Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd

Education institution number:
65115
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
47
Telephone:
Address:

5 - 7 Dunsandel Hororata Road, Dunsandel

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Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding
Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool is privately owned and provides education and care in two neighbouring buildings. A leadership team comprises the owner, centre manager and curriculum leader. There have been some recent appointments to the team. The service has a diverse roll including a quarter who identify as Māori. Since the 2018 ERO review, some progress has been made in embedding Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum into practice.

3 Summary of findings

Children experience a responsive play-based curriculum aligned to Te Whāriki. Social and emotional competence and independence is fostered. Children make decisions about their own learning in well-resourced environments. Teachers are responsive to Infants and toddlers verbal and non-verbal cues and carry out respectful care routines. Children experience a calm, slow paced environment, and demonstrate a good sense of belonging.

Teachers effectively use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to plan for children’s learning. Assessment documentation makes visible their learning and progress over time. Parent aspirations alongside children’s interests and strengths guide the collaborative process for individual planning. There is some reflection of children’s home languages and cultures in the curriculum. Te Whāriki is yet to be unpacked with the wider community to develop learning priorities.

There are some opportunities for children to hear te reo Māori and experience aspects of tikanga Māori however, this is not yet a consistent practice. Māori children and whānau have opportunities to contribute to the curriculum and support children’s understanding of Māori ways of knowing, being and doing.

Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. Appropriate resourcing to support professional learning opportunities aligned to the service’s strategic goals and teachers’ professional growth cycle are provided. There is a collaborative process in place to guide internal evaluation. However, this is not yet effectively implemented to show the impacts of planned actions on improving outcomes for children.

4 Improvement actions

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • explore the strands, goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki with children, parents and whānau to develop priorities for learning

  • develop a localised curriculum inclusive of places of significance for mana whenua Māori

  • build leader and teacher capability to integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into meaningful learning experiences

  • complete all steps in the evaluative process including monitoring and evaluating the curriculum to identify the impact of the changed practice on outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Dunsandel Childcare and 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

3 October 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd

Profile Number

65115

Location

Dunsandel

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

44 children, including up to 8 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

54

Review team on site

July 2022

Date of this report

3 October 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, July 2018;
Education Review, November 2014.

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd - 03/07/2018

1 Evaluation of Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd

How well placed is Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd is very well placed.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd is one of two privately-owned centres. The centre manager and curriculum leader provide professional leadership and guidance for the teachers. The centre provides full-day education and care for up to 44 children, including up to 8 under the age of two years. Most of the teachers are early childhood trained and registered teachers or training to become early childhood teachers.

Since the 2015 ERO review the owner and teachers have fully addressed the key next steps in the report. This includes strengthening planning and assessment, including parents' involvement. They have made good progress with bicultural perspectives in the programme, extending children's thinking and learning in mathematics and supporting them to respect their learning environment.

The centre is a member of Ngā Mātāpuna o te Waihora Kāhui Ako/Community of Learning.

The Review Findings

The centre's philosophy provides a clear vision and direction for leaders and teachers. This was reviewed early in 2018 by managers, teachers, parents and whānau, with an emphasis on providing a welcoming, stimulating and safe learning environment through high quality teaching and learning. Children experience calm, unhurried routines and interactions with their teachers. Their learning is based on respectful relationships with each other and their teachers.

Teachers use a wide range of relevant, intentional teaching approaches to support children's learning, development and wellbeing. Teachers communicate regularly with families and whānau and make meaningful connections to the children's home life. They successfully include this information in their assessment and programme planning for individual children. Parents and children are provided with well-written learning stories that provide detailed information about children's participation in the programme. Leaders and teachers work closely with parents/whānau and outside agencies to support children with learning needs. Teachers have a strong, shared commitment to providing many opportunities for children to learn te reo and tikanga Māori. They celebrate children's home cultures and languages and integrate aspects within the learning programme.

The centre is well equipped and children have easy access to the wide range of challenging and attractively-presented resources that invite them to explore. Teachers show respect for children as capable, self-directed learners. Children have opportunities to develop leadership roles and support for others. Transitions into, within and from the centre are flexible, considered and well planned to meet the needs of the individual child. The curriculum leader is developing partnerships with local schools to help support children's transitions to school.

Children in the nursery benefit from nurturing and caring interactions and relationships. Infants and toddlers experience close connections with a small number of adults. Centre routines are used as opportunities for learning and times of enjoyment with other children and teachers. Teachers are sensitive to infants' needs and prioritise oral language development, sometimes using sign language. They communicate well with parents to ensure they are meeting each child's needs.

There is an effective working relationship between owners, centre leaders and teachers. This has led to a strong culture where shared leadership is encouraged.

Children's learning is enhanced through capable, reflective leadership practices. Leaders are making good use of professional learning and development. Strategic planning clearly identifies the centre's priorities and goals for achieving the centre's vision and is regularly monitored. The centre has very good management systems and internal evaluation processes. Governance policies and procedures are regularly reviewed along with systems to monitor health and safety. The appraisal of teachers' practices is consistent and well documented.

Key Next Steps

The centre leaders and ERO agree that leaders need to continue to refine existing sound practice through:

  • continuing to embed the 2017 Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum and align it to all relevant teaching and learning documents.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Dunsandel Childcare and 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd will be in four years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

3 July 2018

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Mid-Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

65115

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

44 children, including up to 8 aged under 2

Service roll

61

Gender composition

Boys 29 : Girls 32

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other ethnicities

6

43

12

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

2:20

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

June 2018

Date of this report

3 July 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

Education Review

November 2014

June 2011

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd - 07/11/2014

1 Evaluation of Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd

How well placed is Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd also operates under the name Blue Goose Preschool. This centre has two buildings, each with its own outdoor area. One area is for children aged from eight weeks to three and a half years and the other area is for children of approximately three years to school age. Most of the staff are qualified ECE teachers. Two teachers are fully registered and the rest are being well supported by centre management in working towards full registration.

Significant progress has been made in the areas identified in the August 2011 ERO report. Children’s successful transition to school is supported by the centre’s well-established relationship with the local school.

The Review Findings

Children experience positive relationships with one another and with teachers. They are well supported in developing their social interactions, independence, and self-care skills. Teachers warmly praise and readily acknowledge children’s achievements. They involve themselves in children’s play and allow children to lead the direction of play. ERO observed some teachers who were highly effective in extending children’s learning.

Children have opportunities to develop an awareness of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. Children experience some aspects of te reo and tikanga Māori in a range of ways throughout the programme. Some teachers' use of te reo Māori is a good model for others to learn from.

Centre practices for planning and assessment have strengthened since the 2011 ERO report. Teachers’ planning clearly identifies how they will respond and support children’s learning.

The centre promotes positive relationships with parents and whānau. Teachers have regular conversations with parents and share useful information about children. Profile books keep parents well informed about their child’s involvement and learning within the programme. Parents’ views are sought in a variety of ways, including for self review.

There are established systems to help teachers critically reflect on their individual teaching practices. Teachers identify aspects of their teaching that support children’s learning and readily make changes when necessary to use more effective practices. A next step will be to consider ways they can more meaningfully incorporate literacy and mathematics concepts and learning in the programme.

The appointment of two curriculum leaders is providing stronger curriculum leadership. These experienced leaders are very good role models within the programme, and provide helpful mentoring and feedback to other teachers.

Managers value and are responsive to staff opinions and feedback. There is an emphasis on teamwork between managers and teachers and among teachers. Teachers share useful information about individual children to help them support all children in the programme. Teachers’ strengths are recognised and used to extend the programme. A teacher’s skills in New Zealand Sign Language have provided opportunities for the youngest children to learn how to communicate through using some sign language.

Teachers and managers have made significant improvements to self-review practices. They have a process to guide the way they evaluate the effectiveness of their service. They are highly focused on improving outcomes for children. Review practices involve all staff members as well as including the views of parents and at times, children.

Managers are responsive to external feedback. They have a process for future planning. They have made good use of professional learning and development opportunities to improve aspects of the programme. This is evident in the improvements to planning, self review and the quality of leadership.

Centre policies provide good guidance for staff in relation to centre expectations and systems for health and safety.

Key Next Steps

The managers and teaching team have good processes for reviewing the effectiveness of their programme. They are now in a good position to make better use of these guidelines to review the effectiveness of teaching practices. This includes:

  • making use of opportunities to extend children’s thinking and learning in mathematics
  • supporting children to respect the learning environment, equipment and resources
  • developing further and more consistent ways of recording parent involvement in planning and assessment
  • increasing teachers’ confidence and awareness in understanding bicultural perspectives in the programme.

Managers have identified, and ERO agrees, that appraisal could be strengthened to be more effective and useful for teachers.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Dunsandel Childcare and 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Dunsandel Childcare and Preschool Ltd will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Dunsandel, Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

65115

Licence type

Education and Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

44 children, including up to 8 aged under two

Service roll

60

Gender composition

Boys 36

Girls 24

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Asian

Other Ethnicities

6

47

2

5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2014

Date of this report

7 November 2014

Most recent ERO reports

 

Education Review

August 2011

 

Education Review

February 2008

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.