Level 4-5 185 Hobson Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Amberwood Preschool requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Amberwood Preschool requires support to improve curriculum provision, health and safety and governance systems to promote positive outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Amberwood Preschool provides for children on two levels of a multi-storey building. Almost all the children attending are from families who have recently moved to Aotearoa New Zealand. The teaching team is representative of the culturally diverse community. The centre’s philosophy reflects Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The owner provides financial management and governance systems. A centre manager has responsibility for day-to-day management of the centre. Most of the teachers are qualified and registered.
ERO’s 2016 report recommended that the owner access professional development to support staff to improve teaching practices, curriculum assessment and planning and to strengthen self review processes. While some progress has been made, support is needed to help the owner and newly appointed centre manager to address the recommendations in ERO's previous report.
Infants and toddlers demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging. They settle confidently into the centre environment and benefit from a variety of attractive resources. Older children make choices about their play and show enjoyment in their interactions with other children.
Teachers interact respectfully with children and are responsive to their ideas. They know about children’s interests and home experiences and use this information well to settle children. Some teachers speak with children and families in their home languages. The diverse cultures of the children and their families are valued and reflected in wall displays and the environment.
The quality of curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation records is variable. Teachers write about children’s play and learning in individual portfolios. They should increase the frequency of assessment records and clearly document children’s learning and development over time. Teachers need to improve how they plan for and evaluate children’s learning. This includes teachers responding to and extending the individual interests of older children.
Policy review is undertaken regularly. The manager and staff need to re-establish self review systems to guide improvement. They should develop and monitor annual and long-term goals that support ongoing improvement.
Teacher appraisal systems for registered staff do not meet the requirements of the Teaching Council. The owner must ensure that the centre manager is appraised annually. Closer monitoring of how well centre systems, policies and regulatory requirements are being met is required, particularly relating to health and safety.
Key next steps include:
improving the quality of planning, assessment and evaluation of children’s learning
establishing self review and strategic planning systems to guide improvement
addressing the areas of non-compliance identified in this report.
External support is required to help staff, the owner and new manager address these next steps.
Before the review, the staff and management of Amberwood 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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to health and safety and governance. To meet requirements the service must:
ensure earthquake drills are carried out with the children on at least a three-monthly basis
eliminate, isolate or minimise hazards to the safety of children, particularly relating to the potentially climbable beams in the Level 5 outdoor play area
undertake assessment and management of risk whenever children leave the premises on an excursion
ensure records show parent acknowledgement that medication has been administered
re-establish a process of self review to help maintain and improve the quality of education and care
establish a system of regular appraisal of the centre manager.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8,12,17,28, GMA6,7A.
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
21 May 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 |
Auckland CBD |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45739 |
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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 |
60 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 years |
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Service roll |
58 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 31 Girls 27 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
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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 2019 |
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Date of this report |
21 May 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2016 |
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Education Review |
March 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.
Auckland's Best Childcare Centre is a privately owned centre in Auckland's central business district. The centre provides full day care and education for children from birth to five years. Most of the staff have been at the centre since it opened in 2011.
Children and staff in the centre come from many cultures. Staff support children and families well by using their home languages as well as English in conversations, and by celebrating the centre's cultural diversity in programmes and events.
ERO first reviewed the centre in 2013. ERO's 2013 report noted areas of strength that included good quality care for children, well considered learning environments, and supportive partnerships with families. These strengths are still evident.
Since 2013 the leadership structure of the centre has changed. Two head teachers were appointed during 2014. The owner has also managed changes to the premises to meet emergency evacuation requirements. Centre leaders have made some progress in response to the recommendations from the 2013 ERO report. Some of the recommended improvements continue to be areas for development.
Positive interactions are evident between teachers and children, and between children of different ages. Children are settled and engage well in their play. Teachers respond well to children’s ideas and interests. They facilitate conversations that develop children’s language skills and extend their vocabulary.
Learning programmes are underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers use children’s emerging interests toplan learning programmes, particularly in developing group, room and centre-wide themes. Learning stories identify children's learning that has occurred through their play, and include future possibilities for teachers to extend these interests and learning. The head teachers agree that programme planning could now give greater emphasis to individual children’s emerging interests. Learning stories could also provide more evidence of ways in which individual interests are revisited and extended over time.
Children of different ages are catered for in two rooms on separate floors of the building. Indoor and outdoor environments in both rooms are well organised and offer areas where children can play independently or co-operatively. Good use of space provides a variety of learning areas and indoor-outdoor flow. Teachers are continuing to develop more natural learning environments and resources.
Infants and toddlers under two years have a primary caregiver, so that they receive consistent care from one teacher. They also have many opportunities to develop positive relationships with other teachers. Good care routines are evident. Age-appropriate resources are accessible to children.
Teachers incorporate early literacy, numeracy and science learning into the activities of older children. Staff support older children’s transition to school, and are continuing to extend transition processes.
Teachers are currently involved in professional development to develop a greater focus on bicultural aspects in their curriculum and to increase staff confidence in te reo and tikanga Māori. Te reo Māori is increasingly incorporated into visual displays, programme planning and interactions with children. Centre leaders have identified this as an area for ongoing development.
There is some variability in the quality of teaching practices across the centre. Some teachers demonstrate very effective strategies and provide good models for continuing development in this area.
Staff are developing reflective practices and examples of useful self review are evident. It would be helpful now to establish clear and consistent systems to guide the centre's self-review process and documentation. Leaders should also consider ways to increase the alignment between self-review and annual planning processes.
Centre operations are guided by annual management plans. Developing long-term strategic goals should support the centre vision and philosophy, increase shared understanding of strategic direction and guide annual planning.
Some next steps identified in the 2013 ERO report remain priorities for the centre’s ongoing development and sustainability. Centre leaders should continue to:
extend assessment and planning processes
develop consistency in good quality teaching practices
strengthen understanding and implementation of self-review processes.
The centre owner should also consider ways to:
develop and document long-term strategic goals for the centre
increase clarity around leadership roles and responsibilities.
ERO recommends that the centre owner accesses appropriate professional development for head teachers to support them in addressing the identified areas for improvement and to strengthen the leadership capacity and sustainability of the centre.
Before the review, the staff and management of Auckland's Best Childcare 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:
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.
In order to improve current practice the centre owner should:
schedule regular review of health and safety policies to ensure alignment with current legislation.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance. The owner must:
ensure that police vetting for non-registered staff is up to date[Education Act 1989, Sections 319D to 319FA/FE]
update the centre's Child Protection Policy to align with requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
The next ERO review of Auckland's Best Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
4 May 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 |
Auckland CBD |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45739 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
60 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
86 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 45 Boys 41 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Fijian Indian Chinese South East Asian Middle Eastern other Asian other European other |
2 3 1 1 43 10 10 2 7 3 4 |
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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 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
4 May 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2013 |
|
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.