1 Enterprise Drive, Henderson, Auckland
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.
Active Explorers Henderson provides all-day education and care for up to 126 children, including 35 under two years of age. Children enrolled come from mainly Pākehā and Chinese backgrounds, with smaller numbers of Māori and Indian children. They are grouped in six age-related rooms.
The centre’s philosophy recognises the importance of children learning through play in a respectful, caring and inclusive environment. The centre states its aim is to create "a safe place for children to express themselves, where they feel loved and they belong".
This centre is part of the Evolve Education Group, operating under the brand of Active Explorers. Evolve provides a policy and management framework, and a range of support systems to meet the needs of each service. The centre manager is delegated to oversee centre operations. Occasional cluster meetings with other Evolve centres provide a support network for centre leaders.
The centre manager leads a culturally diverse teaching team. Teachers are responsive to professional development, and have created a culture where children are valued, celebrated and affirmed. The centre has 12 registered teachers and four untrained staff.
ERO last reviewed the centre in 2014 under the name Leaps and Bounds. Since then a new centre manager and a head teacher have been appointed. Over this time, good work has been done to build teacher confidence in the use of te reo Māori, and documenting self review processes. Further work is required to provide sufficient resources and develop the outside learning area for younger children.
Teachers greet children warmly on arrival into the centre, and children settle well in their activities. Respectful and responsive relationships underpin a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing for children. Children transition well within the centre as they are developmentally ready.
Children are happy and engaged in their learning. They play cooperatively and have easy access to the outside learning areas beside their rooms. These areas provide opportunities to explore and be creative. It is timely to consider further ways to promote science and mathematics.
Teachers work alongside children. Older children are encouraged and supported to lead their own learning, based on their interests. There are good examples of teachers' questioning skills extending children’s thinking. The centre manager agrees that this good teaching practice needs to be consistent across the centre.
Children up to the age of two benefit from caring teachers who promote a calm and peaceful environment. Education and care routines are appropriately individualised. Younger children have easy access to a separate outside area for their own exploration and play. There is a need to ensure all younger children have access to sufficient resources outside to create their own play.
Children have many opportunities to celebrate their own and each other’s cultures. Culturally responsive teaching practices are highly evident in the centre and children’s languages and cultural identities are valued.
Teachers' commitment to the ongoing development of bicultural learning approaches is building children's understanding of te ao Māori. The bicultural nature of Aotearoa, New Zealand is reflected in the environment.
Teachers' planning is based on children's interests. Children's portfolios contain both group and individual learning stories. Storypark, an online tool, allows teachers to link children's learning visibly to the curriculum. It provides an opportunity for parents to extend and connect their child's home and centre interests. Teachers have identified the need to provide hard copy portfolios so that children can revisit special moments in their learning independently.
Children's inside learning areas are well resourced. While teachers display programme information about children’s learning, they could now review their displays to see if children have easy access to their learning and related activities.
The centre manager values a collaborative working approach, and promotes leadership opportunities for teachers and leaders. Staff meet regularly to plan activities and resources that promote a shared understanding of children's interests. Teachers could now deepen their evaluative thinking as they review their teaching and the learning outcomes for children.
The Evolve Education Group is in the beginning phase of developing processes and new branding of Leaps and Bounds centres under Active Explorers. The organisation is currently developing its curriculum framework in order to align its overarching philosophy for its Active Explorers centres. A strategic plan is under development that will then need to be aligned with the centre's strategic plans.
Centre leaders agree that key next steps for ongoing improvement include:
further reviewing and refining room philosophies to more closely align to the philosophies of the centre and the new Evolve Active Explorers
building teacher capability in questioning techniques that extend children's thinking
strengthening the use of indicators against the centre's own strategic plan, to measure the quality of progress over time.
To ensure continued centre improvement, Evolve managers should place a stronger focus on ensuring high quality support for the centre manager.
Before the review, the staff and management of Active Explorers Henderson 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 Active Explorers Henderson will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
18 January 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.
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Location |
Henderson, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25413 |
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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 |
126 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
105 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 55% Girls 45% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
10% |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2017 |
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Date of this report |
18 January 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Previous Education Review as Leaps and Bounds Henderson |
December 2014 |
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Previous Education Review as Leapfrogs Early Childhood Centre 1 |
November 2011 |
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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:
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.
Leapfrogs Early Childhood Centre is located in Henderson, Auckland. The owner and two centre managers work with registered teachers to provide early education and care for up to 126 children, including up to 35 children under two years old. The roll reflects Henderson’s multi-ethnic community, with 50 percent of children of NZ European/ Pākehā descent, 13 percent Māori, 13 percent Asian and 12 percent of Pacific descent. The purpose built facility is well maintained.
The centre’s philosophy is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and is strongly influenced by partnerships with parents and whānau. Each of the six rooms expands on the philosophy making it relevant for the children in that room. These philosophy statements are regularly reviewed throughout the year.
Since the 2011 ERO report, the owner and managers have merged three centres under one licence and reviewed centre operations. A curriculum leader has been appointed to lead planning and assessment in the centre. There are team leaders in each of the six rooms, with each room catering for different aged groups of children. The managers continue to build good partnerships with parents and whānau and the wider community.
Children enjoy learning at this centre. They have a good sense of belonging and look forward to attending and playing together.
Teachers support children’s transition into the centre and group similar aged children together in each room. As children progress through the rooms, teachers support them to develop new relationships with their peers. Parents have conversations with teachers about their children on a regular basis, further supporting the transition process.
Centre learning environments are attractive and well maintained. Play areas are organised to encourage children to play and explore freely. Children move without restraint between indoor and outdoor play areas. The refurbished outdoor areas for all age groups are well used and provide opportunities for children to enjoy uninterrupted play. Teachers affirm and encourage the children. They provide good role models for children’s language development.
Preschoolers have many opportunities to participate in learning activities through play. Good relationships and communication with local schools help teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of their programmes. A feature of the preschool room is the way that the centre’s values of self respect, sharing and caring are promoted. This fosters the development of children’s sense of self responsibility.
Infants and toddlers participate in activities that interest them. ERO notes, however, that children’s access to play space is more limited in the under two areas. There is a need to ensure that children have access to sufficient resources to create their own play in these areas.
Centre managers and teachers work well together and share common understandings about the importance of good quality early childhood education experiences and effective teaching practices. They provide supportive learning environments that are responsive to the needs of children. They use the emerging interests of individuals to plan for groups of children. Learning stories provide an effective way for teachers to report to parents/whānau about what children are learning over time.
Centre managers support targeted professional development for teachers. They value the strength that individuals bring to their roles and meet regularly with teachers to reflect on their practice. An effective annual appraisal system supports ongoing teacher development.
Teachers use self review as a tool for exploring the quality of planning, assessment and teaching practice in the centre. Input from staff and parents provides feedback on the effectiveness of programmes. Managers should now formalise their self-review work plan to align this planning to strategic goals.
Staff reflect the diverse community of the centre. Children and teachers celebrate cultural events throughout the year. Centre managers and teachers are committed to raising children’s awareness of the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Using te reo Māori confidently is a challenge for many teachers. The Ministry of Education resource, Tātaiako - Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, could further teachers’ knowledge, appreciation and use of te reo Māori within the centre.
In order to build on current good practices, the owner and centre managers agree that key next steps are to consider further ways of:
Before the review, the staff and management of Leapfrogs Early Childhood 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:
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 Leapfrogs Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
15 December 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 |
Henderson, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25413 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
126 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
105 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 53 Girls 52 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Asian Indian Cook Island Māori other Pacific other European other |
13% 50% 13% 7% 6% 6% 4% 1% |
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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 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2014 |
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Date of this report |
15 December 2014 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
This is the first review under the merged licence |
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Previous reviews as:Leapfrogs Early Childhood Centre 1 |
|||
|
Education Review |
November 2011 |
||
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Previous reviews as: Leapfrogs Early Childhood Centre 2 |
|||
|
Education Review |
November 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.