10A Weaver Place, Sockburn, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Springs Community Early Learning Centre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Springs Community Early Learning Centre is a community-based, not-for-profit early childhood service. It is licensed for 35 children, including up to 14 aged under two. It operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 3.30pm. There are two indoor and outdoor areas for children over two and another for those under two. Many children are from diverse backgrounds.
Almost all staff are qualified, long-serving teachers.
The centre's philosophy links closely to the vision, and places all children at the heart of the learning environment. It actively promotes:
turangawaewae: a strong foundation for belonging and learning
whanaungatanga: establishing strong family partnerships
manaakitanga: consideration for others and developing social competence
ako: teachers and children learning from and with each other.
The valued learning outcomes are for children to develop self-belief, and to be confident, respectful and empowered to take responsibility in leadership roles.
Leaders have made good progress in addressing the three areas identified in the 2016 ERO report. These included aspects of planning and evaluation, internal evaluation and monitoring progress against strategic goals.
The centre participates in the Pūtaringamotu Kāhui Ako/Community of Learning.
Children's learning and development are carefully planned and include parents' aspirations for their child. The home languages and cultures of children are acknowledged, valued and included in learning profiles, practices and the environment. This inclusive approach benefits children's sense of belonging and wellbeing and is respectful of their families.
Teachers are responsive to the individual interests, strengths, learning and cultural needs of children, who are encouraged to follow their interests individually or as part of a group. Programmes are underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Community groups are invited into the centre to extend learning experiences and opportunities.
The philosophy is closely linked to the centre's values, and has a strong focus on promoting equitable opportunities for all children to learn and succeed. Positive relationships with families enable teachers to know children and their families well.
Infants and toddlers experience a calm, settled and nurturing environment. Routines are flexible and carefully connect with their home routines. Children's sense of wellbeing and attachment are supported through responsive interactions and having a primary caregiver. Teachers regularly communicate and consult with parents/whānau about their children's wellbeing and learning progress.
Māori and Pacific children are well supported culturally, and teachers use cultural events and performances to enable all children to experience a broad range of bicultural opportunities and experiences. Teachers increasingly use te reo Māori within the programme. Leaders and teachers seek information and guidance from Māori and Pacific parents and wider whānau to extend their cultural understanding and knowledge.
Children with additional needs are well supported by their teachers. Leaders and teachers consult widely with outside agencies and the centre's education support worker to ensure that all children can participate fully in the learning programme.
Strong leadership provides clear expectations, guidance and support for teachers. The centre's sustained focus on improvement is contributing to positive outcomes for children. Teachers work collaboratively, and regular professional development is helping them to continue to increase their knowledge and improve their teaching practices.
Strategic planning and goals are aligned to internal evaluation, the centre's robust appraisal process and professional development. Teachers are well supported by the board. Trustees consult with centre parents and whānau on policy reviews and wider centre operations, and respond well to their feedback.
ERO has identified, and the leaders agree, that the centre needs to continue to strengthen internal evaluation processes to promote a culture of continuous improvement and ensure positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for all children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Springs Community Early Learning Centre 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:
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
10 March 2020
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.
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70371 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
36 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 21; Boys 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
15 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
December 2019 |
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Date of this report |
10 March 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2016 |
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Education Review |
July 2013 |
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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.
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.
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Springs Community Early Learning Centre is a community-based early childhood service. It provides full-day education and care for children aged from approximately six months to school age. Children are cared for in two groups by a team of qualified teachers. The Pokeka group is for children aged under two, and the Atawhai group is for older children. Within the building and grounds there are separate safe play areas for infants and toddlers. The children come from a diverse range of family backgrounds. There are high numbers of children with Māori and Pacific heritage.
The centre is governed by a board made up of centre parents and interested community members. Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been changes within the board and the leadership in the service. A manager who is also a qualified early childhood teacher oversees the daily operation of the centre.
The 2013 ERO report noted three areas for development. These included planning and assessment, self review and staff appraisal. Good progress has been made in all these areas.
A clear vision and philosophy guide the centre programme. The centre's core values of ako, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and turangawaewae are strongly evident in everyday practice.
Trustees and teachers develop trusting, respectful relationships with children and their whānau. They go out of their way to enable children to attend the centre and are proactive in working with other agencies to provide further support for whānau and children who require it. The board has a clear focus on reducing disparity and providing equity for all children and their whānau.
Children experience a programme that is very responsive to their language, culture and identity. This includes:
deliberate planning to recognise and celebrate Māori and Pacific language and culture
culturally responsive assessment practices
ongoing professional learning opportunities for teachers to further their knowledge of culturally responsive practice
drawing on board members' expertise to support teachers and families.
Children of all ages show a sense of belonging to the centre. They confidently use the play spaces and resources. Children are empowered to make choices about what they want to do. They play with and alongside each other and are regularly joined by teachers in their play and conversations.
Infants and toddlers benefit from the small group size and close, nurturing relationships they have with their teachers. Teachers support them to freely explore their environment and develop their language skills. Toddlers are well supported as they transition into the older age group.
Children benefit from a programme where:
the environment has been arranged to be interesting and engaging for their learning
there is a wide range of experiences and activities
they learn early literacy and mathematics concepts
their interests are the starting point for extending their learning
they are supported to learn social skills, such as playing in groups and taking turns.
Teachers have improved systems for planning, assessment and evaluation. The new group-planning format is more visible for parents and is beginning to help teachers be more intentional in their teaching. There are now useful guidelines for teachers to follow. The board has professional development planned to consolidate and embed the new system to continue to improve learning outcomes for children. The board and teachers acknowledge the newly introduced evaluation process is a key next step for the centre.
There has been a strong ongoing focus on building the collective capability of the teaching team. There are now more purposeful and focused meetings where teachers discuss professional practice. There has been ongoing and relevant professional learning and development. Appraisal practices have been strengthened. There are clearer guidelines for some aspects of practice. For example, a useful audit tool has been developed for teachers to monitor the quality of individual assessment practices. Teachers should make sure they continue to use this tool regularly to ensure ongoing consistency of practice.
Teachers regularly seek information from whānau about their children and share children's learning with them. Teachers are more clearly identifying and responding to the wishes of parents for their children.
The teachers are an experienced and long-serving team who work well together. They are reflective and improvement focused. They have undertaken useful internal evaluation to improve aspects of the centre environment and programme. This review found that leaders and teachers needed to consolidate their internal evaluation practices and strengthen relevant guidelines.
Since the onsite stage of the review, centre leaders and teachers have reviewed and updated their internal evaluation procedures and practices to better focus on outcomes for children.
The board members have worked hard to improve and sustain governance practices and ensure that the centre remains financially viable. They have developed a detailed strategic plan to guide the centre's direction. The board would benefit from continuing to monitor progress against its strategic plan and share this with the centre community.
The board, leaders and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that the key next steps for further improvement are for leaders and teachers to:
consolidate and embed aspects of planning and evaluation
consolidate internal evaluation practices
more clearly evaluate and make known the centre's progress towards meeting the goals in its strategic plan.
Before the review, the staff and management of Springs Community Early Learning Centre 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Springs Community Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
21 October 2016
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.
|
Location |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70371 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
42 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys: 23 Girls: 19 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Other |
19 13 5 5 |
|
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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 |
August 2016 |
||
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Date of this report |
21 October 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
||
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.
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:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.