Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205)

Education institution number:
70017
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
35
Telephone:
Address:

371 Linwood Avenue, Linwood, Christchurch

View on map

Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) - 12/06/2020

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205)

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centre Linwood is located in Christchurch. It is open five days per week for full-day sessions and is licensed for 50 children. The centre is divided into three learning areas to cater for the specific needs of children from two years to school age. Most teachers are fully qualified early childhood educators. The centre’s diverse learning community includes children with additional needs.

The service operates under Kindercare Learning Centre Limited's vision, values, philosophy and strategic goals. Together these form the philosophy on which each centre and the organisation base their practices. An area manager works in partnership with centre leaders to support the operation of the centre.

The service's philosophy, underpinned by Te Whāriki (2017) the Early Childhood Curriculum, states that they provide 'early childhood care and education that values, appreciates and respects each child and focuses on developing their full potential, in an environment of love'. There are eight core values which fall under the descriptors of 'Safe, Loved and Learning'.

The June 2017 ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included further development of: bicultural perspectives, strategic and annual planning, self review, and embedding assessment and planning. Progress is ongoing in all of these areas.

The centre is an active member of the Tamai Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.

This review was part of a cluster of six Kindercare Learning Centre reviews in the Christchurch area.

The Review Findings

Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They are confident and work in respectful and purposeful partnerships with other learners and their teachers. All children's cultures, languages and identities are valued and celebrated. Teachers have an understanding of te ao Māori perspectives and how to support Māori children to enjoy success as Māori. The curriculum is responsive to children's needs and ensures that they have regular opportunities to participate in community events and with local organisations. The transition of children into, within and beyond the centre is well supported by personalised practices and processes.

The indoor and outdoor environments are engaging and encourage exploration, creativity, collaboration and sensory play. These areas are organised according to children’s needs and to support self-regulation and positive outcomes for all. Children with additional learning needs benefit from an inclusive learning environment and planning that includes intentional teaching and access to external support. Clear routines and expectations support the learning for all children.

Leaders improve the quality of education and care for children through ongoing self review and internal evaluation. They prioritise equitable outcomes for all children and have established a culture in which children come first. Leaders support teachers to critically reflect on their practice and have effective systems to build the capability and collective capacity of staff. Emergent leadership amongst teachers is encouraged and is effectively developed through appropriate professional development and mentoring programmes. Leaders have established strategic goals for the centre that are closely linked to positive learning outcomes for children and are supported by appropriate actions and resourcing.

Teachers are effective in implementing a play-based approach to learning. They focus on social and emotional development and provide strategies for each child to develop resilience and self-confidence. Teachers demonstrate a localised approach to the curriculum that encompasses the needs of the community and increases sense of place for all. Planning for groups and individual children is intentional, well-structured and informs next steps for learning.

The Kindercare organisation provides support for centre leaders and families through regular visits by area managers, effective processes for ensuring that children have safe and healthy learning environments, appraisal, mentoring and well-targeted professional development opportunities.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders and ERO agree that the key next steps to further develop the conditions for promoting positive outcomes for children include:

  • continuing to strengthen all aspects of bi-cultural practice to support the ongoing development of a localised curriculum
  • further strengthening strategic planning and internal evaluation so that progress towards identified goals is systematically evidenced and the outcomes for children are made clear
  • consolidating opportunities for parents and whānau to inform curriculum learning and the strategic priorities of the centre, so that it continues to respond to and reflect the community it serves.

Next Steps for the Organisation

Key next steps for the Kindercare organisation include continuing to:

  • build understandings and practices to better promote success for Māori, and reflect a commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa, New Zealand
  • support leaders to use strategic planning and internal evaluation effectively to monitor and show progress towards improved outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) 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

12 June 2020

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

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70017

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children, two years and older

Service roll

64

Gender composition

Boys 28, Girls 36

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnicities

14
34
16

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2020

Date of this report

12 June 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2017

Education Review

August 2014

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

ou 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

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed

  • Well placed

  • Requires further development

  • Not well placed

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

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.

Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) - 12/06/2017

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205)

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) 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

Kindercare Learning Centre: Linwood (205) is privately owned. It is one of 12 early learning centres in Christchurch owned and administered by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The centre operates under the Kindercare philosophy, values, management and accountability systems. An area manager works in partnership with centre leaders to guide the effective operation of each centre.

This centre provides education and care for children from two years to school age in three separate rooms. The rooms are specifically organised to meet age group needs.

Families from a diverse range of cultures attend the centre. Parents have the opportunity to participate in a Kindercare parent education programme. Centre leaders are part of the Linwood Community Learning Cluster group.

Most staff are fully qualified, certified teachers. Several staff have worked at the centre for long periods of time. The centre cook provides nutritious vegetarian meals and snacks.

Since the last ERO review, the centre has refurbished inside and upgraded the outdoor play areas. There have been changes in leadership of the centre and a new area manager appointed. Leaders and teachers are continuing to make good progress with the recommendations from the 2014 ERO report. Centre leaders follow the Kindercare process for annual planning and self review. Kindercare has introduced a curriculum support position in the centre to assist with the new assessment, planning and evaluation processes.

This review was part of a cluster of reviews of 12 Kindercare Learning Centres in the Christchurch area in Term 1, 2017. 

The Review Findings

The service values of ‘safe, loved, and learning’ are well integrated into centre practices and documentation. Children and families experience welcoming, inclusive relationships with teachers. Leaders and teachers are responsive to children’s needs and build supportive relationships with parents.

Children are busy and focus on their chosen activities. They have many opportunities to explore their individual interests in the well-resourced and attractively presented indoor and outside environments. Children make good use of a wide assortment of resources to promote imaginative and creative play.

Teachers involve children in calm, respectful interactions. They extend children's ideas and oral language skills by asking meaningful questions during conversations. Teachers purposefully include literacy and mathematics in the learning programme.

Transitions into and within the centre are flexible and meet the needs of children and families. Teachers support children's transition to school by helping them develop independence and self-help skills.

Parents are well informed about their children's learning interests through a range of methods, such as written records, photos and technologies that provide ongoing opportunities for parent feedback.

Leaders have strong community networks and links with external agencies and local schools. They provide clear expectations for teachers. Leaders make positive use of teachers' strengths in leadership roles and provide targeted professional development and regular mentoring.

Leaders and teachers make good use of self review to continually improve teacher practice and learning outcomes for children.

Kindercare has many systems to help services promote good quality teaching and improve learning outcomes for children. These include:

  • support for centre directors for the day-to-day operation of the centres through regular visits by area managers

  • effective systems and processes for ensuring that children have safe and healthy learning environments

  • the provision of well-targeted professional development.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps are to:

  • increase bicultural perspectives, practices and use of te reo Māori

  • further develop strategic and annual action planning, and evaluation of agreed goals

  • strengthen evaluative self-review processes

  • refine and embed assessment, planning and evaluation practices. 

ERO has identified that the key next steps for Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd are to:

  • give greater prominence to bicultural perspectives in key documentation

  • consider ways to strengthen partnerships in learning with schools

  • formalise and document the procedure for appraisal and attestation in the Christchurch area

  • evaluate how well current learning-record practices allow children to revisit their own learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) 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 Kindercare Learning Centres - Linwood (205) will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Te Waipounamu)

12 June 2017 

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

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70017

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children aged over 2

Service roll

44

Gender composition

Girls: 25

Boys: 19

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Samoan

Cook Island

Indian

Other

5

31

1

1

2

4

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2017

Date of this report

12 June 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

August 2014

Education Review

April 2011

Education Review

March 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.