Kindercare Learning Centres - Avonhead (211)

Education institution number:
70163
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
84
Telephone:
Address:

3 Avonhead Road, Avonhead, Christchurch

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Kindercare Learning Centres Avonhead (211) - 13/06/2017

Here is the latest report for the Governing Organisation that this service is part of.

 

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres Avonhead (211)

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres Avonhead (211) to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Kindercare Learning Centre (211) is very well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centre (211) Avonhead is one of 12 early childhood education and care centres in Christchurch owned and administered by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The centre operates under the Kindercare philosophy, and management and accountability systems. An area manager works in partnership with centre leaders to guide the effective operation of each centre.

Kindercare Learning Centre (211) Avonhead is a purpose-built centre in the heart of Avonhead. It serves a diverse and culturally rich community. Many of the staff represent the home cultures of the children and families that attend the centre.

The centre provides full-day education and care for children from birth to school age, in five separate rooms. These rooms are specifically designed to meet the developing needs of different age groups of children.

Most staff have been at the centre for a long period of time and are qualified and registered teachers. The leadership team, including a curriculum advisor, has worked together for a number of years. An on-site cook provides nutritious vegetarian meals and snacks for children.

The leaders and teachers have continued to sustain and build on many of the strengths outlined in the 2014 ERO report. There is a specific focus, service wide, on parent-education training to provide useful, informed support to families. Leaders are developing links with local schools to help support transition to school processes for children.

The leadership team has made good progress in addressing the recommendations from the previous review. This includes recent developments in assessment, planning and evaluation, placing an increasing focus on bicultural perspectives, and aligning self review to centre and curriculum priorities.

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

The Review Findings

Leaders and teachers foster positive, inclusive, reciprocal relationships with children and families. They have a strong, shared vision and philosophy that support children to be ‘safe, loved and learning’ within well organised, purposefully presented learning environments. Children and families are well supported to make a positive transition into the centre and between rooms.

Leaders and teachers are respectful and sensitive to children’s home languages, cultures and identities. They are developing the use of te reo and tikanga Māori to provide a more bicultural curriculum for children. Teachers make meaningful connections with families and foster a good sense of wellbeing and belonging for them and their children. Significant cultural events and resources are an integral part of centre programmes. Children are encouraged to value their own and other cultures.

Leaders and teachers model care and respect for one another and for children. They place importance on promoting children’s social and emotional skills to help children develop a positive sense of themselves and the ability to initiate and maintain friendships.

Children in the under-two year old area are well supported by teachers who foster secure relationships through positive and responsive interactions. They have many opportunities to explore and make discoveries within a creative and stimulating environment. A curriculum of care provides a strong focus on children's wellbeing and personalised, respectful routines.

Children across the centre are actively involved in a wide range of interesting learning experiences that capture their curiosity and imagination. They are encouraged to be independent and confident about being involved in challenging physical activities and creative experiences. Literacy and mathematics are well integrated into the programme in ways that are meaningful for children’s learning.

Parents are well informed about their children’s learning interests through well-written learning records, the use of digital technologies, and regular conversations with teachers.

The centre is very well led and managed by an experienced and supportive leadership team. The unique strengths of teachers are well used to build on the skills of others such as increasing cultural competencies to respond to the diverse home cultures of children and families. Teachers attend regular professional learning and development to build on teaching practices and evaluation processes. Teachers' leadership and teaching potential are recognised and fostered through regular coaching and mentoring aligned to appraisal processes.

Centre leaders and teachers work collaboratively to successfully implement Kindercare management, curriculum, and health and safety systems. They have developed a very reflective and evaluative team culture where teachers regularly discuss ways to continually improve learning and teaching practices.

Centre leaders have a strategic approach to the operation of the centre and to managing change and improvements to practices. A comprehensive, systematic self-review process is well aligned to centre priorities that are focused on ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

The leadership team has identified and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that in order to build on the good practices that are evident, the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:

  • bicultural perspectives and practices
  • all teachers' capability to lead in-depth self review
  • new assessment processes across the teaching team.

ERO has identified that Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd could consider:

  • giving greater prominence to bicultural perspectives in key documentation
  • further developing strategic and annual action planning at centre level
  • formalising and documenting the procedure for appraisal and attestation in the Christchurch area
  • strengthening partnerships in learning with schools
  • evaluating how effectively current learning records provide opportunities for children to revisit their learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres Avonhead (211) 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 Avonhead (211) will be in four years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu

13 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 

LocationChristchurch
Ministry of Education profile number70163
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for100 children, including up to 25 aged under two
Service roll110
Gender compositionBoys 61; Girls 49
Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Asian

Indian

Other ethnicities

2

31

54

9

4

10

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:7Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteMarch 2017
Date of this report13 June 2017

Most recent ERO reports

 

Education ReviewAugust 2014
Education ReviewApril 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.

Kindercare Learning Centres 211 - 26/08/2014

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres 211

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres 211 to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Kindercare Learning Centres 211 is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centres 211 is located in Avonhead. It is one of 11 early childhood education and care centres, in Christchurch, owned and administered by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The service owners have a strong philosophy, useful policies and procedures and a framework for monitoring health and safety. An area manager works in partnership with the centre director and the curriculum leader to support the effective operation of the centre.

The areas for review and development identified in the April 2011 ERO report, including self review, assessment and routines, have been successfully addressed. The centre director and curriculum leader have identified that aspects of long and short-term planning and evaluation could be further improved to build on the good practices evident during this review.

This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the Kindercare Learning Centres Service.

The Review Findings

Teachers interact with children and foster their learning in ways that clearly reflect the Kindercare vision of being ‘safe, loved, and learning’. They are friendly, caring and inclusive, and they connect with children in meaningful ways. Children are well supported to initiate and maintain positive relationships with others. Teachers encourage and affirm children’s efforts and successes.

Teachers focus on the ways children learn and how they can use their interests to foster curiosity and exploration. Children actively engage in a wide range of interesting activities that encourage their participation and learning. Teachers respond positively to children through listening, questioning and talking with them. Conversations help children to extend their ideas and improve their oral language skills.

The service has provided additional staffing and resourcing to better support children who have additional needs.

Teachers in the under-two area are nurturing and unhurried in the ways they interact with and involve children. They carry out routines respectfully in ways that are suited to each child.

ERO observed confident, outgoing children who were settled and engaging well in learning activities. The purpose-built environment is well resourced to support children’s learning.

There is a strong commitment from teachers to promote partnerships in learning with parents and families. Parents and teachers share information to further support children’s learning and wellbeing. They are well informed about their children’s learning and interests through attractive and informative portfolios, journals and wall displays.

The language, culture and identity of children and their families are well recognised and affirmed. Children have opportunities to hear te reo Māori and to be involved in tikanga Māori practices that are respectful of the Māori culture. Teachers are encouraged to continually grow their bicultural practices and understanding of te ao Māori. Teachers regularly speak to children in their home languages to help them improve their English. Children, whose first language is not English, are very well supported by teachers who can speak their home language.

The centre has developed a close relationship with the local school to help children move on to school. Older children are linked with school buddies who visit the centre each week and spend time talking and reading with them. Centre children also visit the school.

Leadership of the curriculum is a strong feature of the centre’s operation. Centre leaders work with teachers to develop their teaching practices. The centre director effectively uses teacher appraisal and professional development to improve teaching and learning practices that benefit children. Teachers are given many opportunities to grow their professional skills. The centre director and curriculum leader provide effective leadership. They actively promote growth of leadership for other staff.

There is a strong culture of reflective practice and self review. Self review is collaborative and well documented. Teachers effectively use reflection to improve learning and teaching. They receive constructive and purposeful feedback from centre leaders.

The outcomes from review are used to improve the learning and wellbeing of children.

Key Next Steps

The centre’s operation and curriculum is effectively guided by the Kindercare Service’s strategic goals. Senior managers have recently extended the strategic plan to identify indicators of success for their goals. They have identified that their next steps are to support each centre to refine:

  • long-term and annual planning so that it can prioritise how it will meet the Kindercare vision and goals
  • a planned approach to self review that aligns to centre priorities and the service’s goals.

ERO and centre leaders have identified steps to further improve planning and assessment documentation. These include:

  • more consistently identifying intentional teaching strategies in planning
  • capturing children’s views in both assessment and planning
  • strengthening evaluation and the impact of teaching strategies on the planned programme.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres 211 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 211 will be in four years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services Southern Region

26 August 2014

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

Avonhead, Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70163

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

100 children, including up to 25 aged under two

Service roll

119

Gender composition

Boys 55%

Girls 45%

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Asian

Other ethnicities

2%

54%

38%

6%

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

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2014

Date of this report

26 August 2014

Most recent ERO report

Education Review

April 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.