3 Douglas Road, Amberley
View on mapAkarangi | 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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Amberley Community Preschool are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakaū Embedding Whakaū Embedding |
Amberley Community Preschool is one of two community early learning centres governed by a community board. A centre manager oversees the running of both services. A small group of enrolled children are Māori, along with other children from diverse ethnicities. Progress has been made in addressing the recommendations from ERO’s 2020 review report.
Children’s mana is fostered within a culturally responsive curriculum that values and incorporates the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the centre philosophy of tūrangawaewae (sense of belonging). Kaiako seek whānau aspirations and use these to decide relevant teaching strategies to support children in their learning. Kaiako are increasingly focused on fostering success for Māori children.
Oral language development, social and emotional competency skills and connections to, and within, the local community are well supported within the curriculum. Infants and toddlers benefit from highly attuned kaiako who support their developing skills and interests.
There are well established systems for planning, assessment and evaluation. However, existing strengths within the organisation, are yet to be fully used to grow and monitor the quality of assessment practices.
Documentation shows that teachers are yet to consistently:
Centre leaders implement well-planned and systematic internal evaluation practices. Positive changes occur as a result of planned actions for improvement. Aspects of the process require strengthening. These include establishing clearer baseline data to better understand the extent of shifts in practice and the difference made for identified individuals and groups of children. Building all teachers’ confidence to do and use effective evaluation is ongoing.
Effective leadership within the organisation develops and maintains strong connections with the local kāhui ako, schools and community. Coherent systems and processes underpin the operations of the service. Strategic planning leads to well-informed decision making about priorities for professional learning and curriculum resourcing to benefit children’s learning and wellbeing. Leaders are yet to regularly report to those in governance roles on progress against the service’s strategic plan.
Amberley Community Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Amberley Community Preschool completed an ERO 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
21 November 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | Amberley Community Preschool |
| Profile Number | 70368 |
| Location | Amberley |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 43 |
| Review team on site | September 2023 |
| Date of this report | 21 November 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, June 2020; Education Review, March 2017 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Amberley Community Preschool is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Amberley Community Preschool is located in the rural town of Amberley, in North Canterbury. It is one of two community early learning centres. The second centre is the Amberley Community Preparatory School. Both centres are governed by the Amberley Community Preschool Inc. The preschool provides education and care for children aged from 3 months to 6 years old in two age appropriate areas. Almost all teachers are fully qualified and registered. The service supports staff to train as qualified teachers.
The service is a charitable trust, not-for-profit incorporated society. The management team is made up of current parents and professional service leaders. The centre manager oversees the running of both centres and is responsible for the service's strategic direction and teacher performance. A financial administrator works closely with the centre manager. Each centre has a head teacher responsible for the curriculum and the day -to-day running of the programme. This report relates to the preschool only.
The service philosophy places importance on fostering: Manaakitanga -care and respect for children, community and environment; Whanaungatanga - relationships at heart of centre; Whānau Tangata - community as kuru pounamu - a treasured gift; and a play-based, ‘fun’, holistic, bicultural curriculum.
Service leaders have been responsive to the recommendations from the 2017 ERO review. They have strengthened strategic planning, self-review, leadership appraisal and curriculum planning and evaluation.
The centre manager has an early childhood education leadership role within the Puketeraki Kāhui Ako, and also supports Pacific education within the wider early learning community.
The service's shared values and philosophy are highly evident in all aspects of service operation and curriculum practices and processes. Leaders and teachers give emphasis to te ao Māori as part of a bicultural curriculum that is respectful of Māori culture and meaningful for children, including for Māori learners. They foster positive and respectful relationships through sensitive and culturally responsive interactions. Knowing the child in the context of family/whānau and culture is valued.
Leaders and teachers actively promote authentic partnerships with parents and whānau in children’s learning and the operation of the service. Parent and whānau voice, views, and participation in the life of the centre are highly valued.
Strong community links enrich the curriculum and sense of belonging for children and families. Purposeful links to schools and the wider education community promote professional practices, continuity of teaching and learning, and successful transitions to school for children. Teachers carefully plan personalised transitions into the service and within the service which encourages children’s positive sense of self and confidence in becoming a successful learner.
Well-informed curriculum leadership promotes a child-centred, responsive curriculum that extends children's interests, strengths and capabilities. Teachers work collaboratively with parents and whānau to plan meaningful learning goals for children.
Well written learning records show children’s participation in a wide range of authentic learning experiences and progress of their developing dispositions and learning overtime. Children are actively involved in creative play, exploration and physical challenges. They have many opportunities to learn about sustainability practices and the natural world. Teachers place importance on developing children's social and emotional skills, including empathy and care for others. Children with additional needs are well supported to succeed within an inclusive learning environment.
Children in the under two area benefit from familiar key teachers who are responsive to their individual needs and preferences. Teachers promote the wellbeing of infants and toddlers through a curriculum of care and respect. They provide young children with caring and nurturing interactions. The centre environment promotes children's curiosity and confidence to freely explore a range of sensory and physical experiences.
Since the 2017 ERO review the whānau and leadership management team have developed very effective management and curriculum processes and practices. They have strengthened the leadership structure to provide a shared leadership model that uses staff strengths to build leadership capacity and teacher capability.
Internal evaluation is well led and aligned to strategic planning and appraisal processes. This provides a clear understanding of a shared focus on key service priorities. Leaders are working closely with teachers to strengthen understandings of inquiry and evaluative practices. Leaders and teachers are focused on continued improvement and take collective responsibility for the wellbeing and positive learning outcomes for all children.
Service leaders have identified, and ERO's evaluation confirms, that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Amberley Community 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:
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 June 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.
|
Location |
Amberley |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70368 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
48 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 15, Boys 33 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
10 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 2020 |
||
|
Date of this report |
8 June 2020 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2017 |
|
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 |
Amberley Community Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Amberley Community Preschool is in the rural town of Amberley in North Canterbury. It is one of two centres governed by the Amberley Preschool and Nursery Inc Committee. These centres are not-for-profit, community-based early childhood education and care services. A manager works closely with a dedicated parent committee to ensure the effective operation of both centres. This report relates to the preschool only.
The preschool provides care and education for children aged from six months to six years old. All teachers, including the manager, are qualified and experienced early childhood trained teachers. A centre cook provides healthy morning and afternoon teas. These routines are valued as opportunities for all children and teachers across the centre to come together.
The parent committee and staff effectively managed and minimised the impact of the recent earthquakes in the North Canterbury area.
The manager and teachers have responded to the areas identified in the 2013 ERO report. This includes strengthening assessment, self review and transition to school. They have also enhanced the interior of the centre and upgraded the outdoor play areas.
The manager and teachers have close involvement with the local cluster of schools and other early childhood centres to support the children within their community to make positive transitions to school.
The manager, committee and staff have a strongly-shared vision and philosophy that underpins all aspects of practice at the centre. They place importance on the bicultural concepts of whanaungatanga (relationships with children, whānau and community); manaakitanga (the care and hospitality); whānau (family); and ako (learning from one another). A close sense of community is created through the collaborative way in which everyone works together to achieve positive outcomes for children.
Positive, inclusive relationships are actively fostered amongst the committee, staff, children, parents and whānau. Respect is given to the language, culture and identity of children and their families. Te reo and tikanga Māori is increasingly integrated into the curriculum in ways that are respectful of the Māori culture and meaningful for children.
Parents and children are warmly welcomed. Many parents are comfortable to spend time at the centre and be involved in their children's learning. Teachers work with parents to provide an individualised approach to supporting children to transition into the centre, between areas and onto school. They provide predictable, flexible routines that are responsive to the individual needs and preferences of children.
Infants and toddlers are well supported by a stable teaching staff. They work in respectful ways to foster secure, trusting relationships. Teachers provide unhurried and calm interactions. They talk with parents and share information to provide consistency of care between home and the centre.
The curriculum is child centred and play based. Teachers value parents' and children's input and ideas. They carefully plan the presentation of the environment and the provision of appropriate resourcing, including use of natural materials. Children have access to a wide range of learning experiences that capture their curiosity and participation. Strong links to the community enhance the learning programme for children.
Parents are well informed of children's progress in learning through well-presented individual profiles and the use of digital technologies. ERO observed children engaged, confident and happy in a calm and settled learning environment.
The centre is well led and managed. The committee, senior leaders and teachers work collaboratively. They model care and respect for one another and for children. The strengths and skills of teachers are valued and well used. The manager and teachers are reflective and focused on ongoing improvement. They make good use of a systematic approach to self review to enhance centre practices and processes. The provision of targeted professional development and appraisal helps to build leadership capacity and teacher capability.
The manager and ERO agree that the key next steps are to further strengthen:
strategic planning and the evaluation of annual action planning
self-review processes and practices
leadership appraisal processes
the embedding of planning and evaluation processes.
Before the review, the staff and management of Amberley Community 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.
The centre appointment procedure must be updated to include requirements regarding the Vulnerable Children's Act 2014.
The next ERO review of Amberley Community Preschool will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu
10 March 2017
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 |
Amberley, North Canterbury |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70368 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
61 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 35; Girls 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Other ethnicities |
10 42 1 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 |
January 2017 |
||
|
Date of this report |
10 March 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
December 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 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.