124 Waterloo Road, Lower Hutt CBD, Lower Hutt
View on mapERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Chilton St James Preschool - Waterloo is located on the grounds of Chilton St James School, a private Anglican school. The preschool is governed by the school’s Executive Management team. The February 2020 ERO report found that the service required further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children. Sufficient progress has been made in response.
The service curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Whānau aspirations are gathered to inform planning for children's learning. Teachers are respectful, positive, and responsive in their interactions with children. The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. A variety of resources are provided to support the differing ages and abilities of those attending. An annual plan and policy framework guide the centre’s operation. Ongoing monitoring of aspects of health and safety is required.
Next steps include increasing the:
opportunities children have to hear and speak te reo Māori in the preschool
visibility of children’s culture, language, and identity in children’s assessment documentation.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
an annual review of the emergency plan is undertaken.
[Licencing criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS7]
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
24 March 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Chilton St James Preschool - Waterloo |
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Profile Number |
60304 |
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Location |
Lower Hutt |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
80 children |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
36 |
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Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā 12, Chinese 13, Indian 5, Other ethnic groups 6 |
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Review team on site |
February 2022 |
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Date of this report |
24 March 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2020; Education Review, June 2016 |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Chilton St James Preschool - Waterloo requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Chilton St James Preschool is located at Waterloo, Lower Hutt on the grounds of Chilton St James School, a private Anglican school. It is licensed for 50 children aged from two to five years and 44 children were enrolled at the time of this ERO review. The preschool is governed by the Chilton St James School Board.
Management and day-to-day operation is overseen by the head of preschool who liaises closely with the principal and heads of the primary school.
Te Whāriki underpins the curriculum which also includes the International Baccalaureate Organisation Primary Years Programme (PYP).
The philosophy emphasises the importance of 'developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring people who create a better and more peaceful world through inter-cultural understanding and respectful interactions with others'.
Since the June 2016 ERO report, a new head of preschool has been appointed. The previous report identified areas requiring further development. These included strengthening: assessment, planning and evaluation, te ao Māori in the curriculum and evaluating teacher appraisal. Progress continues to be made in these areas.
The implementation of licensing requirements and practices in relation to supervision of children when eating require attention.
The philosophy is evident in practice. Children demonstrate their sense of connection to each other, adults and their surroundings. Child and teacher-led learning experiences that promotes science, the arts, music and dance are explored. Literacy and numeracy rich experiences are deliberately planned. Well-resourced environments encourage children's positive engagement in learning.
Children are confident and communicative learners. Their sense of wellbeing and belonging is actively promoted. Relationships with families are well established and contribute to teachers knowing parents and whānau well.
Teacher practice for assessment, planning and evaluation is guided by transdisciplinary inquiry. Some examples of children's assessment show continuity and progression of learning over time. An online forum invites parent participation in their child's learning. They also participate in formal and informal opportunities to share and celebrate their child's learning. Leaders identify that continuance of development is needed to support consistent understanding of high-quality assessment and evaluation practices. ERO's evaluation affirms this direction.
Leaders increasingly provide experiences for children that are informed by each child's culture, language, identity and parents' aspirations.
Children with additional needs are well supported. Leaders and teachers work closely with families. The centre has well-considered transition processes in to and within the centre and on to other school services.
Since ERO's previous evaluation there has been a strategic commitment to building teacher capability of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Children engage in purposeful learning reflecting te ao Māori. This is interwoven through te reo Māori and the opportunities children have to lead centre gatherings. Respect for kupu Māori is evident in pronunciation through waiata and kōrero. Māori artefacts, symbols and resources are displayed. Leaders identify, and ERO's evaluation affirms, that incorporating place-based knowledge and understanding to enrich children’s learning of their local community, is a next step.
Fully implementing the revised appraisal process for head of school is needed. ERO and centre leaders agree a more deliberate focus on regular opportunities for formal discussions, constructive feedback and support for goal setting should further support teachers' professional growth.
Governance and management systems are focused on improving the quality of teaching and positive learning outcomes for children. Review for improvement and accountability is undertaken. Leaders should continue to strengthen a shared understanding of evaluation to more clearly know the effectiveness of the preschool programmes and practices.
The priorities for the preschool are to:
continue to strengthen the consistency of assessment and evaluation practices
fully implement the revised appraisal process for head of school
continue to strengthen a shared understanding of evaluation to more clearly know the effectiveness of the preschool programme and practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Chilton St James Preschool - Waterloo 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance relating to health and safety. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance by ensuring that:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS22]
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
17 February 2020
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 |
60304 |
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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 |
50 children aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
44 |
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Gender composition |
Female 31, Male 13 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
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 2019 |
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Date of this report |
17 February 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2016 |
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Education Review |
May 2103 |
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Education Review |
February 2010 |
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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:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.