53 Muritai Street, Tahunanui, Nelson
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Tahunanui Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Tahunanui Kindergarten provides all-day education and care for up to 45 children, aged over two years. The kindergarten's roll is very diverse. At the time of this review there are 7 Māori children. All teachers are qualified.
The kindergarten philosophy emphasises personalised learning pathways for children where belonging, wellbeing and learning are valued. Working collaboratively with parents to support children to be motivated, respectful, resourceful, resilient and reflective underpins the philosophy.
Tahunanui Kindergarten is governed and managed by the Nelson Tasman Kindergarten Association (the association). Since the August 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) oversees and supports professional practice.
The association provides a range of external expertise to help all children succeed in their learning. This includes te ao Māori expertise, teacher aides, a speech language therapist, whānau support and parent education opportunities.
ERO's previous report identified some key next steps for the kindergarten. These included teachers extending children's learning through interactions, reflecting this in documentation and building their knowledge of internal evaluation. Progress is evident. Since the previous review there has been significant changes to staffing.
The ERO reviews undertaken in 2018 identified 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. These remain priority areas for development.
This review was one of five in the Nelson Tasman Kindergarten Association.
Children participate in a child-led curriculum, where they have fun and learn. They engage in their self-selected learning experiences for sustained periods of time. Teachers work alongside children using a range of strategies to further enhance their learning.
The outdoor space is well resourced with a range of activities for children to develop their physical skills. Resources are flexible and children have opportunities to redesign this space for further challenge.
Teachers take a well-considered approach to curriculum developments. This measured approach has built teacher capability and is leading to improved outcomes for children. The focus on oral language is a strength of the kindergarten. Rich, descriptive language is used well to support children’s developing oral language. Teachers use a range of effective strategies to build children’s knowledge of language, including supporting children with English as a second language. These opportunities enrich the learning programme.
Bicultural practices are well established, integrated and highly valued within the kindergarten. Tuakana teina practice is encouraged and children support one another to further their learning in te reo Māori.
It is timely for leaders and teachers to review the kindergarten philosophy in consultation with parents and whānau to determine what learning is valued and what educational success looks like for Māori in this context. Once completed, indicators of high quality practice should be developed. These should be used to guide the implementation of the philosophy and to measure the effectiveness over time of the curriculum in action through internal evaluation.
Children with additional learning needs are identified and effectively supported in the programme. Leaders and teachers work alongside their family and whānau to access the external agencies when required.
Assessment documentation shows teachers noticing children’s interests and recognising the significant learning evident. Learning goals are developed in consultation with parents and whānau and over time children’s progress is highlighted and celebrated. Next steps should include:
teachers documenting how they will be more intentional in their approach to supporting each child to meet their learning outcome
celebrating children’s culture, language and identity.
Relationships are welcoming and respectful between teachers, children and parents. Parents have opportunities to share their expertise with children which extends the curriculum. Strengthening opportunities for parents to be involved in their child's learning is an area for further development.
A well-considered approach to supporting children and their whānau as they transition to school is in place. This includes a focus on supporting children to be "ready, willing and able to learn" in the school context. Older children are offered an enrichment programme prior to school entry which includes purposeful visits to the local school.
A recent parent survey has provided useful feedback for leaders and teachers. As a result the kindergarten has identified some areas for ongoing improvement. A next step is for leaders and teachers to develop an appropriate communication strategy to share the findings from this survey, and the kindergartens' response, with parents.
Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. The team uses internal evaluation to inform next steps for ongoing improvement. Teachers acknowledge that a deeper analysis of the information gathered should guide them to make judgements about the effectiveness of the curriculum and teaching practice on children’s learning.
Collaborative leadership is fostered in the teaching team. Individual strengths and areas of interest are maximised to build teacher practice and enhance the curriculum.
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 support Māori and Pacific children and children with diverse learning needs. The association has 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 introduce the Teaching Council appraisal summary annual report as part of the endorsement process.
The key next steps for teachers are to:
consult with parents, whānau Māori and their Pacific community about the kindergartens' philosophy and educational success for their children
strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation and draw on a wider range of strategies to further develop learning partnerships with parents
continue to develop their understanding of internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tahunanui 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.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
29 April 2019
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 |
Nelson |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5407 |
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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, over two years |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 32, Girls 18 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
February 2019 |
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Date of this report |
29 April 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
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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:
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.
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.
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.
Tahunanui Kindergarten is located in Tahunanui, Nelson, close to the local community centre and other early childhood settings. It is licensed for 45 children aged two years and over and has an allday licence for five days per week. An active family liaison group assists with fundraising and facilitates a range of social occasions for children and families. The kindergarten celebrates its 50th year of operation this year.
The kindergarten is governed by the Nelson Kindergarten Association (the association) and overseen by a team of Senior Education Advisors (SEAs). This review was part of a cluster of eleven kindergarten and early education service reviews in the Nelson Kindergarten Association.
Teachers are warm, welcoming and responsive. They understand the importance of ongoing relationships with families and whānau. The knowledge that each family brings about their child is an important part of the kindergarten’s learning community. The curriculum is underpinned by the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The kindergarten’s vision is evident in practice.
Routines are consistently implemented and give children a sense of security to predict what will happen next. Their independence is promoted and children are confident to show their sense of belonging within the environment. Their social and emotional skills are well supported by teachers. Children are offered choice and lead their own learning. They play well, both independently and in groups of their own choosing, for sustained periods of time.
Where appropriate, children are engaged in sustained conversations with teachers who use rich, descriptive language and effective strategies to extend their thinking. Opportunities for children to link to previous learning experiences and reflect on learning are provided by teachers. There are a wide range of initiatives in place to support their transitions to school.
Te reo Māori is used effectively by teachers and appropriate tikanga Māori practices are evident. Some consideration has been given to how Māori children are achieving success as Māori. This should continue to be explored and implemented. Further consideration of Pacific achieving success as Pacific should also continue.
Planning is responsive to the needs of individuals and groups of children. Profile books are well presented. They highlight children’s participation and developing friendships. Teachers use a range of effective strategies to include parents and children’s views into the learning stories. Teachers are highly reflective practitioners.
Teachers are supported in their understanding of self review by the association. There is strong alignment between the guiding documents of the association and kindergarten and the resulting review. Emergent and regular review has been used to reflect on practice and make ongoing improvements to the programme. 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 recently updated appraisal process provides clear guidance to staff and is supportive and collaborative. Leaders are engaging in ongoing professional learning in this area to support its successful implementation. ERO’s evaluation supports this direction and recommends the approach includes a focus on the quality of feedback and feed forward.
The association provides high levels of guidance and support for teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. These include:
The SEA regularly visits the kindergarten and provides professional support and leadership to the teaching team. Through SEA guidance and identified next steps, teachers are well supported to provide positive outcomes for children.
ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Tahunanui 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 Tahunanui Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)
23 August 2013
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 |
Tahunanui, Nelson |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5407 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
64 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 33, Girls 31 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
11 48 5 |
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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 |
Under 2 |
N/A |
Choose an item. |
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Over 2 |
1 : 10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2013 |
||
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Date of this report |
23 August 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 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.