178 Rongotai Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Early Years 178 Rongotai is situated in Wellington. It provides education and care for children from three months to five years of age, five days a week. At the time of this ERO review, 43 children were enrolled and six are Māori and five are of Pacific heritage.
Since the April 2016 ERO review a new centre manager has been appointed. The centre has had a number of changes to the teaching team. Most teachers are fully qualified and they represent a diverse range of cultures. Day-to-day operation of the centre is the responsibility of the centre manager who supports the teaching team.
The previous ERO report identified a range of areas requiring further improvement. These included: improved curriculum leadership to develop quality assessment, planning and evaluation; a bicultural programme; promoting educational success for Māori and Pacific children; and developing internal evaluation processes. Very good progress has been made in addressing ERO's 2016 findings.
Early Years is owned and operated by BestStart Educare Ltd. BestStart is a large national organisation that owns early childhood services across New Zealand.
Children have opportunities to participate in an environment that promotes a sense of belonging. They experience warm and respectful relationships. Children’s leadership and engagement are promoted through positive interactions with their teachers and peers.
Teachers sensitively respond to and support infants’ and toddlers’ needs for strong and secure attachment. Effective strategies are used to promote these children’s literacy skills. Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teachers, parents, whānau and external agencies work in collaboration to support their full participation in the programme.
A review of the philosophy was recently undertaken to determine what the centre's key valued learning outcomes are for children. Indicators of good practice guide and support its effective implementation. Leaders acknowledge that a key next step is to work collaboratively with parents and whānau to deepen teachers' understanding of what educational success looks like for them and their children. ERO's evaluation confirms this direction.
Te ao Māori is actively promoted and evident in the centre. Children have opportunities to celebrate and share their whakapapa with their peers. Aspects of te reo Māori are used in general conversations with children. Leaders should consider ways they can enrich the bicultural programme, by encouraging teachers to use te reo Māori. The centre should also consider ways they can weave a place-based curriculum into the programme that celebrates local cultural places of significance to Māori.
There has been a positive shift in teachers' practice that has resulted in a greater understanding of planning and assessment. A recently introduced framework for individualised planning is growing teachers' responses to individual children’s learning. Group planning is well established, and supports children’s emerging interests. Leaders and teachers should continue to strengthen the planning process by:
A sense of belonging for children, parents and whānau is nurtured during and after transitions into and within the centre and when they move onto school.
A sound appraisal system is in place to support and grow teachers' capability. The professional service manager provides regular feedback, support and guidance for teachers. The teaching team use inquiry to strengthen their teaching practice. BestStart provides regular professional learning and development opportunities for the centre.
An effective internal evaluation process has been implemented with clear expectations for its use. Leaders work collaboratively with the centre manager and teaching team to build their evaluative understanding. Teachers are becoming more confident to evaluate the impact of their practices on children’s learning.
Leaders promote a shared understanding among teachers of the philosophy, vision and goals of the centre. There is a strong commitment to teaching and learning that contributes to improving outcomes for children.
ERO and leaders agree that key next steps are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Early Years 178 Rongotai 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 Early Years 178 Rongotai will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
7 June 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.
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Location |
Wellington |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60315 |
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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 |
30 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
43 |
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Gender composition |
24 Girls, 19 Boys |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
April 2018 |
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Date of this report |
7 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2016 |
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|
Education Review |
November 2012 |
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Education Review |
May 2009 |
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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 whānaungatanga – 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 |
To improve service provision, stronger leadership, curriculum development, effective monitoring of teacher practice and consistent implementation of policies and procedures are required.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Early Years 178 Rongotai operates under the BestStart Educare Ltd management structure. BestStart (previously known as Kidicorp Ltd) is a large national organisation that owns a number of early childhood centres across New Zealand.
Full time and sessional care and education are provided. The centre is licensed for 30 children, with eight up to the age of two. Eight Māori children are enrolled and seven children who identify as Pacific. The centre manager has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the centre.
The November 2012 ERO report identified a number of areas for improvement. These included promoting children's ownership of their learning, extending children’s thinking, the bicultural programme, assessment, planning and evaluation, and self review. Insufficient progress has been made in these areas. Providing a suitable space for non-mobile infants and increasing parent involvement have been addressed.
This ERO review was part of a cluster of three in the BestStart Educare Ltd.
The centre philosophy has recently been reviewed by the teaching team and reflects a collective vision for the centre. It is now timely for teachers to develop a shared understanding of high quality practice and use this understanding to develop indicators to inform curriculum design, implementation and review and evaluation. This will enable the service to ascertain how well they meet their vison.
Professional Service Managers provide regular feedback, support and guidance on the curriculum. They clearly identify strengths and areas for ongoing development. Some areas for improvement have been consistently identified over time. Increased support has been provided. However, the strategies implemented have not yet resulted in sufficient improvement.
Stronger leadership in curriculum design and implementation is a priority. Improved monitoring of teacher practice is required to ensure that high quality provision for children's early childhood education and care is consistently enacted.
The current practice of providing a range of planned activities around a theme provides a shared direction for the programme. The planning process requires improvement as it does not provide a sufficient level of complexity for children or clearly stated learning intentions to guide teachers practice. Once achieved this would assist with evaluating the outcomes for children's learning.
In the infant and toddler area, teachers are warm and responsive to children's cues. They work alongside children and use rich descriptive language to build their communication skills.
Children participate in a play-based programme. Those with additional learning needs are well supported. A focus on promoting healthy food and physical activity, and excursions into the local community extends the curriculum. Children play independently and alongside their peers. A stronger focus on promoting literacy and numeracy learning in the curriculum is required.
The quality of teaching and learning was identified as an area for development in ERO's previous review. This has not been sufficiently addressed. Leaders and teachers should provide children with opportunities to make choices in their play and learning, and take a more purposeful approach to engaging children in problem solving and active exploration.
Practices for positively guiding children's behaviour are not consistently implemented. Clear expectations are stated in the guiding policy. Revisiting this policy to develop a shared understanding of appropriate practice is a key next step. Leaders should then regularly monitor teachers practice.
Leaders and teachers recognise that the integration of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into the curriculum is an urgent next step. ERO agrees, as insufficient progress has been made since the previous ERO review.
Leaders have identified that promoting educational success for Māori children and for Pacific children are key next steps. Further developing leaders' and teachers' understanding of Ministry of Education publications will guide culturally responsive practice. These resources include Tatāiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, Ka Hikitia: Accelerating Success 2013-2017 and Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017.
Regular profile entries provide useful information for parents and whānau about their child’s participation and interests. There is a strong focus on celebrating children's developmental milestones, and at times, their learning. Key next steps for teachers are to more consistently identify and plan for children's significant learning. Documentation should clearly reflect this and show children's learning progression over time. Leaders should monitor the quality of assessment documentation and provide targeted support for teachers to improve their practice.
Leaders and teachers have successfully implemented a range of strategies to further involve families in the programme.
A clear framework guides the appraisal process. This includes self and appraiser assessment and has a development focus. Leaders have indicated that a next step is to include formal observations of all teacher practice to inform appraisal. The appraisal process should be consistently enacted for all staff and include clear documentation of feedback and next steps. BestStart provides opportunities for teachers to participate in a wide range of professional learning and development.
Internal evaluation is an area for development. Leaders and teachers should improve their understanding of review and evaluation processes.
Roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers are clearly identified. A comprehensive policy framework including procedures and systems, is in place to guide the operation of the centre.
ERO and leaders agree that key next steps to improve the quality of teaching and learning are to develop:
clear indicators of quality teaching practice based on their vision and philosophy
leadership in curriculum design, implementation, and improved monitoring of teacher practice
the quality of assessment, planning and evaluation
a curriculum that supports children to make choices, solve problems and promotes literacy and numeracy learning
a consistent approach to enacting the positive guidance policy
the bicultural programme and an understanding of how educational success for Māori and Pacific children will be promoted
understanding and implementation of effective internal evaluation
consistent enactment of the appraisal process.
Before the review, the staff and management of Early Years 178 Rongotai 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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning and development, and knowledge of relevant theories and practice in early childhood education
support children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, Regulation 43, C4, C10]
ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Early Years 178 Rongotai will be within two years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
29 April 2016
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 |
Wellington |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60315 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
36 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 20, Girls 16 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pacific Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
8 7 11 10 |
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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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 April 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 2006 |
||
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 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.