14 Russell Street, Terrace End, Palmerston North
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
ABC Palmerston North provides education and care for up to 70 children, including 20 infants and toddlers. Of the 86 children enrolled, 17 children identify as Māori. The centre serves a wide, multicultural community.
The service vision "ready for school, ready for life" guides the delivery of the programme. The philosophy is underpinned by manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.
A business manager and professional services manager oversee the service. There have been significant management changes since the August 2014 ERO report. An experienced centre manager has been appointed to lead the team. She is aided in her role by three head teachers. Most teachers are qualified or in training.
ABC Palmerston North is owned and operated by BestStart Educare Ltd. BestStart (previously known as Kidicorp Ltd) is a large national organisation that owns early childhood services across New Zealand.
Areas for development identified in the previous ERO report included: assessment for learning; aspects of te ao Māori; performance management; and internal evaluation. Some of these areas have been progressed.
This review was one of three in Best Start Educare Ltd.
Children engage in a play-based curriculum that promotes the service's vision. Relationships with parents and whānau is prioritised. Flexible and responsive caregiving promotes a sense of belonging and trust for children and their families.
Regular excursions provide valuable experiences for children to make links with members of their local community. Literacy, numeracy and science concepts are integrated throughout the curriculum Teachers foster children's independence and they encouraged to make decisions about their learning.
A calm, unhurried environment caters well to the individual needs for infants and toddlers. They are supported to participate in a well-resourced programme, at their own pace.
Artefacts, resources and wall displays promote te ao Māori in the centre. Daily karakia and waiata support children to transition into the centre. Leaders have identified, and ERO's evaluation confirms, that further strengthening the use of meaningful te reo Māori into conversations with children and assessment documentation is a key next step.
Leaders and teachers continue to develop their understanding of educational success for Māori and Pacific children. Continuing to strengthen culturally responsive learning partnerships with whānau Māori and Pacific families is a next step.
Thoughtful teaching practices effectively support English language learners to engage in play alongside their peers. Cultural events, significant to families who attend, are regularly celebrated, and their cultures are reflected within the environment.
Teachers work in partnership with families and a wide network of external agencies to provide effective strategies to support children who require additional learning support.
A focus on improving the transition-to-school process has been highly effective. Professional relationships with local schools have become established. Children benefit from reciprocal visits and teachers share useful information about their learning.
Teachers collaboratively engage in regular self review that results in positive change. BestStart have identified further support is required to improve leaders' and teachers' understanding and implementation of internal evaluation. Future evaluations should focus on monitoring and evaluating the impact of practices on outcomes for children.
A new framework guides the BestStart appraisal process. Teachers have opportunities to participate in professional development and learning. They engage in robust discussions, focused on improving outcomes for children. Further work is required by management to support the service's understanding of effective teaching as an inquiry. Growing centre managers capabilities to embed this new system is a priority.
BestStart policies, guiding documents and monitoring systems promote consistent practices. Governance is committed to growing leaders within the organisation. To improve practice, management should consider more targeted support to empower individual centres to further improve learning outcomes for children.
Leaders, teachers and ERO agree that the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
BestStart Educare should support staff to give priority to these key next steps and to embed new learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of ABC Palmerston North 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:
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 ABC Palmerston North will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
20 March 2018
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 |
Palmerston North |
|||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
50080 |
|||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
|||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|||
|
Number licensed for |
70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
|||
|
Service roll |
86 |
|||
|
Gender composition |
45 boy, 41 girls |
|||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
17 |
||
|
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 |
January 2017 |
|||
|
Date of this report |
20 March 2018 |
|||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review |
August 2014 October 2011 |
||
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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
ABC Palmerston North provides education and care for up to 70 children, including 20 infants and toddlers. Currently there are 18 Māori children on the roll. The centre also serves a wide, multicultural community.
This is the first review for the centre following the merger of ABC Developmental Learning Centre Palmerston North, Tahi and ABC Developmental Learning Centre Palmerston North, Rua. Extensive renovations have been made to buildings and outdoor environments to enhance children’s learning and exploration. There is a positive reporting history with ERO for both centres.
Over 80% of staff are trained and registered teachers. A manager is supported by two head teachers in the day-to-day running of the centre. ABC Palmerston North is owned and operated by Kidicorp. This organisation provides leadership, management, and professional development support.
The overarching centre philosophy and those of each of the three age group rooms have been collaboratively developed.
Children purposefully participate in a child-initiated curriculum designed to acknowledge their strengths, interests and dispositions. They eagerly make choices about where they want to play and with whom. They are independent explorers.
The centre philosophy that clearly links to the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, is clearly evident in practice.
Assessment, in the form of learning stories, shows the deepening and increasing complexity of children’s understanding and thinking. This documentation is kept in well-presented portfolios that are available to children. They can revisit and share their learning with others. Parents sometimes contribute their own stories and photographs to these books. Leaders and teachers are working to increase parents’ contributions to assessment.
Teachers value and acknowledge parents’ and whānau aspirations for their children. Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the service through surveys and feedback to teachers.
Kaupapa Māori concepts are integral to curriculum decisions. Teachers increasing use of te reo Māori in their interactions with children. Te ao Māori values and beliefs are effectively led by teachers. Whakapapa is acknowledged and celebrated. Teachers have identified they should increase their knowledge to extend their and children’s learning.
Children and aiga of Pacific heritage are welcomed and their culture is valued and visible.
Teachers provide infants and toddlers with high levels of nurture and care. Thoughtful consideration is given to transition practices as children move through the centre. Environments are calm and peaceful. The use of specifically designed furniture provides infants and toddlers with maximum independence.
Children with special needs are well supported with an inclusive environment.
Teachers use intentional strategies to encourage children’s engagement, thinking and problem solving. Sustained, shared teaching episodes are evident. Leaders and staff deliberately plan the environment to challenge and engage children. Literacy, numeracy and science development are interwoven through the curriculum.
Kidicorp’s ‘Be Ready for School’ initiative provides children and parents with the knowledge and confidence that a play-based curriculum is sound preparation for school. Teachers have established close relationships with local schools and reciprocal visits occur.
Staff belong to a professional network of early childhood centres and schools to share understandings of Te Whāriki and The New Zealand Curriculum to better support children’s transition to school.
Leaders base relationships on respect and trust. The centre manager has a strong vision for best teaching practice and encourages lead teachers to take increased role responsibility. Continued development of distributed leadership is an agreed next step.
Well-developed systems and processes are in place to support centre operations. The recently revised appraisal process is informed through a range of criteria including The New Zealand Teachers Council Appraisal Project. More evident links between professional learning and development and appraisal are an agreed next step.
Centre managers are committed to ongoing improvement. They have appropriately identified the areas for development. The next steps are to continue strengthening:
Before the review, the staff and management of ABC Palmerston North 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:
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 ABC Palmerston North will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region
1 August 2014
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 |
Palmerston North |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
50080 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education and Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
70 children, including 20 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
106 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 60 Boys 46 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Indian Other ethnic groups |
18 67 3 10 8 |
|
|
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 |
June 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
1 August 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO reports |
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:
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.