82 Guppy Road, Greenmeadows, Napier
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Dot Kids Early Learning Centre Greenmeadows Preschool is located in Greenmeadows Napier. It provides all day education and care for children from two years to school age, five days a week. Of the 52 children enrolled at the centre, 17 identify as Māori.
The service philosophy focuses on valuing respectful, responsive and reciprocal relationships with tamariki, whānau and kaiako. Since the December 2015 ERO report, the centre has experienced some changes to the teaching team that included an appointment of a new centre manager. Most teachers are fully qualified. The outdoor learning space has been redeveloped to extend physical learning opportunities for children.
The previous ERO report identified areas requiring further improvement. These included: evaluating the curriculum to measure the impact on children's learning; celebrating local historic features; and focusing on evaluating how well practices promote positive outcomes for children. Progress in these is ongoing.
Dot Kids Preschool, previously known as Little Guppies ECLC PreSchool, was purchased by Provincial Education Group Limited (the organisation) in May 2017. They provide governance and management support. A substantial management team oversees a number of services nation-wide. This includes a professional leader who provides support and guidance to centre staff. Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles are central to the organisation's philosophy and practices.
This review was one of seven services in the Provincial Education Group Limited.
The centre’s philosophy was developed with leaders and teachers to determine the key valued learning outcomes for children. Leaders should consider how the centre can best consult with parents, whānau Māori and their Pacific community to deepen their understanding of what educational success looks like for them and their children in this context.
Children actively engage in a play-based programme. They experience warm and respectful relationships. Teachers know children well, they work alongside them supporting their learning and building social competence. Physical wellbeing is actively promoted. The outdoor learning space provides appropriate challenge to extend children’s physical skills.
Aspects of te ao Māori are valued and promoted in the programme. Waiata Māori and tikanga practices are well understood by children. Encouraging teachers to use te reo Māori in everyday practice is a next step. Leaders should consider how they can weave a place-based curriculum, where places of significant to the centre are celebrated and acknowledged in the programme.
Teachers have begun to unpack the recently introduced Tapasā: Cultural Competency Framework for Teachers of Pacific Learners to strengthen their practices to support children and their families of Pacific heritage.
Children’s voices are valued and drawn on to inform group planning. Teachers use this to help extend the learning experiences offered. Clearly identifying the learning outcomes expected should assist in deepening the planning for learning and evaluation.
Children’s learning journals show their engagement in the programme, developing friendships and identified interests. Teachers are beginning to consider the aspirations of children and parents in the ongoing design of the programme. To enhance assessment documentation, leaders and teachers should consider:
developing a share understanding of what is expected for assessment, planning and evaluation
deepening the analysis of the learning to more effectively plan for children’s learning and progress.
A recent parent survey has affirmed teacher practice and provided feedback for ongoing consideration. Leaders have been responsive to the survey findings.
The centre is focused on improving the quality of education and care of children through systematic self-review. Leaders should continue to build teachers’ capability in evaluation so they can effectively measure the impact of the curriculum and teacher practice on outcomes for children.
Collaborative ways of working are fostered and promoted in the centre. Teachers have opportunities to share their individual curriculum strengthens.
A sound appraisal framework is in place. Recent professional learning and development with the Education Council has resulted in a clearer understanding of effective appraisal and the six teaching standards. The organisation is providing guidance and support for teachers in meeting these expectations. Further consideration should be given to developing clear, specific and measurable goals.
The organisation's senior leadership has high expectations for teacher practice. Systems and processes are in place to promote improvement, for the benefit of children and whānau. Teachers are encouraged to grow their understanding and take on distributed leadership roles.
A formal reporting process is now being implemented that provides feedback to teachers about the focus of professional leaders' visits.
A recent national initiative led by the organisation is providing opportunities for parents and whānau to contribute to the valued outcomes of the service. The organisation should draw from these national findings to inform their strategic direction.
A well-considered policy framework is in place to guide teacher practice. The organisation places considerable emphasis on the health, safety and wellbeing of children.
ERO and leaders agree that their priority next steps are to:
consult with parents, whānau and families to determine what educational success looks like for them
encourage greater use of te reo Māori
weave a place-based curriculum into the learning programme
enhance aspects of assessment, planning and evaluation
build internal evaluation capability
continue to strengthen the appraisal process.
ERO and Provincial Education Group agree that to further strengthen practice, their next steps are to:
monitor the progression of strategic goals, through measurement of improved outcomes for children
use formal internal evaluation processes at senior leadership level
effectively use the findings of the national philosophy review to inform the organisation’s strategic direction.
Before the review, the staff and management of DOT KIDS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE GREENMEADOWS PRESCHOOL 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 DOT KIDS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE GREENMEADOWS PRESCHOOL will be in three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
11 January 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 |
Napier |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
55476 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 years |
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Service roll |
52 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 27, Girls 25 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
17 |
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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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2018 |
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Date of this report |
11 January 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2012 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2008 |
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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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Little Guppies ECLC Preschool, in Greenmeadows, is one of three privately owned and operated centres, providing education and care. All three centres are closely connected and well supported by a director of operations.
Children transition into the preschool from Little Guppies Nursery. Two separate rooms support programmes based on children’s age and development. There is a choice of sessions from three hours to a full day. The team leader oversees both rooms and works closely with the director of operations and the staff.
Since the March 2012 ERO review, the centre has had considerable professional development with external support. This, and the high commitment from staff, has improved the provision of a quality programme for children.
Substantial work has been undertaken by the director and team leaders to align systems and processes. The centre philosophy was reviewed to focus on the provision of quality care, and education, in a safe, respectful and embracing environment. Strategic and annual planning is based on the philosophy.
This report is part of a cluster of three reviews in the Little Guppies centres.
Children settle easily into the calm and well-structured environment. Most children come from the nearby nursery with a designated transition teacher who provides familiarity for children and parents during this process. A high ratio of teachers to children facilitates individual learning. Teachers know the children and families well and regularly discuss the child’s progress.
Children benefit from the warm, caring relationships with the teachers. Both rooms provide an environment where children and their families are welcome and encouraged to feel at home and become involved. Children get on well together and engage in activities alone or in small groups often independent of the teachers. Routines are flexible, inclusive and respectful.
Teachers provide a high-quality care and education programme that reflects the centre’s philosophy and is based on children’s emerging interests and events. Teachers’ professional discussions continue to improve the quality and consistency of assessment narratives. Attractively presented profiles clearly demonstrate children’s progress and development. Well-displayed and responsive planning stories make group learning visible to children and adults. Teachers, and ERO identified that evaluation of the curriculum now needs to shift from details of what happened to making judgements about the impact the curriculum has on children's learning.
A bicultural perspective is clearly evident. The centre environment effectively provides for Māori learners and promotes their culture and identity. The dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa is acknowledged through regular practice of waiata, karakia and the use of te reo Māori. Children access a range of resources which promote Māori language and contexts. Educators participate in professional learning and development to support and build their practice. The next step is to include a greater emphasis on the significant local historic features.
Teachers recognise the importance of oral language in growing the children’s sense of belonging and development. They engage in conversations, ask open questions and provide authentic experiences for the children.
The pre-school programme is well considered and provides opportunities for the older children to prepare for school. The increasingly strong relationships with local schools enable a smooth transition.
Teachers constantly reflect on their practice. They have developed an appropriate model of internal review as a result of external support. These reviews guide and inform ongoing improvement of practice. A greater focus on evaluating how well practices promote positive outcomes for children would enhance the process and provide evidence for ongoing improvements to practice.
Clear direction and expectations are now in place to support consistency of practice and positive outcomes for children. Teachers’ individual appraisal goals are aligned with Little Guppies centrewide goals and the centre’s goals. Professional learning opportunities contribute to collaborative teaching and understanding of effective teaching and curriculum.
The director’s strong and knowledgeable professional leadership supports the team leader in her management role, and has assisted in establishing a collaborative staff culture. This strong leadership promotes ongoing quality improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Little Guppies ECLC PreSchool 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 Little Guppies ECLC PreSchool will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
10 December 2015
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 |
Greenmeadows, Napier |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
55476 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children aged over 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
36 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 18, Boys 18 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
17 15 4 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
September 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
10 December 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2008 |
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.