21 Smith Street, Woolston, Christchurch
View on mapHow well placed is Kidsfirst Kindergartens Edmond Smith Street 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 Edmonds Smith Street is one of 62 kindergartens governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens. All Kidsfirst Kindergartens share a common vision and values.
Children from two years old to school age can come to this kindergarten for up to six hours a day during the four kindergarten terms.
The kindergarten community is multicultural. A high number of Māori and Pacific Island families attend the centre.
In 2014, the kindergarten received a Kidsfirst Kindergartens award for the strong, responsive, reciprocal and respectful relationships between staff, parents and whānau maintained over a considerable period of time.
Since the February 2012 ERO review, the kindergarten teachers, with support from their Education Services Manager, have made significant improvements to their assessment, planning and self-review practices, and the kindergarten environment.
This review was part of a cluster of 18 kindergarten reviews.
Children benefit significantly from close learning partnerships between their teachers, parents and whānau. Māori and Pacific parents and whānau willingly share aspects of their culture with the teachers. Children confidently sing waiata that they are taught at home and help the teachers and other children to learn them.
Children are confident, independent learners who play well together in respectful and caring ways. Teachers work effectively with children to help them develop their ideas, challenge their thinking and include others in their play.
Mathematics, literacy and science are well integrated into the programme. Teachers skilfully use children’s interests to help them build mathematical understandings as part of their play. The wide range of resources for mathematics, literacy and science, help children to regularly include these aspects of the early childhood curriculum in their play and learning.
The kindergarten environment successfully incorporates Māori and Pacific cultures and the community’s commitment to sustainable and natural environments. The environment was reviewed and thoughtfully redesigned in consultation with the children and their families. It provides spaces that invite children to explore, use their imagination and to respect and care for the land and its resources.
Teachers work well together. Their strengths and interests are well used to benefit all children and their ongoing 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 Edmond Smith Street 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 Edmond Smith Street will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern Southern Region
31 March 2015
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Location |
Woolston, Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5418 |
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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 |
45 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 23; Boys 22 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Samoan Other Pacific Asian Other ethnicities |
14 13 10 3 3 2 |
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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 |
October 2014 |
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Date of this report |
31 March 2015 |
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Most recent ERO reports
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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 Edmonds Smith Street is located in the Woolston/Linwood area of Christchurch. Since the 2007 review, the kindergarten has reviewed and changed its hours of operation to meet the needs of the community. The kindergarten now operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 2.30pm. It is licensed for 40 children over two years of age.
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.
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 and the kindergarten teachers have been proactive in addressing these challenges.
Families are warmly welcomed by friendly and caring teachers. Teachers focus on building trusting and inclusive relationships with parents and children.
Teachers work well with each other and other adults at the kindergarten. They have built strong links with community services and support agencies. The kindergarten has developed as a hub for the community that helps to support positive outcomes for children.
Other positive features of this kindergarten are:
Teachers, with the support of the education service manager, have made some recent changes to assessment, programme planning and self review practices. The next steps are to build on and refine these processes and to continue to strengthen bicultural practices.
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 Edmonds Smith Street 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 centre (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children atKidsfirst Kindergartens Edmonds Smith Street.
All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:
ERO’s findings in these areas are set out below.
The kindergarten vision values every child’s contribution to the programme. Teachers foster children’s belief in themselves as successful learners now and in the future.
Teachers aim to create an environment where children and their families are made to feel part of the kindergarten. Children are encouraged to take care of each other, the resources and the learning areas.
Teachers foster trusting relationships with children and families. They know children and families well. Teachers and children enjoy each other’s company and have fun together. Parents and children are warmly welcomed by friendly and caring teachers. Teachers promote useful ways for parents to share information about their child to support their well-being. Teachers work well together and communicate effectively. They have built strong links with community services and support agencies. They work successfully with other adults and community groups who assist children in the programme. Effective links to local schools help children and their families make a successful start to school.
Teachers actively foster children’s sense of well-being and belonging. Children are well supported by teachers to develop appropriate social skills to enjoy their relationships with others. Children are familiar with the expectations of the kindergarten that teachers encourage in consistent and respectful ways. Children generally play well with others. Children are confident to share ideas with each other and invite teachers into their play. Teachers encourage children’s independence and self-help skills. Children successfully approach teachers and other adults and ask for help. Teachers promote a sense of trust for children and show an interest in what they are doing.
Teachers use effective ways of working that build on children’s interests and support their inclusion in the programme. They work with children in calm and unhurried ways. Teachers encourage children to challenge themselves and to keep trying. They celebrate children’s success with them. Teachers notice and respond to children’s individual preferences, interests and needs. They listen well to children and make good use of questions to build on children’s language development. Teachers make good links to children’s prior experiences from home to the kindergarten to build on opportunities for learning. Teachers actively take part in children’s play.
Teachers plan learning areas that are well organised and that capture children’s interest and involvement in the programme. Children are actively involved in a wide range of learning experiences. Children generally respond well to familiar routines of the kindergarten that provide long periods of uninterrupted time. Attractive and informative wall displays show the learning that is valued and children’s participation in the programme. Visual language prompts and literacy experiences are features of the kindergarten. The spacious outdoor space provides many opportunities for children to be involved in physical play and places for children to explore and make their own discoveries. The environment reflects many aspects of the bicultural nature of Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Teachers have made some recent changes to assessment, programme planning and self review practices. Teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps are to build on and refine these processes by.
In assessment:
In planning:
Self review and bicultural practices could be improved by:
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 kindergarten currently has some children enrolled who have been identified as having moderate to severe special needs. The kindergarten has support through the association’s policies and guidelines on inclusion.
Kindergarten processes guide teachers in supporting children with moderate to severe special needs and their families. This includes a flexible approach to transitioning into the kindergarten.
The teaching team is experienced in working with children with special education needs. The teachers have well-developed links with local schools that assists children and families during the transition to school process. The kindergarten also has well- established and positive links with specialist support agencies and key people that help them to meet the needs of children with moderate to severe special needs and their families.
Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Edmonds Smith Street completed an ERO CentreAssurance 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 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:
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
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Type |
All day Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children over two years of age |
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Roll number |
52 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 21; Boys 31 |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā 30; Māori 12; Samoan 4; Other 6 |
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Review team on site |
December 2011 |
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Date of this report |
16 February 2012 |
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Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review November 2007 Education Review November 2004 Accountability Review June 2000 |
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Edmonds Smith Street.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Edmonds Smith Street is located in the Woolston/Linwood area of Christchurch. Since the 2007 review, the kindergarten has reviewed and changed its hours of operation to meet the needs of the community. The kindergarten now operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 2.30pm. It is licensed for 40 children over two years of age.
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.
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 and the kindergarten teachers have been proactive in addressing these challenges.
Families are warmly welcomed by friendly and caring teachers. Teachers focus on building trusting and inclusive relationships with parents and children.
Teachers work well with each other and other adults at the kindergarten. They have built strong links with community services and support agencies. The kindergarten has developed as a hub for the community that helps to support positive outcomes for children.
Other positive features of this kindergarten are:
Teachers, with the support of the education service manager, have made some recent changes to assessment, programme planning and self review practices. The next steps are to build on and refine these processes and to continue to strengthen bicultural practices.
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.
When ERO has reviewed an early childhood centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management or contact person if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the centre or see the ERO website, http://www.ero.govt.nz.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region