Paula's Preschool Tahunanui

Education institution number:
65615
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
25
Telephone:
Address:

112 Parkers Road, Tahunanui, Nelson

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Paula's Preschool Tahunanui

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 (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 Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whāngai Establishing

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakatō Emerging

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whāngai Establishing

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui is one of two family-owned care and education services. The sister centre, for under two-year-old’s, is located across the road. Most staff are qualified teachers. The centre owner is responsible for management. The head teacher is responsible for the day-to-day running of the service.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and teachers foster positive relationships with children and families. They model manaakitanga (care and respect for one another) for children and families. They work collaboratively with parents and whānau to provide opportunities for them to contribute to their child’s learning programme and share aspects of their culture. This creates a sense of belonging.

Teachers actively promote a positive view of the child as a capable and confident learner. Children learn in a play-based context that provides a wide range of creative learning experiences. They have opportunities to lead their own learning. This includes participating in garden to table activities that support family and community. Transitions into the centre, and onto school, are personalised to the needs of each child.

The planning and assessment of children’s learning is aligned to the principles, strands, and goals of
Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children’s learning and progress is evident. Teachers are at the early stage of using the learning outcomes in assessment. Kaupapa Māori an assessment for learning framework, is starting to be used when assessing the learning of Māori children. This supports children to experience success as Māori.

Te reo Māori is used with children intermittently. Children responds to te reo Māori when teachers are using it. Tikanga practices are also used in daily routines. There is ongoing development of the understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what the document means for the centre. The deepening of spoken te reo Māori and tikanga practices are key service priority for 2022.

Teachers participate in self-review and research that is improvement focused. A useful framework for internal evaluation is in place; however, understanding the evaluative process requires development. Relational trust enables collaboration and reflective practice.

Collaboration between whānau, schools and relevant agencies is facilitated by leaders and teachers, this contributes to positive social and community outcomes. The learning and wellbeing of children in the context of whānau relationships are the primary consideration in all decision making.

4 Improvement actions

Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These include to:

  • further develop te ao Māori practices, including daily use of te reo Māori and a shared understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
  • build collective capability in internal evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching practices and monitor the implementation of improvement actions on outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui 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 found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • when children leave the premises on a regular or special excursion, the excursion must be approved by the person responsible
  • medicine (prescription and non-prescription) documentation must show consistent evidence of parental permission to administer medication and acknowledgement that medication has been given.

[Licensing criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS17, HS28].

7 Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.

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

18 May 2022 

8 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui

Profile Number

65615

Location

Nelson

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

22 children aged over two

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

29

Ethnic composition

Māori 8, NZ European/Pākehā 19, Other ethnic groups 2

Review team on site

January 2022

Date of this report

18 May 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, February 2019; Education Review, August 2013.

Paula's Preschool Tahunanui - 25/02/2019

1 Evaluation of Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui

How well placed is Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui is one of two privately-owned centres and provides care and education for up to 22 children over two years old. There are 30 children enrolled. The current owner/director purchased the centre in 2016. A manager was appointed in 2018. Most staff, the majority of whom have early childhood qualifications, have been with the centre for a number of years. The centre is organised into open plan, flexible spaces, enabling a range of activities both inside and out.

The centre’s philosophy has recently been reviewed and is underpinned by the values of respect, joy, wonder, love, trust, peacefulness, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and ako. A new strategic plan has recently been completed.

The centre belongs to Te Kāhui Ako o Omaio ki Tahunanui|Community of Learning.

The Review Findings

Children are engaged, settled and confident to explore their interests and challenge themselves. The appropriately-resourced environment offers opportunities for them to develop knowledge and learning dispositions, to work with others or enjoy time alone. Thoughtful activities and routines affirm and celebrate children and their learning. Children have a genuine voice in activities and resourcing, thus enhancing their sense of belonging.

The rich curriculum, based strongly on Te Whāriki, the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, is responsive to children’s needs, interests, culture, language and identity, and to parent aspirations. Teachers carefully balance intentional teaching and the informal aspects of the programme, which enables extended periods of individually driven, creative play that is linked to children’s goals.

Clear, embedded and authentic bicultural elements are evident throughout the programmes and the centre. This is the result of the intentional approach by leaders and teachers to building staff and children’s knowledge and understanding of te reo and te ao Māori.

Thoughtful, respectful interactions between teachers and children encourage and support children’s learning and wellbeing. Teachers work collaboratively to assess, plan and evaluate children’s learning. Reciprocal relationships with parents are fostered and parents are kept well informed of their children’s learning and wellbeing. Parent and community voice is regularly sought and included in decision making.

Leaders are fostering the development of a reflective culture. Planned, strategic and useful internal evaluation, which is embedded in centre practice, has built new knowledge and improved practices. Leaders need to continue to strengthen internal evaluation and complete an evaluation cycle to identify the impact of changes on outcomes for children.

The philosophy, vision and values are strongly reflected in planning and practices throughout the centre. Effective leadership has ensured changes have been introduced in a considered and consultative manner, with a clear focus on positive outcomes for children. A new strategic plan clearly sets out the centre’s directions and ongoing focus on improvement. The director has empowered other staff members to take on leadership roles, and has developed a collaborative approach to all aspects of the centre.

Key Next Steps

In order to ensure consistency of practice and continuity of learning, leaders and teachers need to strengthen practices around:

  • setting and revisiting children’s goals
  • specific teaching strategies to support identified goals
  • documentation of children’s learning progress
  • evaluation of the impact of teaching strategies
  • identification of clear next steps for learning
  • planned evaluation of the impact of changes on outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui 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 Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services

Southern Region

22 February 2019

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

Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

65615

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

22 children over the age of 2 years

Service roll

30

Gender composition

Boys 13 ; Girls 17

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnicities

2
26
2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

December 2018

Date of this report

25 February 2019

Most recent ERO reports

 

Education Review

August 2013

Education Review

March 2010

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.

Paula's Preschool Tahunanui - 05/08/2013

1 Evaluation of Paula's Preschool Tahunanui

How well placed is Paula's Preschool Tahunanui to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

At Paula’s Preschool Tahunanui, children aged between two and four years attend a high quality, inclusive early childhood centre. The facility is located in a house appropriately adapted to provide a wide range of outdoor and indoor learning experiences. The preschool is licensed for 22 children.

The leadership team consists of the business manager/owner, licensee/owner, and two supervisors who take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the service. The supervisors have been staff members for over ten years, working with families and children at the preschool. Their experience adds stability to all operations. Most staff are qualified.

At the time of the March 2010 ERO report it was agreed that management and staff continue to improve outcomes for children by addressing the findings of their internal review. These findings have been responded to and other areas of the centre have been effectively reviewed so that staff know what is going well and where improvement could occur.

The Review Findings

Information about children and their learning is very well used to plan and deliver high quality programmes to meet the needs of children and their families. Teachers capably analyse information to make appropriate decisions about teaching, learning and the service’s operations.

The leadership team works together for ongoing improvement. A professional culture of respect is evident throughout the preschool. Educators, children, families and the wider community are embraced within a caring environment that values high quality positive relationships. Families are very well informed about their children through many methods of communication.

The well considered philosophy statement is a guiding document that shows the centre’s beliefs about how to support children’s learning and wellbeing. This, along with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi andTe Whāriki - the early childhood curriculum, is highly visible in the centre. A suitably planned curriculum is delivered equitably to all children. An effective self-review process informs educators about how well the centre is promoting positive outcomes for children.

Care for each other and for the environment is important to all. Ways of teaching these values to children are linked to what parents want their children to learn. Goal setting, providing programmes and reviewing the outcomes are centre strengths.

Children learn through responsive programmes. Educators carefully observe individuals and groups of children. They talk to them about their learning. They help children learn through challenging, supportive and carefully designed learning experiences. Teachers constantly think about how they work with children and make ongoing adjustments to improve how they teach. Children are encouraged to be independent and at times to be leaders. With the leadership team, teachers seek to realise the potential of Māori children. ERO affirms staff commitment to ongoing thinking about success for Māori as Māori.

Throughout the preschool there is a culture of everyone learning together. Teachers participate in professional development and learn to use te reo Māori. They pass their learning on to children, regularly using and integrating te reo Māori within the programme. All children know waiata and use stories, poi and other experiences to learn through Māori culture and language.

Families spoken with affirm the positive environment where children enjoy coming, where they are learning, and where their wellbeing is of high priority.

The service is well governed and managed. Useful systems address both improvement and accountability purposes. The appraisal system is robust and is valued by staff as a tool for their own professional improvement.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Paula's Preschool Tahunanui 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 Paula's Preschool Tahunanui will be in four years.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

5 August 2013

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

Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

65615

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

22 children, aged over 2 years

Service roll

41

Gender composition

Boys 24,

Girls 17

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Other

6

34

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

N/A

 
 

Over 2

1 : 7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

May 2013

Date of this report

5 August 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

March 2010

 

Education Review

February 2007

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.