74 Stokes Valley Road, Stokes Valley, 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.
Stokes Valley Kindergarten provides all day education and care for up to 45 children, aged over two years. At the time of this ERO review, seven of the 38 children enrolled identified as Māori.
The centre philosophy promotes a culture of 'passion, peacefulness and respect' for all children. This is underpinned by identified values of respect, manaakitanga, enthusiasm for learning, inspiring play spaces, trust, relationships, and leadership and responsibility. All teachers at Stokes Valley Kindergarten are fully qualified. Day-to-day operation of the centre is the responsibility of the head teacher, who supports the teaching team.
There has been substantial development of the outdoor learning space over the past three years. Leaders, teachers, community and whānau have participated in the construction of this area which reflects the kindergarten's focus on the natural environment.
Stokes Valley Kindergarten is one of 19 services in the Lower Hutt region, governed and managed by Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Since the June 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 governance board has also undergone significant changes.
The previous ERO report identified several key next steps for improvement. These included: engaging with the kindergarten's Māori and Pacific family's to establish a shared understanding of success for their children; consulting with the community to create a shared philosophy; improving assessment, planning and evaluation; and continuing to strengthen internal review processes. These have been addressed.
The association also had some areas for development. These included: strategic planning; cultural response to Māori and Pacific families; evaluation; and the appraisal process. Good progress has been made in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of eight in the Hutt City Kindergarten Association.
The kindergarten’s philosophy has been developed collaboratively by leaders, teachers, parents and whānau to determine agreed valued outcomes for their children. It provides clear expectations that guide and support the learning programme.
Leaders and teachers show a strong commitment to the philosophy. They effectively establish a culture in which children and their whānau are valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. They work collaboratively to build and share good practice.
Children effectively lead their own learning. A wide range of creative, natural resources enable them to experiment, use their imagination and foster their learning. The newly redeveloped outside space allows children to take risks, explore and have fun through purposeful and collaborative play. Teachers work alongside children encouraging them to follow their own interests. Older children work confidently and collaboratively with younger peers. Tuakana teina relationships are actively encouraged.
Strong relationships enable parents, whānau and teachers to co-construct meaningful goals for their child’s individual needs. Children’s voices are effectively used to inform the programme. Teachers work collectively to determine appropriate strategies and activities. They identify expected outcomes to support children’s development. These form the basis for individualised planning. Collaboration with children, parents and whānau supports a robust cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation.
Te ao Māori is highly valued and well promoted in the kindergarten. Teachers skilfully weave kapa haka, pakiwaitara and te reo Māori into the learning programme. Children's success, culture, language and identity are effectively celebrated. This enables them to gain a greater understanding of aspects of kaupapa Māori. Whānau expertise is increasingly used to extend the learning programme.
Children’s sense of belonging is well supported by teachers as they transition into the kindergarten and when moving on to school.
Internal evaluation is well established. Leaders and teachers are evaluating how well the curriculum supports learning. Leaders and teachers should consider ways to enhance their evaluation findings by measuring the impact of teachers practice on improving outcomes for children.
A comprehensive, well-considered appraisal process is in place. Teachers challenge themselves to continually improve their practice through strategic goal-setting and professional learning. Plans are in place to further strengthen this system by developing an inquiry-based approach to teacher appraisal. ERO's evaluation affirms this direction. This should support teachers to better measure the success of improved practices in promoting outcomes for specific children and priority groups.
The governance board includes a wide range of community representation and useful skills. The board and senior leadership team work well together, with a shared commitment to meeting its goals and objectives for the benefit of children, whānau and community. Resource allocation clearly aligns with this focus. The board and senior leadership actively seek equitable and inclusive ways to eliminate barriers to children’s learning and wellbeing.
ERO, the governance board and senior leaders agree that the association's next steps are to:
monitor, evaluate and report on the extent to which children and their families’ outcomes are improved though systems, processes and initiatives. This should include consideration of impact on specific priority groups
consider ways to increase opportunities for whānau to actively contribute to the association’s operation and strategic direction.
The association's senior teaching team are reflective and highly improvement focused. Robust, linked systems and processes have been skilfully developed to guide and grow teacher capability and positively impact on children’s learning. Leaders are successfully fostering a collective sense of responsibility for the vision, values and mission of the association.
ERO and kindergarten teachers agree that their priority key next step is to continue to enhance internal evaluation to shift the focus more sharply on outcomes for children.
The association agrees they should increase the focus on:
measuring outcomes for children and their families
developing whānau and community partnership practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Stokes Valley 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 Stokes Valley Kindergarten will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
12 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.
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Location |
Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5335 |
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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 aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
38 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 24, Boys 14 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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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 |
August 2018 |
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Date of this report |
12 October 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
October 2012 |
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Education Review |
April 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Stokes Valley kindergarten is located in Stokes Valley and provides education and care for children aged from two to five years. It offers morning sessions five days per week for older children and a shorter session for younger children, three afternoons per week. The kindergarten is licensed for up to 45 children.
The teaching team is fully qualified and the programme is further assisted by support staff. The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO. Since the October 2012 ERO report, a new teaching team, including a new head teacher, has been established.
The 2012 ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included: assessment; planning and evaluation; building the self-review and evaluative capacity of teachers; extending childrens’ learning; strengthening the appraisal approach; enhancing the use te reo Māori; and targeted support for teachers from the association.
The kindergarten is governed by the Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). 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.
This review was part of a cluster of ten kindergarten reviews in the Hutt City Kindergarten Association.
Children participate in a free-play based programme. They experience a warm and welcoming learning environment. Teachers work alongside children to support and extend their learning. Children with additional learning needs are well supported and monitored. Where appropriate, teachers liaise with external agencies.
The head teacher has a clear vision for the kindergarten that provides direction for staff. With the establishment of a new teaching team, it is timely to review the philosophy in consultation with the kindergarten’s community. Once this is established, a next step is to develop clear indicators of good practice.
The use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori is developing in the kindergarten. A next step is for teachers to consult with their Māori whānau to develop an understanding of aspirations for their child. This should assist in promoting and celebrating childrens’ culture, language and identity.
Promoting success for Pacific children is in the early stages of development. Teachers have drawn on the strengths of their Pacific community to enhance the programme provided. A next development is to engage with their families to further their understanding of what success for Pacific children looks like in this context.
Children’s profiles show their participation and interest in the programme. Providing more in-depth analysis of the learning, and use childrens’ interests as the foundation for their learning is a next step. Teachers should also show in these records how they add challenge and complexity to learning to better reflect the child’s progress over time. Teachers have developed a range of useful information to help support parents and childrens’ transition to school.
Self review is developing in the kindergarten. This can be strengthened by drawing on a wide range of literature to develop indicators for success. In addition, they should continue to build their capacity to evaluate.
The association is part way through the implementation of a new approach to appraisal. Once fully established this should assist leaders to provide a robust, supportive and developmental process. Kindergarten leaders should then undertake regular monitoring of how well appraisal is being implemented in each kindergarten.
The board receives a range of useful information. A key next step is for leaders to provide more evaluative reporting to assist in decision making and ongoing resourcing. The strategic plan provides a vision and shared direction to guide development. Establishing clearer measures of success should strengthen evaluation of progress towards goals. In addition, strategies that promote cultural responsiveness to Māori and Pacific families should be highlighted in strategic documents.
The PPMs provide half-yearly written reports. These provide information about how the kindergarten is meeting legislative requirements, and at times, make recommendations. These reports should be strengthened by providing critical feedback on the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of the curriculum in improving outcomes for children.
The association provides guidance and support to teachers for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. This includes:
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 indentified priorities for improvement should include:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Stokes Valley 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.
ERO identified that the outdoor safety surfacing is in need of repair and requires immediate attention by the association.[Licensing criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008: R46, 1 (C)]
The next ERO review of Stokes Valley Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
15 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 |
Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5335 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children aged over two years |
||
|
Service roll |
51 |
||
|
Gender composition |
26 Boys, 25 Girls |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Asian Other European |
6 36 5 3 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
May 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
15 June 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 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.