment approach and illustrate how children's learning goals progress over time.
The kindergarten has recently implemented a new internal evaluation framework. Teachers are working collaboratively to build their evaluative knowledge and understanding. Once fully implemented this should show the impact of teacher practice on children's learning. ERO affirms this approach.
Learners with diverse needs are welcomed. Teachers liaise closely with whānau and outside agencies to support their ongoing progress.
There is a wide range of useful information available for whānau and families when children transition to school. New entrant teachers regularly visit to develop relationships with those transitioning. This helps support children's ongoing learning about the move to school.
The collaborative teaching team demonstrate a strong commitment to the philosophy, vision and goals of the kindergarten. The distributive leadership model provides opportunities for teachers to lead aspects of the programme.
Teachers are well supported to develop their practice. There is a strong commitment to growing staff knowledge and skills through ongoing professional learning and the sharing of good practice. Senior teachers regularly identify actions and provoke thinking in relation to children's learning. The newly developed appraisal system, when fully implemented, should strengthen teacher inquiries into their own practice.
Association leaders have a well-considered approach to progressing strategic objectives. Connections to the community are strong and maintaining these continues to be a focus. Leaders are committed to partnerships and acknowledging Māori as tangata whenua. The association has identified that developing shared understanding of internal evaluation is a priority. ERO's external evaluation confirms this.
ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the priority is to further develop understanding and use of internal evaluation to determine the impact of practices and programmes on children's outcomes.
The association should:
fully implement the new appraisal system
continue to develop shared understanding and use of internal evaluation across all levels.
Before the review, the staff and management of Rutene Road Kindergarten 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 Rutene Road Kindergarten will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
24 May 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 |
Gisborne |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5274 |
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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 |
45 children |
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Service roll |
49 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 29, Boys 20 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
16 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratio of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2018 |
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Date of this report |
24 May 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |
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Education Review |
August 2011 |
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Education Review |
March 2008 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rutene Road Kindergarten is located in Gisborne and provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. It is licensed for up to 45 children and offers five morning sessions a week, and three afternoon sessions for the younger children. From October 2014 the kindergarten will be open Monday to Thursday for six hours and on Friday for four hours and fifteen minutes.
The teaching team is fully qualified and is supported by a teacher aide. Currently the head teacher and one other teacher are employed as relievers.
This kindergarten is a well established early childhood service in Gisborne. It has recently celebrated fifty years of operation. A third of the roll identify as Māori.
Over the past three years, Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association) has provided in-service professional support for teachers focusing on assessment, planning and evaluation.
The kindergarten is governed by the association. Two senior teachers are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. This review is part of a cluster of six kindergartens in the Gisborne Kindergarten Association.
Children have ample opportunity to engage in sustained play. They play in groups of their own choosing and independently by choice. Teachers work alongside children following their selfinitiated interests. At times they use a range of appropriate strategies to further engage children in the programme. A key next step is for teachers to more consistently use strategies that promote the stated intent of the programme.
Teachers are welcoming, responsive and respectful in the interactions they have with children and parents. They know children well within the context of their families. Collaborative ways of working are fostered with those involved in the kindergarten. Teachers appropriately support children’s developing social and emotional competence and integrate aspects of literacy into the programme.
The philosophy is based around Māori concepts including whakawhānaungatanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, ako and rangatiratanga. A set of indicators has been developed to define these overarching concepts. At times, the view being promoted does not reflect these indicators. With the support of the association teachers should access additional cultural guidance to further explore how these concepts might be enacted in the curriculum.
A high level of commitment to providing a bicultural programme is evident. Te reo and aspects of tikanga Māori are incorporated across the curriculum in meaningful ways. Children’s culture, language and identity are well supported and teachers are committed to further learning in this area.
Ongoing communication between parents and teachers assists in children’s successful transitions into the kindergarten and onto school. A range of useful information about school transition is available in the kindergarten for parents.
Children with special educational needs are well supported and where appropriate teachers liaise with external agencies. Teachers also access professional learning opportunities to assist them to continue to support these children and their families.
Assessment practices support parents to contribute to their child’s learning. Information provided shows what the child is doing and their developing friendships. A key next step is for teachers to develop the assessment, planning and evaluation process to better reflect the child’s learning and ongoing progress.
Teachers are reflective and have an increasing knowledge of self review. They should continue to strengthen their understanding of the self-review process and knowledge of evaluation. This should help them to judge the effectiveness of kindergarten operations and practice and inform decisionmaking.
The association provides high levels of guidance and support to teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning.
This includes:
Senior teachers should undertake strategic review and evaluation across the association and use this information to inform decision-making. They should also support teachers to build their evaluative capacity to regularly enquire into the effectiveness of their practice to further improve positive outcomes for children.
The association has identified that the implementation of the appraisal process requires review. ERO's evaluation affirms this direction.
ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the key next steps are to strengthen:
The association's key next steps should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rutene Road Kindergarten 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.
The next ERO review of Rutene Road Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region
25 July 2014
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 |
Gisborne |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5274 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children over two years |
||
|
Service roll |
75 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 38, Girls 37 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
28 36 11 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:15 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
June 2014 |
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Date of this report |
25 July 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 2004 |
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.