Stoke Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5406
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
38
Telephone:
Address:

21 Ranui Road, Stoke, Nelson

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Stoke Kindergarten - 20/11/2019

1 Evaluation of Stoke Kindergarten

How well placed is Stoke Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Stoke Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Stoke Kindergarten is situated in Nelson. It provides all-day education and care for up to 40 children, aged over two years.

The kindergarten philosophy emphasises the importance of working together to foster respect and build foundations for future learning in a fun and supportive environment. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini; ‘My Strength is not mine alone, but the strength of many’. This service is a member of the Enviroschools programme reaching silver level to promote environmentally sustainable practices.

A new head teacher has recently been appointed. They manage the day-to-day operations and support for the teaching team. All teachers are fully qualified.

The kindergarten is governed and managed by the Nelson Tasman Kindergarten Association (the association). Since the 2013 ERO reviews, a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has been appointed. The CEO and a board of trustees are responsible for the governance of the kindergarten. A team of senior education advisors (SEA) oversee and support the professional practice of the teaching team. The 2018 ERO reviews identified a number of key next steps for the board. These included improving their planning to support the achievement of the board’s strategic objectives and ensuring that reporting is evaluative and focuses on outcomes for children. Progress is ongoing.

ERO's September 2013 report identified key next steps for this kindergarten. These included continuing to build the capacity of teachers to evaluate and continuing to develop assessment documentation. Progress in these areas is ongoing.

This review was one of four kindergartens in the Nelson Tasman Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Teachers use a wide range of strategies to effectively engage with children in a play-based programme. Children are encouraged to explore, problem solve and lead their own learning. They experience warm and respectful relationships with teachers and their peers.

Sustainable practices are effectively promoted. Children’s understanding of the living world is enriched through meaningful learning experiences that promote environmental sustainability.

The kindergarten’s philosophy has recently been reviewed by leaders and teachers. A next step is to consult with parents and whānau Māori to determine what educational success looks for them. This should assist the teaching team to develop a shared understanding of what learning matters in this context.

Children's sense of belonging is highly evident in the programme. It is promoted through their parents and whānau contributing to their learning. A well-considered transition to school process is effectively supported by teachers.

Meaningful kaupapa Māori based concepts, and teacher led activities that include te reo and waiata Māori, enrich the programme. Whānau expertise is used to further extend children’s learning. Teachers have identified that furthering their knowledge and implementation of bicultural practices is required.

Group planning provides a shared learning focus and enhances the programme. The teaching team should continue to work with the association to develop a useful planning for learning framework that guides group and individual learning. Once this is established, teachers should be able to evaluate the impact of the programme on children's learning.

Children’s assessment documentation provides a useful record of their engagement, friendships and emerging interests. Key next steps are for leaders and teachers to:

  • acknowledge the breadth of the curriculum
  • celebrate children's progress over time.

Leaders and teachers are improvement-focused. They regularly engage in reflection and review. Strengthening the depth of analysis and the evaluative reporting should support the teaching team to more clearly measure the impact of their practices on children’s learning.

The board is well informed about outcomes from association-wide strategic reviews and the progress being made to achieve strategic goals.

The board and association are taking deliberate action to better support Māori, Pacific and children with diverse learning needs. The association have developed strong relationships with community organisations to support children and their whānau.

Appraisal is supporting growth in teacher capability. The association should update the performance management policy and the appraisal procedure. In addition, the association should now introduce the Teaching Council appraisal summary annual report as part of the endorsement process.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for teachers are to:

  • consult with parents and whānau Māori to determine what education success looks like for them and their children
  • enhance aspects of assessment, planning and evaluation
  • strengthen internal evaluation practices.

To improve practice the association should:

  • review with urgency all policies that are not current.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Stoke 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

20 November 2019

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

Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

5406

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, aged over two years

Service roll

48

Gender composition

Females 24, Males 24

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Asian
Other ethnic groups

4
33
4
7

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2019

Date of this report

20 November 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

September 2013

Education Review

March 2010

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

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed

  • Well placed

  • Requires further development

  • Not well placed

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.

Stoke Kindergarten - 04/09/2013

1 Evaluation of Stoke Kindergarten

How well placed is Stoke Kindergarten 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

Stoke Kindergarten provides education and care for up to 40 children. It offers both morning and afternoon sessions and an extended day of six hours within an all-day licence. There is flexibility in terms of casual placements. Children come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

The teaching team is fully qualified and programme provision is further enhanced through support staff and volunteers from the community. The kindergarten philosophy, emphasising the importance of building the foundations for future learning in a supportive and fun environment, is strongly evident in practice.

The Family Liaison group leads fundraising initiatives to support ongoing resourcing and improvements to the kindergarten environment. They also facilitate a range of social opportunities to foster a sense of community.

The kindergarten is governed by the Nelson Kindergarten Association (the association) and overseen by a team of Senior Education Advisors (SEAs). The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO. This review was part of a cluster of eleven kindergartens and early childhood services reviews in the Nelson Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Partnership with parents is actively promoted. They have many opportunities to contribute to the kindergarten programme and develop a sense of belonging.

Children choose to play independently and collaboratively in groups. There are many opportunities for children to read, write and explore early mathematical concepts in the programme. Musical experiences are well integrated and there is sufficient uninterrupted time for children to explore and be physically active in the spacious outdoor area. Children engage in sustained play and have fun as part of their learning.

Teachers are welcoming, responsive and respectful in their interactions with children and parents. They are intentional in the way they recognise and respond to opportunities to engage in and extend children’s learning. Feedback to children acknowledges their efforts and success and actively promotes their self-management skills.

Te reo Māori and suitable tikanga practices are effectively incorporated in the programme. Teachers use a range of strategies to explore success for Māori as Māori in this context. In addition, they are beginning to consider provision for Pacific children in the kindergarten. Teachers have identified that a next step in this process is to explore the Ministry of Education's Pacific Education Plan. Teachers acknowledge and celebrate the diverse cultural identities and backgrounds of children. Children with additional needs are well supported and monitored. Inclusive practices are promoted.

Planning is responsive to the individual child’s interests, strengths or needs. It is linked to the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Profiles are well presented, highlight children’s engagement and developing relationships. Children freely access their profiles and use them to revisit their prior learning experiences.

Teachers have made recent changes to the kindergarten’s transition-to-school programme. Parents and children have responded positively to these changes. Teachers are currently involved in a review but are yet to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach in improving outcomes for children.

There is strong alignment between the guiding documents of the association and kindergarten, and the resulting review. Spontaneous review has been used to reflect on aspects of the programme and inform ongoing improvements. Teachers and the association are highly consultative, regularly requesting and receiving feedback from their parent community. The association has effectively led robust review and evaluation using a collaborative approach.

The association provides high levels of guidance and support for teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. These include:

  • clear guiding documents

  • expectations for programme delivery and kindergarten operations, including health and safety practices

  • access to a wide range of professional learning and development opportunities.

The recently updated appraisal process is collaborative and provides clear guidance and support to staff. Leaders are engaging in ongoing professional learning in this area to support its successful implementation. ERO’s evaluation affirms this direction.

The SEA regularly visits the kindergarten and provides support and leadership to the teaching team. Through SEA guidance and identified next steps teachers are well supported to provide positive outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the key next steps are to:

  • continue to build the evaluative capacity of teachers to systematically enquire into and judge the effectiveness of their kindergarten operations. This should assist future decision-making and identify priorities to further enhance children’s learning and wellbeing

  • be more consistent in the approach used to document assessment. This information should show how depth and complexity has been added to children’s learning to more effectively highlight progress over time.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Stoke 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Stoke Kindergarten will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

4 September 2013Image removed.

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

Stoke, Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

5406

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children aged over 2

Service roll

57

Gender composition

Girls 31, Boys 26

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Samoan

Tongan

Fijian

Other ethnic groups

5

40

2

1

1

8

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

N/A

 
 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

June 2013

Date of this report

4 September 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

March 2010

 

Education Review

October 2006

 

Education Review

February 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.