Seddon Street, Naenae, Lower Hutt
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Naenae Kindergarten is located in Lower Hutt. The centre is licensed for up to 41 children aged over two years. Six-hour days are offered three times a week with shorter sessions on the other two days. At the time of this ERO review, 13 of the children enrolled identified as Māori and 10 as Pacific.
Day-to-day operation of the centre is the responsibility of the head teacher. All teachers are fully qualified. Support staff are also employed. There have been some staff and leadership changes since ERO's 2015 review.
The June 2015 ERO report identified areas requiring further improvement. These included:
Good progress has been made in addressing these areas.
The kindergarten is governed by the Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Since the 2015 ERO report, a new senior leadership team has been appointed. This includes a general manager and two senior teachers, guided by a team leader. The governing board has also undergone significant changes.
The association has been responsive to their next steps outlined by ERO in 2015. A strategic plan has been developed to guide operations and decision making. It includes strategies to promote cultural responsiveness for Māori and Pacific families. Regular evaluative reports are made to the board. Senior teachers closely monitor the implementation of the teacher appraisal process.
Children experience warm and positive relationships. Teachers collaborate on a varied programme of play-based experiences, in response to group interests. They work closely with children. Oral language and literacy learning are woven into interactions. A range of useful strategies effectively support children’s social competence and growing independence.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teachers liaise regularly with whānau, and external agencies are accessed when required.
Children's learning is enhanced by strong family and community involvement. Whānau have regular opportunities to influence the programme, and their expertise is warmly welcomed. Excursions into the surrounding neighbourhood, including local schools, provide a meaningful localised curriculum.
Children, whānau and staff benefit from a positive team culture. Teachers share a commitment to the kindergarten's philosophy. A highly effective, collaborative leadership approach is evident.
Portfolios capture children’s interests and learning dispositions. Links are made to the kindergarten philosophy and the early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. A next step is to strengthen documentation, to demonstrate how a clear cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation informs deliberate teaching. Leaders have identified that learning stories should more explicitly respond to parent aspirations and children’s culture, language and identity. ERO agrees.
Meaningful information is shared with children and whānau to support their successful transition to school. Excursions to local schools give children regular opportunities to interact with their older peers, in kapa haka as well as other Māori and Pacific events.
Te ao Māori is valued and celebrated. Cultural celebrations and waiata Māori are popular activities. Teachers are working to increase their use of te reo Māori in everyday conversations with children.
The association has identified developing its understanding of what educational success looks like for whānau Māori and Pacific communities as a strategic priority across all kindergartens. Leaders and teachers are strengthening their relationships with whānau of priority children towards meaningful learning partnerships. ERO affirms this direction.
The teaching team members are developing their understanding of the process and use of internal evaluation. ERO and leaders agree that narrowing the focus of evaluations, using specific and measurable indicators, will enable them to regularly evaluate the impact of their practices.
Senior teachers provide regular feedback, support and guidance about the curriculum in action. They provide ongoing evaluative feedback and feed-forward to improve, strengthen and challenge teacher practice.
A comprehensive appraisal system is in place to grow and support teachers in the kindergarten. Teachers set useful goals to continually improve their practice. Formal observations of teacher practice are key next step to support this process.
ERO and kindergarten teachers agree that priority actions are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Naenae 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:
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 Naenae Kindergarten will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
30 June 2017
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 |
Naenae, Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5332 |
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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 |
41 children aged over 2 years |
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Service roll |
45 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 23, Boys 22 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
13 |
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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 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
30 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
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Education Review |
March 2009 |
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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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Very limited progress has been made in addressing areas identified for improvement in the September 2012 ERO report. At this time the Hutt City Kindergarten Association does not have the capacity to provide the level of targeted support necessary for this kindergarten
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Naenae Kindergarten is located in Hutt City and provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. Extended six-hour days are offered three times a week with shorter sessions on the other two days. The kindergarten is licensed for up to 41 children. The roll has a high proportion of children who have English as their second language.
The teaching team is fully qualified and the programme is further supported by a kindergarten administrator and teacher support for lunch time cover. The kindergarten is governed by the Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Currently two professional practice managers (PPMs) are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. Since the previous review there have been several changes to the General Manager.
ERO’s 2012 report identified several areas requiring development. These included: further developing assessment practices and programme planning; extending children's learning; building on current bicultural practices; and strengthening of self review. Very limited progress is evident.
This review was part of a cluster of ten kindergarten reviews in the Hutt City Kindergarten Association.
At Naenae Kindergarten the programme is child led. Children take responsibility for their own play and learning. They are supported to make choices for themselves. They develop appropriate self-care skills. Independence is encouraged.
Teachers have warm and positive relationships with children and whānāu. They are supportive of children, parents and families, assisting them to become familiar with the kindergarten and its routines and expectations. A sense of inclusion is evident. Children’s and parents’ wellbeing is a major priority for teachers.
A planned and emergent curriculum is offered. Teachers should improve their understanding of planning and assessment as linked processes, and the use of deliberate teaching strategies to promote learning.
Interactions between teachers and children are warm and affirming. However, staff should develop a strong literacy and oral language programme to meet the identified English literacy needs of children.
Regular narratives highlight children’s participation in the kindergarten programme. Teachers have identified that assessment, planning and evaluation requires further development. ERO agrees and identifies key next steps as:
Teachers have identified self review as an area requiring development. Improving their understanding of self review and how it can be applied to aspects of the curriculum is a key next step.
Children have opportunities to learn about Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural heritage. The environment and a range of resources reflect the Māori and Pacific backgrounds of children and their families. Te reo Māori is very evident in kindergarten documentation. Teachers have identified that they need more support to gain confidence in using te reo Māori throughout the day. Reflection of the multicultural roll at the kindergarten should be improved in the environment.
The outdoor area has recently been upgraded resulting in a large space for physical play. Increased availability of open-ended, moveable equipment should encourage children to work more actively together. There are plans to make changes to the indoors areas. Developing a strategic plan for the upgrade of the interior and resources should assist in making this project manageable.
Leadership within the kindergarten should be strengthened. Expectations and a shared understanding of acceptable levels of documentation to support children’s learning should be developed between the PPM, the head teacher and the teaching team. This is an important first step if the kindergarten is to improve the quality of the programme provided for children.
The association provides guidance and support to teachers for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. In this kindergarten it is not having the positive impact expected. Systems and processes are not leading to improvements in the quality of leadership, teaching and curriculum implementation. This kindergarten requires:
a focused and strategic approach to building the capacity of the leadership
targeted reports and specific feedback from the PPM to show how effective the quality of teaching and learning is to improve outcomes for children
support to develop a shared understanding of the association’s expectations, particularly relating to the quality of teaching
the implementation of a robust appraisal process that has a development focus.
At the time of this review the association was involved in a process of a formal review to determine the future direction of Hutt Kindergartens. ERO identified that, within the current operating model, the capacity of senior staff to provide targeted support that promotes ongoing improvement to teaching and learning is limited.
ERO identified priorities for improvement. These are:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Naenae 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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to curriculum and self review. To meet requirements the service needs to improve performance in the following areas and ensure it has:
To improve practice, teachers should demonstrate an understanding of current research and best practice to inform the literacy programme provided for children.
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Naenae Kindergarten will be within two years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
22 June 2015
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 |
Hutt City |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5332 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
41 Children, aged over 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
65 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 36, Girls 29 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific African Other ethnic groups |
19 17 12 3 14 |
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|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
22 June 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2006 |
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.