69 Gracefield Road, Lower Hutt CBD, 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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Gracefield Early Childhood Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whāngai Establishing |
Gracefield Early Childhood Centre is an all-day community-based service. A committee of parents is responsible for governance. The day-to-day management role is undertaken by a manager who is supported by three team leaders. Most teachers are qualified and certificated. Many of the staff have been employed at the service for several years.
Children participate in a play-based curriculum that is responsive to their emerging interests. Teachers know children well, and work alongside them supporting and extending their learning. Children’s social competence and wellbeing are promoted by responsive and supportive teachers. Trusting relationships are evident between children and teachers, which contribute to children’s sense of belonging and their developing confidence when expressing their feelings and ideas.
Provision for infants and toddlers is sensitively designed. They are encouraged to explore, investigate freely, and play and learn alongside of their peers. Interactions are gentle, nurturing, and respectful.
The commitment expressed in the centre’s philosophy, related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi-based practices, is not yet suitably enacted. The curriculum does show that aspects of tikanga Māori are practiced, waiata are sung and there is some use of te reo Māori.
Children’s knowledge and appreciation of diverse cultures is promoted through the physical environment, use of home languages and special events. Parents and children are invited to share aspects of their culture as part of the curriculum. This encourages an inclusive community where everyone enjoys a sense of value.
Recent positive changes to promote a shared and affirming approach to assessment across the service are working well. Narrative assessment provides parents with information about their child’s interest, participation in their programme and aspects of learning. However, information about children’s progress is not always explicit and use of the learning outcomes should be used in a more meaningful way.
Leaders are considering how they will develop a localised curriculum. Prioritising this work while giving greater emphasis to places of significance for local Māori, and the learning outcomes from
Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum should assist leaders in determining the priorities for children’s learning. Once developed, aligning these to key organisational documents will be required to promote ongoing progress towards key goals.
Self-review is ongoing, responsive, and generally results in some improvement. A useful framework for internal evaluation is in place. However, understanding and use of the process requires further development.
The management committee provides good oversight for centre operation. However, alignment of organisational factors such as long-term planning, appraisal, internal evaluation and management reporting has yet to be achieved to more strongly lead and sustain improvement over time.
Gracefield Early Childhood Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Gracefield Early Childhood Centre 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.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care 2008, GMA7A, HS717, HS27.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
8 September 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Gracefield Early Childhood Centre |
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Profile Number |
60219 |
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Location |
Lower Hutt |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
38 children, including up to 10 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
47 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 8, NZ European/Pākehā 26, Pacific 4, Other ethnic groups 9. |
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Review team on site |
July 2021 |
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Date of this report |
8 September 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2017; Education Review, September 2014. |
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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.
Gracefield Early Childhood Centre is a community-based, all-day early learning service located in Lower Hutt. It is licensed for 38 children, including up to ten aged under two years. Of the 50 children enrolled, seven are Māori. Three separate learning areas cater for the different age groups. Families attending the centre represent a range of cultures.
A committee made up of parents is responsible for the governance of the service. The day-to-day management role is undertaken by a manager who works with the committee to support operation. A head teacher is responsible for learning and teaching. Seven out of the nine teachers are qualified and registered. The majority of staff have worked at the centre for a number of years.
The philosophy emphasises the importance of caring for each other and the environment, empowering children and preserving their mana, fostering relationships and respect for different cultures. Teachers acknowledge the importance of honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the place of Māori as tangata whenua.
Since the September 2014 ERO report, significant upgrading of the premises and outdoor play spaces has been undertaken. Whole-team professional learning and development (PLD) has focused on enrichment of the education programme for children.
The centre has a well-established teaching team. Strong and effective leadership contributes to a positive team culture focused on improvement to outcomes for children. Teacher practices reflect the values articulated in the philosophy statement.
Teachers' commitment to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is strongly expressed in their practice and the children's programme. Whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are integral to teaching and learning. Teachers continue to develop tikanga which is becoming embedded in daily practice. The concept of Māori children achieving educational success as Māori is understood and supported.
Practice is highly inclusive and diversity is celebrated. Teachers value families' cultures, languages and identities. Pacific cultures are strongly acknowledged. Children who require additional learning support have their needs identified and met to enable them to participate in the programme to their potential.
Provision for infants and toddlers is very well developed. Consistent, responsive and respectful caregiving supports these youngest of children's need for positive attachment with familiar adults. High levels of engagement with teachers foster their wellbeing, sense of trust and readiness to learn.
Children's and their families' transitions into the centre and to school are carefully considered. A range of useful practices promote continuity of learning. Established relationships with local schools enable the sharing of information about individual children, school and early childhood programme.
The curriculum is mostly child-initiated. Literacy, mathematics, cultural activities, science and the arts are integrated into the programme in meaningful ways. Children are encouraged to make their own decisions about their participation. The environment is resourced to support the implementation of a wide variety of learning experiences. Opportunities for creative, open-ended play are well developed. The outdoor area provides for challenging physical and adventurous play. Regular visits into the community extend the learning environment.
Teachers are respectful and responsive in their interactions with children. They maintain high levels of engagement, using learning conversations well to extend children's thinking and ideas. Positive teaching strategies effectively support social learning.
Development of positive, purposeful relationships with parents and whānau is prioritised. This results in high levels of community and family input into the programme and operation.
A comprehensive approach to planning for learning is in place. Teachers work collaboratively to identify children's interests, strengths and ways of learning, and put in place strategies to support and extend on these. The head teacher agrees with ERO's evaluation findings that there is some variability in the quality of teachers' assessment practice. They should continue to work on reflecting children’s cultures and progress in learning records, and ways to refine programme evaluation.
Teacher capability is well supported. There are regular opportunities for team discussion, mentoring and PLD. The appraisal procedure is comprehensive. The centre manager acknowledges the need to ensure teachers' development goals are robust. The implementation of an inquiry-based process should further strengthen the centre's approach.
Internal evaluation promotes improvement. A useful framework is in place to support decision making about change and improvement to outcomes for children. Leaders should continue to support teachers' shared understanding and use of internal evaluation. This includes more clearly measuring the impact of actions taken to improve outcomes.
The centre is effectively governed and managed. Good systems are in place to support sustainability of practice and operation. The committee's work is assisted by the well organised approach of management. Members receive regular reports about progress in relation to key areas for development. An extensive range of policy guidelines is in place to support understanding of expectations and consistent practice. Management should more clearly align strategic and annual planning.
Leaders and ERO agree that management and the teaching team should continue to develop and implement systems that support sustainability of practice and improve outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Gracefield Early Childhood Centre 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 Gracefield Early Childhood Centre will be in four years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
27 September 2017
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 |
Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60219 |
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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 |
38 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 33, Boys 17 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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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 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2017 |
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Date of this report |
27 September 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2011 |
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|
Education Review |
June 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.