3 Waldie Grove, Avalon, Lower Hutt
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Discovery Preschool Ltd are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing Whakatō Emerging |
Discovery Preschool Ltd is one of seven early learning services under common ownership. The newly appointed centre manager is supported by the senior teacher. There have been a number of staffing changes since the service's last ERO review. Most kaiako are qualified and registered early childhood teachers. Staffing reflects the cultural diversity of the families enrolled at the centre. There has been some progress made toward the key next steps identified in the 2018 report.
Leaders and teachers foster positive relationships with children, parents, and whānau. The service’s philosophy closely aligns to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers value children in the context of their families and respect their cultures and languages, whilst growing their identity as learners. Cultural events, which reflect the learning community, are meaningfully celebrated as part of the responsive curriculum, promoting a sense of belonging.
Teachers actively promote children’s emotional wellbeing, social skills, and oral language development. They integrate some te reo Māori into daily routines and practice in ways that are meaningful to children. The service is yet to have a progressive approach to building understanding and consistent use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori.
Sustained independent and group play are valued. Children benefit from a responsive curriculum within a calm and settled environment, that provides them with a wide range of play–based learning experiences and agency to choose. Well-considered resourcing of the environment supports exploration, literacy, and numeracy learning.
Leaders and teachers are implementing new systems for planning, assessing, and evaluating children’s learning. They are in the early stages of using the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki in assessment. Teachers have not yet determined the learning priorities for the service in consultation with whānau.
Leaders are at the early stages of implementing several new curriculum initiatives. They are yet to develop their collective capability to do and use effective internal evaluation. Oversight of compliance requires strengthening.
Discovery Preschool Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
progressively increase leaders and kaiako understanding and use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori, to better support success for Māori learners, and the cultural competence of all children
work with whānau Māori, Pacific, and parents of other ethnicities to identify what learning matters most for this community
deepen kaiako understanding of the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to better inform assessment, planning and evaluation practices
develop collective capability of leaders and teachers to do and use internal evaluation to make improvements to teaching and learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Discovery Preschool Ltd 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 service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
children are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing at least every 5-10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs
a record of the written authority from parents for the administration of medicine.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008; HS9, HS28.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
26 July 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Discovery Preschool Ltd |
|
Profile Number |
55417 |
|
Location |
Lower Hutt |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children over two years of age |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
30 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 3, NZ European/Pākehā 4, Indian 12, Pacific 10, other ethnic groups 1 |
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Review team on site |
May 2022 |
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Date of this report |
26 July 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, November 2018; Education Review, November 2016 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Discovery Preschool Ltd is a privately owned early learning service in Avalon, Lower Hutt. It is licensed for 30 children aged over two years. Of the 29 children enrolled at the time of this ERO review, 14 identify as Māori.
In early 2017, the service was bought by Adhikar Enterprises Limited. The new owners are focused on providing quality education and care and attend professional training to increase their understanding of best practice in early childhood. Developments and improvements have resulted in enhanced indoor and outdoor environments for children and adults.
Since the November 2016 ERO report, the centre has experienced a significant number of staff and leadership changes. A new centre manager and centre coordinator provide overall curriculum guidance for the teaching team. Four teachers have an early childhood qualification and full certification. One educator has a certificate in early childhood practice (level 4).
The centre philosophy highlights the concepts of 'Whakamanawa, Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Ākonga and Auahatanga' to express expectations for teaching practice and how children's learning and development will be supported. Currently the philosophy is being reviewed to align with the owners', teachers' and whānau values and beliefs.
The previous report identified a number of areas requiring considerable improvement. These included building management and teachers' capability in:
curriculum development and delivery
promoting success for Māori and Pacific children
developing a robust appraisal process to support teachers professional growth and improving teaching practices
using internal evaluation to promote improvement.
Significant progress has been made in these areas.
The programme for children is strongly underpinned by respect and empowerment, and enables teachers to nurture and build positive, trusting relationships with learners and their whānau.
Teachers capture each child’s development through regular and useful assessment. They work collaboratively to develop an understanding of each child as a unique participant in the centre’s learning community. Whānau are beginning to share in and respond to their child’s on-line assessment information. Responsive teachers support children’s social and emotional progress.
Children are confident and active participants in learning. They make choices about play and set challenges for themselves. Children initiate interactions and conversations with their peers and adults. They develop tuakana teina relationships through regular engagement with others and are enthusiastic learners.
In collaboration with management and teachers, Māori children and their whānau are leaders in bicultural learning at the centre. Their language, culture and identities have a special place in the environment and programme. Te reo Māori is naturally incorporated into conversations with children. Teachers continue to investigate further ways to promote te ao Māori in a local, place-based context.
Teachers work responsively with children who are identified with diverse needs for learning. An inclusive environment acknowledges, and is respectful of, the range of ethnic groups in the centre. Teachers continue to find strategies to engage and support those requiring additional learning support.
Continuity between home, centre and school is acknowledged by teachers as important to children's developing confidence, competence and capabilities that transfer to the classroom. They continue to seek ways to strengthen these relationships.
Leadership is collaborative and improvement focused. The owners have a clear vision for the centre that is well communicated. The centre manager and teaching team are developing a culture, based on mutual respect and skills that encourages children’s learning.
Practices to support continuing improvement and evaluate progress are consolidating. Focused professional development has helped the manager to work well with her team to develop a shared understanding of effective practice. Strategic planning identifies priorities and associated goals aligned to the service's annual plan. A new appraisal system supports developing deliberate strategies for working towards goals and links to relevant training. The process has the potential to enhance teachers' professional growth and positive outcomes for children.
The owners, manager and ERO agree on the following key next steps for Discovery Preschool Ltd, to continue to:
further embed assessment, planning and evaluation practices to guide future teaching and learning
fully implement all teachers' appraisal to enhance outcomes for children and their whānau.
Before the review, the staff and management of Discovery Preschool Ltd 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 Discovery Preschool Ltd will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
14 November 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.
|
Location |
Lower Hutt |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
55417 |
|
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, aged over 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
29 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 20, Boys 9 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
14 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
October 2018 |
|
|
Date of this report |
14 November 2018 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2016 |
|
Education Review |
November 2013 |
|
|
Supplementary Review |
July 2013 |
|
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.