119 A Fisher Avenue, Beckenham, Christchurch
View on mapHow well placed is Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham is one of 62 kindergartens governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens. All kindergartens share a common vision and values.
Children from two years old to school age can attend kindergarten for either morning or afternoon sessions depending on age during the four term year.
Since the February 2012 ERO review, the kindergarten’s teachers have worked with the association to improve outcomes for children. This includes strengthening the planning and assessment of children’s learning, and developing useful processes to review their practices and include parents' ideas when changes are made.
The kindergarten changed from sessional to full-day sessions in Term 4, 2014. A fourth teacher has joined this long-serving, experienced teaching team as a result of the changes to the kindergarten’s hours of operation.
This review was part of a cluster of 18 kindergarten reviews.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham
The teachers provide a friendly and welcoming environment for children and their families. The teaching team members work well together. They use the strengths of the team to enrich the programme and support children’s learning. They have close relationships with the children and have established strong links with generations of parents and the community over time.
The teachers have made effective use of the association’s support and professional development to develop a programme and environment that closely reflect New Zealand’s bicultural values. The natural resources, gardens, sustainable practices and use of te reo and tikanga Māori are well integrated into all aspects of children’s learning.
The kindergarten environment is well resourced. The learning spaces promote children’s self discovery and cooperative play. Some interesting and authentic activities promote children’s imaginative play. Mathematics, literacy and science are well integrated into the programme.
The increasing use of a range of information technologies is providing opportunities for children to extend their learning. Children enjoy inquiries, taking photos and playing games. Through improved technology, parents have increased opportunities to communicate with the teachers electronically and to contribute to children’s learning.
All kindergartens in this cluster have spacious indoor and outdoor areas and are well resourced to meet the interests and learning needs of their children. In most of these kindergartens, environments and resources:
Kidsfirst Kindergartens provides significant support for priority learners and their families. Teachers in kindergartens with priority learners receive considerable extra training and funding to ensure the needs of these learners are well met.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens has a strong commitment to te ao Māori (the Māori world view) and ensuring that their Education Service Managers (ESMs) and teachers are competent and confident in te reo and tikanga Māori. In this cluster of kindergartens, a bicultural curriculum is in place and bicultural practices are highly evident. The contribution from parents of Māori children is highly valued and Māori children are well supported to achieve success as Māori.
The association has a well-understood vision, and highly effective strategic and annual planning systems, policies and procedures. It has strong leadership and collaboration across all levels of the organisation.
There is a thorough and well-understood process of self review at all levels of Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The skills and knowledge of the CEO, board and senior leaders are regularly sought by other kindergarten associations and early childhood services nationally and internationally.
The highly experienced and skilled trustees bring a good range of expertise to support their decision making. They have a wide knowledge and understanding of Kidsfirst and are very focused on achieving their goals. Their priorities are strongly linked to providing high-quality learning and care for all children.
The strategic leadership team members have a good breadth and depth of knowledge across their various areas of expertise. They value each other’s contributions and use their wide range of knowledge and skills to ensure effective operation of the service.
The ESMs show a high level of commitment to Kidsfirst and the implementation of the Kidsfirst vision, policies and expectations. They successfully challenge and use each other's strengths to meet the goals of Kidsfirst for high-quality learning and teaching in each kindergarten.
Kidsfirst has a well-developed evaluation process that is effectively used to identify the strengths, progress and areas for further development in each of its kindergartens. This allows the ESMs to successfully monitor how well each kindergarten is providing high-quality outcomes for children.
High-quality professional development is closely aligned to leaders and teachers achieving the Kidsfirst vision and goals. In this cluster, this is most evident in the well-developed, understood and useful self-review processes, child assessment and planning practices and effective use of a range of technologies.
The Kidsfirst Kindergartens’ managers have identified, and ERO agrees that the key next steps are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham 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.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern
31 March 2015
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5411 |
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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 |
40 children aged two years and over |
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Service roll |
72 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 39; Girls 33 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other Ethnicities |
4 58 10 |
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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 |
November 2014 |
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Date of this report |
31 March 2015 |
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Most recent ERO reports These are available at www.ero.govt.nz |
Education Review |
February 2012 |
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Education Review |
November 2007 |
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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.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham is located in Christchurch. The kindergarten currently operates morning sessions from Monday to Friday and three afternoon sessions each week. The long-serving and experienced teachers are fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers.
The kindergarten is one of 63 kindergartens (including one early learning centre) administered by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The association that governs this kindergarten is well organised and managed. It provides useful policies and procedures and a comprehensive framework for monitoring health and safety. The association incorporates management support in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who work in partnership with teachers providing ongoing leadership and professional development.
The kindergarten is well supported by the community. Teachers maintain good communication with parents/whānau and local organisations in the interests of children. A weekly play group for younger children and an active parent group strengthen the links between the kindergarten and the wider community.
The kindergarten philosophy, that includes a focus on providing an inclusive and nurturing environment for children and families, is easily seen.
Children are confident learners who display a well-developed sense of belonging in the kindergarten. Teachers have high expectations for behaviour and use effective ways to support children in playing and learning together successfully.
Children have good opportunities to learn about the natural environment and sustainable practices. The spacious and well-designed outdoor area provides children with many places to explore and apply their growing physical and social skills.
Teachers know the children well. They now need to use this extensive knowledge more effectively to plan the programme and make ongoing assessments of children’s learning. Teachers recognise that they need to find better ways to involve parents in children’s assessments.
Self review needs to be strengthened so that teachers have more reliable information about what is going well and where improvements could be made to the programme and teaching practices.
Teachers have identified the need to provide more opportunities for children to use a variety of technologies to extend children’s interests and learning.
This review occurred at a time when the association and its kindergartens were responding to issues associated with the Canterbury earthquakes relating to children, family, personnel and property. The association has been proactive in addressing these challenges.
ERO is confident that the kindergarten is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
Before the review, the management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by the kindergarten to contribute to the scope of the review.
The detailed priorities for review were then determined following a discussion between the ERO review team and the management and staff. This discussion focused on existing information held by the kindergarten (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children at Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham.
All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:
The kindergarten philosophy and vision reflect the uniqueness of each child. Teachers aim to provide a welcoming and inclusive learning environment in which children develop a sense of belonging, valuing and accepting their different social and cultural experiences. Teachers state that they focus on including parents and whānau in children’s learning to create a learning community. A key aspect of the vision is to make learning enjoyable.
All aspects of the vision and philosophy are strongly evident in the programme. Teachers are inclusive and supportive of children. Teachers have a shared understanding of effective ways of working with children to capture their interests and engage them in learning. They work well as a team. Teachers regularly share information about children’s efforts and celebrate children’s successes.
Children participate confidently and sustain interest in the programme for long periods of time. A weekly play group allows children to become familiar with the kindergarten environment before enrolment. The well-known routines provide children with security and the ability to make choices in the programme. Teachers have high expectations of children’s behaviour and support them well in playing together successfully.
Children have good opportunities to learn about all aspects of the curriculum. Literacy continues to be a strong feature of the programme. Construction and imaginative play are well resourced. Children are actively involved in these activities. The outdoor area provides a good range of physical challenges for children. Children are having increasing opportunities to learn and use te reo Māori. Teachers plan appropriate visits outside the kindergarten to extend children’s interests and awareness of the wider world.
Children are benefiting from the emphasis teachers give to sustainable practices in the programme. Children have many and varied opportunities to learn about the natural world and care for animals. The spacious and well-designed outdoor area invites children’s exploration and stimulates their curiosity.
The kindergarten is supportive of and well supported by the community. Teachers foster positive and cooperative relationships with parents/whānau and the wider community. Parents have good opportunities to share ideas and contribute to the programme. The regular involvement of parents/whānau helps to extend children’s learning. Teachers have established constructive relationships and communication with local schools to help make children’s transition to school smoother.
The teachers do not yet make sufficient use of their extensive knowledge of children’s learning to plan the programme and show how they will extend this learning. Teachers now need to improve their documentation.
In assessment by:
In evaluation by:
Teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that children should have more opportunities to use technologies in their learning. Currently, children make use of computers to find out about topics of interest. However, they are reliant on teachers to provide the resources and supervise their use. Increasing the range of resources should give children more regular access and encourage greater independence.
Teachers need to make better use of the kindergarten’s self-review processes to identify what is working well and where improvements could be made to the programme and practices. The review documentation should more clearly identify the kindergarten’s long and short-term goals and action plans for achieving these goals. Teachers need to provide ongoing evidence to show how well the outcomes have been achieved. More specific indicators of success would assist teachers in evaluating the impact of reviews on outcomes for children.
ERO provides information about the education system as a whole through its national reports. This information will be used as the basis for long-term and systemic educational improvement.
As part of this review, ERO evaluated the extent to which:
The established teaching team is experienced at working collaboratively with families and specialist services to support children with moderate to severe special education needs.
Teachers provide an inclusive learning environment. They model inclusive practices and establish expectations that all children will be welcoming and supportive of one another. They foster positive and respectful working relationships with parents and whānau. Collaborative partnerships with specialist agencies promote positive transitions and learning outcomes for children.
These are covered in section 2 of this report.
Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham completed an ERO Centre Management Assurance Audit and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they have attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
During the review, ERO looked at the kindergarten’s documentation, including policies, procedures and records of recent use of procedures. ERO also checked elements of the following areas that have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:
During the course of the review, ERO identified one area of non-compliance.
In order to address this concern, teachers must ensure that:
Since the on-site stage of the review, the licensee has responded promptly to this area of non-compliance by reviewing practices in all kindergartens and making changes to the templates used to include ratios of teachers to children.
ERO and the centre managers agree that:
ERO is confident that the kindergarten is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore, ERO is likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
13 February 2012
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Type |
Full/Sessional Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
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Number licensed for |
45 children |
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Roll number |
88 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 42; Boys 46 |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā 79; Māori 4; Asian 2; Other ethnicities 3 |
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Review team on site |
September 2011 |
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Date of this report |
13 February 2012 |
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Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review November 2007 Education Review November 2004 Accountability Review May 2000 |
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Beckenham is located in Christchurch. The kindergarten currently operates morning sessions from Monday to Friday and three afternoon sessions each week. The long-serving and experienced teachers are fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers.
The kindergarten is one of 63 kindergartens (including one early learning centre) administered by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The association that governs this kindergarten is well organised and managed. It provides useful policies and procedures and a comprehensive framework for monitoring health and safety. The association incorporates management support in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who work in partnership with teachers providing ongoing leadership and professional development.
The kindergarten is well supported by the community. Teachers maintain good communication with parents/whānau and local organisations in the interests of children. A weekly play group for younger children and an active parent group strengthen the links between the kindergarten and the wider community.
The kindergarten philosophy, that includes a focus on providing an inclusive and nurturing environment for children and families, is easily seen.
Children are confident learners who display a well-developed sense of belonging in the kindergarten. Teachers have high expectations for behaviour and use effective ways to support children in playing and learning together successfully.
Children have good opportunities to learn about the natural environment and sustainable practices. The spacious and well-designed outdoor area provides children with many places to explore and apply their growing physical and social skills.
Teachers know the children well. They now need to use this extensive knowledge more effectively to plan the programme and make ongoing assessments of children’s learning. Teachers recognise that they need to find better ways to involve parents in children’s assessments.
Self review needs to be strengthened so that teachers have more reliable information about what is going well and where improvements could be made to the programme and teaching practices.
Teachers have identified the need to provide more opportunities for children to use a variety of technologies to extend children’s interests and learning.
This review occurred at a time when the association and its kindergartens were responding to issues associated with the Canterbury earthquakes relating to children, family, personnel and property. The association has been proactive in addressing these challenges.