63 St Georges Road, Avondale, Auckland
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Avondale Christian Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Avondale Christian Kindergarten is a not-for-profit education and care service operated by the trust board of the Reformed Church of Avondale. Children enrolled in the service are from diverse ethnicities. The service provides for children between two and five years of age. The philosophy is based on a commitment to Christian values.
Children experience warm, caring relationships with teachers. They confidently initiate conversations and have very good opportunities to express their ideas with teachers and other children. Children with additional learning requirements are well supported to fully participate in the curriculum provided.
Children experience a culturally responsive curriculum. Their home languages are valued and accepted. Aspects of te ao Māori are naturally woven into daily activities and routines. Tamariki Māori and children who have Pacific heritages have frequent opportunities to see and hear their languages and cultures being respected and valued.
Curriculum planning and assessment processes are well embedded and have been strengthened over time. Teachers intentionally plan for, and extend, children’s interests and learning dispositions. Assessment of learning consistently shows children’s learning and progress. Teachers proactively respond to families’ aspirations for their children’s learning. They appreciate the experiences and knowledge that families share with the service.
Service leaders have sustained a positive and holistic working environment. Individual strengths of teachers are very well used to grow the knowledge and capability of the teaching team. There is a deep and shared understanding of the service’s philosophy, vision, goals and priorities for children’s learning. To support the curriculum provided for children, leaders make good use of their established networks with external agencies such as learning support, local schools, and the church.
An internal evaluation process results in changes to teaching practices and the ongoing review of policies. Teachers have identified they would like to further strengthen their knowledge about ways to support children to manage their relationships with others. Leaders need to consistently monitor systems and processes to ensure minimum requirements are maintained.
Avondale Christian Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Avondale Christian Kindergarten 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.
During the onsite visit the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
8 December 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Avondale Christian Kindergarten |
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Profile Number |
20010 |
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Location |
Avondale, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
50 children. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers (delete if not applicable) |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
66 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 3, NZ European/Pākehā 12, Samoan 12, Indian 7, African 6, Chinese 5, other Asian 7, other Pacific 5, other ethnic groups 9 |
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Review team on site |
August 2021 |
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Date of this report |
8 December 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2017 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Avondale Christian Kindergarten is a not-for-profit education and care service operated by the Trust Board of the Reformed Church of Avondale. The kindergarten is run by a management committee. All teachers are qualified and registered. The kindergarten provides for up to 50 children over two years of age.
Children enrolled are from an increasingly wide range of cultural backgrounds. Children are supported to learn to speak English, as the common centre language. Teachers explain about teaching and kindergarten practices to families in their home languages. Centre leaders arrange kindergarten events, celebrations and meetings to encourage the participation of children, parents and whānau in the kindergarten community.
The 2013 ERO report highlighted positive features in the kindergarten that continue to be strongly evident. Leaders and teachers have responded positively to, and have continued to strengthen practices in, development priorities noted in the 2013 ERO report.
The kindergarten's philosophy is based on Christian values and beliefs, and inclusion. It affirms children as independent learners. The philosophy also aligns well with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Intended outcomes related to the philosophy are planned for in strategic planning, and are implemented in the programme.
Children observed were friendly, engaged, independent learners. They confidently contributed in group discussions and freely expressed their ideas. Children can make choices and use the learning environment to support their interests. They are encouraged to lead and extend their own learning.
The indoor and outdoor learning environments are inviting, well resourced, organised and readily accessible to children. Outdoor environments provide a broad range of experiences to promote children's physical development and imagination, interest in natural science, and learning about environmental sustainability.
Teachers develop trusting relationships and partnerships with parents, who have many opportunities to share their aspirations for their children's learning. Parents are welcome to spend time in the kindergarten and contribute to the programme.
The curriculum has a strong bicultural focus. Teachers are guided by the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in their relationships with children, and partnerships with parents. Children have worked with teachers to develop a kindergarten treaty. They respectfully take responsibility and care for the environment. Tuakana/teina relationships are encouraged and support children's wellbeing. Children and teachers are becoming more aware of others' cultural beliefs, values and customs.
Teachers view children as holistic learners and they involve children cognitively, spiritually and physically in their own learning. Children learn literacy and numeracy skills and concepts in the context of play. Meaningful individual assessment records show children's interests and learningprogress at the kindergarten.
The centre is well led. Efficient and relevant governance and management systems are evident in practice. Parents and teachers are encouraged to contribute to the kindergarten's evaluation and planning processes. The kindergarten has a comprehensive policy base which is reviewed regularly. Meaningful strategic planning is implemented and self-review processes are robust and effective.
Leaders are building a professional learning culture among staff. Teachers research topics of interest as part of their ongoing evaluation. They share their findings and new learning with the teaching team to build the team's knowledge and capability. Mentoring through appraisal processes is also developing teachers' leadership skills. Processes are in place to help teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching practices.
Teachers have attended training courses to refresh their teaching practices when working with toddlers. They recognise the importance of helping children develop language skills and competence in the English language to aid their learning journey.
Centre leaders have developed appropriate plans to further:
Before the review, the staff and management of Avondale Christian Kindergarten 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 Avondale Christian Kindergarten will be in four years.
Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
12 May 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.
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Location |
Avondale, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20010 |
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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 |
50 children, over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
60 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 32 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2017 |
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Date of this report |
12 May 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review |
November 2013 |
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Education Review |
December 2010 |
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Education Review |
October 2007 |
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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.