Burnham Nursery and Preschool

Education institution number:
70331
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
26
Telephone:
Address:

3 Nursery Lane, Burnham Camp, Christchurch

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Burnham Nursery and Preschool

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 3MB) 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 91.3KB) 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 Burnham Nursery and Preschool 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

Burnham Nursery and Preschool is located at the New Zealand Defence Force Base, Burnham.
It provides education and care for children from birth-to-five years and is governed by a parent-led governance committee. Centre leaders manage the day-to-day operations and the teaching programme. The service has addressed some of the recommendations from the November 2016 ERO report.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and kaiako have positive and reciprocal relationships with the children and their families/whānau. They use their knowledge of the unique community context to effectively build children’s sense of belonging in the centre. They know children and their families well and partner closely with parents to support children’s social and emotional wellbeing. Transitions into, within and beyond the service are individualised and respond to each child and their whānau needs.

Leaders collaboratively support kaiako to regularly reflect on and improve their teaching practices and to take responsibility for their professional learning. They lead improvements to the curriculum and the learning environment, providing further opportunities for children to explore and participate in a range of learning experiences.

Leaders work collaboratively with the governance committee. Positive relationships with parents and families have encouraged their continued involvement as governors of the service. For ongoing improvement, the governance committee needs to continue to clarify its roles to better understand its responsibilities as governors. Currently governance documentation does not have a focus on how well the service is tracking towards its vision, goals and priorities for children’s learning. Strengthening this focus may help assure the committee as to how well children's learning and wellbeing are supported and strengthen its effectiveness as the governing group.

Recent changes to assessment practices have improved planning for individual and groups of children’s learning but has not been evaluated to determine its effectiveness. Leaders and kaiako make deliberate links to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and have also identified what learning matters most for this service but need to strengthen the use of the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki when planning for individual and group learning.

The service is currently developing the conditions needed to further develop and strengthen internal evaluation practices. Leaders and kaiako make improvements to aspects of the service using internal evaluation but this needs to have a greater focus on children and their learning. 

4 Improvement actions

Burnham Nursery and Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • continue to develop guidelines to support kaiako with assessment, planning and evaluation practices and integrate the learning outcomes for children from Te Whāriki into curriculum planning
  • strengthen how the service values te reo and te ao Māori and children’s diverse cultures
  • strengthen governors', leaders' and teachers’ understanding of effective internal evaluation, including the use of quality indicators that focus on outcomes for children
  • clarify the roles and responsibilities of the governance committee.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Burnham Nursery and Preschool 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

8 April 2021  

About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Burnham Nursery and Preschool
Profile Number 70331
Location Canterbury

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 10 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

25

Ethnic composition

Māori 8, NZ European/Pākehā 12, Other ethnicities 5

Review team on site

November 2020

Date of this report

8 April 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2016; Education Review, June 2013.

Burnham Nursery and Preschool - 02/11/2016

1 Evaluation of Burnham Nursery and Preschool

How well placed is Burnham Nursery and Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Burnham Nursery and Preschool is well placed to provide positive outcomes for children.

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

Background

Burnham Nursery and Preschool is a community based not-for-profit service. It is located adjacent to the Burnham Military Camp. Teachers cater to the unique needs of children from birth-to-school age who often have a parent working overseas for the military.

The centre is governed by a parent committee. A centre manager and a curriculum leader manage the day-to-day operation of the centre. There has been significant changes to staffing and to the parent governing committee since the previous ERO review. Increased roll growth this year has resulted in the appointment of two new teachers. Most staff are qualified early childhood teachers or are in training to become early childhood teachers. All of the children's meals are prepared onsite by the centre cook.

Centre leaders have made good progress in addressing the recommendations from the previous ERO report in 2013. This includes:

  • improving strategic planning and appraisal processes

  • developing self-review systems

  • strengthening planning and assessment for individual children

  • enhancing the presentation of the indoor learning areas.

Purposeful links to the wider education community including other early childhood centres and local schools helps support teaching and learning at the centre.

The Review Findings

Leaders and teachers promote positive, inclusive and supportive relationships with tamariki, parents and whānau. Children and families are warmly welcomed and well supported to develop a good sense of belonging.

Children are encouraged to share with each other their experiences of being part of a military family. Excursions into the camp help children to make meaningful links between the centre experiences and important aspects of home life.

Children with additional learning needs are well planned for and included in the centre programme. Teachers work closely with families and specialist agencies to help each child develop a positive sense of themselves and reach their potential.

Teachers develop well written and presented records of children's learning. These records show individual children’s involvement in planned experiences of interest and the progress they make over time. Teachers use a range of effective ways to communicate and consult with parents to foster partnerships in children's learning.

Teachers actively promote children’s social skills. Children are encouraged to care for one another and establish positive relationships and friendships. Teachers listen attentively to children and value their ideas. Literacy and numeracy are integrated into the daily programme in ways that are meaningful to children. The extensive outdoor environment provides spacious areas for physical play.

Leaders and teachers are making good use of ongoing external professional development to increase their understandings of te reo and tikanga Māori and responsiveness to Māori tamariki and whānau. They are following a planned, progressive approach to build on bicultural perspectives and practices.

The wellbeing of infants and toddlers is actively promoted. Teachers are responsive and consistent in their caregiving. This supports children's needs for strong and secure attachments. Teachers provide flexible routines that meet the individual needs of the child and the preferences and expectations of the parents.

The restructure of management responsibilities is resulting in stronger curriculum leadership and a more useful framework for self review. The manager and curriculum leader have developed a clear strategic plan that is well aligned to annual planning and self review to address key priorities. There is an increasing reflective team culture.

Centre leaders and the governance committee work well together for the benefit of children, families and staff. They have a strong shared vision, philosophy and values that are focused on positive outcomes for children and families.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre leaders agree that the key next steps are to refine and embed new initiatives. This includes:

  • monitoring and evaluating the impact of strategic planning

  • strengthening all teachers' understanding and use of evaluative self review

  • giving emphasis to planning and evaluating teaching strategies

  • making better use of individual assessment to inform group planning

  • extending appraisal processes

  • building on bicultural perspectives and te ao Māori practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Burnham Nursery and Preschool 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 Burnham Nursery and Preschool will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Te Waipounamu Southern

2 November 2016

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

Burnham

Ministry of Education profile number

70331

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children, including up to 20 aged under two

Service roll

50

Gender composition

Girls 26; Boys 24

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Indian

Filipino

11

37

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

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2016

Date of this report

2 November 2016

Most recent ERO reports 

Supplementary Review

June 2013

Education Review

May 2012

Education Review

October 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.