Babyspace Ltd

Education institution number:
65233
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
24
Telephone:
Address:

Babyspace Ltd 5 Chelsea Avenue, Richmond

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Babyspace 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 Babyspace Ltd are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whakatō Emerging

2 Context of the Service

Babyspace Ltd is a privately-owned and operated centre. The owner | manager is a qualified early childhood teacher and is responsible for the day-to-day governance and management. The centre serves a culturally diverse community. A small number of children attending identify as Māori. The service has made limited progress in addressing the recommendations of the August 2018 ERO report, particularly in relation to internal evaluation.

3 Summary of findings

Infants, toddlers, and young children experience a calm learning environment. Social competence and emotional wellbeing are priorities and well promoted by teachers. The philosophy and values of respect and care are evident in teacher practice.

All children are supported by teachers in a language-rich environment. Children choose experiences and explore age-appropriate resources through guided and free play. Teachers identify and respond to learner dispositions and interests.

Assessment information shows children’s strengths, interests, and dispositions. Parents and whānau have opportunities to contribute to their child’s learning. Teachers are at the early stages of exploring and using the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Assessment information is yet to show children’s progression of learning over time in relation to the learning outcomes.

The languages, cultures, and identities of families are celebrated. Leaders and teachers are yet to consistently weave the cultural heritages of families throughout the curriculum design and in assessment, planning, and evaluation.

Aspects of te ao Māori [Māori world view] are implemented in the daily programme. There is some capability and leadership for using te reo Māori within the curriculum. Building the confidence of all teachers to integrate meaningful te reo Māori into the daily curriculum is now required.

Understanding and effective use of Internal evaluation practices as a tool for improvement are not well established within the service. Leaders and teachers have recently participated in professional learning to build their capability in this area. They have introduced a new framework for internal evaluation and are trialing its use.

Leaders are at the early stages of implementing the professional growth cycle for supporting teacher growth and development. They provide teachers with opportunities to participate in ongoing professional development aimed to support their practice but have not yet evaluated the impact of changes made. They oversee the daily operations of the service, however greater monitoring of aspects of health and safety are required to ensure that compliance is maintained with the regulatory standards.

4 Improvement actions

Babyspace Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:

  • strengthen assessment processes to show how children learn and progress in relation to the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki

  • reflect in curriculum design and assessment documentation, children’s languages, cultures, and identities

  • develop the capability of leaders and teachers to do, and use, internal evaluation for improvement

  • improve monitoring of governance and management systems and processes to ensure all requirements are met.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Babyspace 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.

6 Actions for Compliance

ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:

  • evidence of how evaluation of the emergency drills has informed the annual review of the emergency plan.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008: HS8].

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • excursion records show time, and signature of the Person Responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place [HS17]

  • records show evidence of parental acknowledgement of medicines being administered [HS28].

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

13 September 2022 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Babyspace Ltd

Profile Number

65233

Location

Makatū | Nelson

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

18 children, including up to 18 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

26

Ethnic composition

Māori 3, NZ European/Pākehā 19, other ethnic groups 4

Review team on site

May 2022

Date of this report

13 September 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, August 2018; Education Review, March 2015

Babyspace Ltd - 15/08/2018

1 Evaluation of Babyspace Ltd

How well placed is Babyspace Ltd to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Babyspace Ltd is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Babyspace Ltd is a privately-owned and operated centre located in Richmond, Nelson. It is licensed to offer full-day care and education for 18 children, including 17 children aged under two years. The owner, who is also a registered ECE teacher, is responsible for the day-to-day governance and management of the centre. She is supported by an assistant supervisor and two other senior experienced teachers with allocated responsibilities.

A high proportion of staff are trained and registered teachers. Staffing has remained very consistent over the last ten years.

The centre's philosophy is informed by Te Whāriki and Te Tiritri o Waitangi principles and the Pikler philosophy. Emphasis is placed on supporting children to form secure relationships with a primary caregiver and to develop at their own pace.

Since the 2015 ERO review the owner has engaged external support to develop the appraisal system and to refine strategic planning.

The Review Findings

Leaders and teachers have created a caring environment for children and their families. It is characterised by teachers who respond very effectively and respectfully to children's needs and interests and who incorporate whānau aspirations into planning and teaching. Teachers use a range of communication strategies to ensure that parents and family are informed and engaged in their children's learning. Transitions into the centre are well managed and tailored to the needs of individual children and their families. Staffing is thoughtfully managed to ensure that primary caregivers build relationships with children and their families, know children well, and are able to provide continuity and consistency of routines. These practices create a positive environment for infants and toddlers.

The curriculum is designed and implemented to engage infants, toddlers and young children. Teachers thoughtfully organise and use the centre's resources to promote children's freedom of movement, challenge, curiosity, creativity and self-management. They work alongside children, responding to emerging interests as well as offering suggestions to challenge and extend learning without unnecessary intervention. Teachers use language intelligently to empower children, to extend thinking, to encourage children to describe their feelings and to promote curiosity and confidence. The deliberate use of natural materials, reading resources that reflect te ao Māori, and the use of te reo reflect the centre's value of bicultural practices and support the language, culture and identity of Māori children.

The indoor and outdoor spaces are well designed to offer a very good range of activity and learning opportunities. They include areas for children to spend time quietly as well as to mix with other children. Landscaping makes the area attractive and interesting as well as providing physical challenge. There is a very good range of equipment available for children. An area is allocated for a garden and children are involved in growing produce which is shared with whānau.

Leadership is distributed and professional learning is valued. Teachers have opportunities to develop leadership skills and take responsibility for aspects of teaching and learning. Mentoring, feedback and discussion assists information sharing and professional development.

Key Next Steps

Internal evaluation is an area that requires further development. The centre has adopted a useful framework for internal evaluation. It is timely for leaders to develop a professional learning plan that:

  • extends teachers' knowledge and understanding about each phase of this evaluation framework

  • further develops the critical and evaluative thinking required to identify and document the impact of teaching strategies on children's learning.

Leadership capability to implement sustainable professional learning could be extended by:

  • supporting teachers with areas of responsibility to develop skills in implementing professional learning and development

  • developing action plans that clearly identify the expectations of professional learning

  • evaluate the impact of these plans to identify the impact of professional learning in terms of sustainable practices and improved outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Babyspace 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 Babyspace Ltd will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

15 August 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

Richmond, Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

65233

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

18 children, including up to 17 aged under 2

Service roll

22

Gender composition

Boys: 10

Girls: 12

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other ethnicities

4

16

2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

June 2018

Date of this report

15 August 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

March 2015

August 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.

Babyspace Ltd - 16/03/2015

1 Evaluation of Babyspace Ltd

How well placed is Babyspace Ltd to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Babyspace Ltd is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Babyspace Ltd is a small centre that provides for children from six months to three years. The owner/manager is an experienced early childhood teacher who works in the centre. The majority of staff are registered early childhood teachers. All staff are experienced in early childhood education and have worked at the centre for a number of years. The centre maintains high adult-to-child ratios.

The centre philosophy is based on Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, the Treaty of Waitangi and Pikler principles. Each child has a primary caregiver.

Since the August 2011 ERO review report, the centre has made significant progress in strengthening the inclusion of te reo and tikanga Māori. The philosophy has been reviewed and the outdoor environment has been developed further to provide natural and well-resourced play areas for children.

The Review Findings

Teachers provide a calm and inclusive environment for children to develop and learn. Children are well supported by their teachers who have an in-depth knowledge of each child.

The high adult-to-child ratio helps to ensure teachers respond promptly to individuals and spend considerable time with children to support their play and wellbeing. ERO observed children who were happy, settled and involved in their play for long periods of time.

The programme provides children with many opportunities to make choices and confidently explore the environment. Teachers actively promote language development through the conversations that they have with children. They listen to children carefully and provide resources to help them develop their ideas further.

Routines are well integrated into the programme in sensitive and respectful ways. Teachers make good use of these occasions to strengthen their relationships with the children. The centre has well developed systems for teachers to share information about children. This helps to ensure that teachers are familiar with the best ways to settle each child and meet their daily needs.

Teachers and children are respectful and proud of New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. Te reo and tikanga Māori are clearly evident in the language that teachers use, centre protocols, celebrations and the environment. Māori parents provide support to staff to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence. The teachers also make good use of professional development to increase their knowledge and use of effective practice.

Child assessment is well used to show children’s learning, progress and the depth of knowledge teachers have about each child and family. Parent opinions are actively sought. Their goals and aspirations for their children are regularly followed up in the children’s assessments. Teachers and parents work together to ensure children’s cultural heritage is recognised and interwoven into the programme.

Children with special needs and their families are well supported within the programme, assessments and planning.

The centre has a number of good management systems and practices to sustain and improve learning and teaching. These well-developed and used processes include:

  • the recently reviewed philosophy that clearly states the centre values and expectations for learning and teaching
  • self reviews that identify what is going well, where improvements are needed and the close monitoring action plans
  • regularly seeking and using parents’ views and opinions to inform decisions about teaching, learning and centre organisation.

Key Next Steps

The managers and ERO agree that the next key steps for the centre include improving:

  • the quality and usefulness of strategic plans
  • completing staff appraisals and evaluating the effectiveness of the process
  • extending child assessments and plans.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Babyspace Ltd completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they select ‘have’ or ‘have not’ 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 Babyspace Ltd will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern Region

16 March 2015

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

Richmond, Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

65233

Licence type

Education and Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

18 children, including up to 17 aged under two

Service roll

30

Gender composition

Girls 20 Boys 10

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Asian

Other Ethnicities

2

26

1

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

December 2014

Date of this report

16 March 2015

Most recent ERO report

 

Education Review

August 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.