188 - 190 Yaldhurst Road, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Avonhead Montessori Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Avonhead Montessori Preschool provides care and education for up to 65 children, including up to 12 under-two-year olds. Children from birth-to-school age play and learn in two separate areas (over and under twos). There is an increasing diversity of cultural backgrounds amongst the children and staff.
Since the 2016 ERO review, the centre has experienced a change in ownership (now Provincial Education Group), and significant changes in staffing and management. At the time of this review the manager had recently joined the service.
The valued outcomes expressed in the philosophy are for children to be motivated, independent and inspired learners who will grow emotionally, cognitively and physically.
The leaders have successfully addressed recommendations from the 2016 ERO report. They have strengthened strategic planning, appraisal, internal evaluation processes, and assessment, planning and evaluation for children's learning. Building greater capability for integrating te ao Māori across the curriculum is a work in progress.
Children are well cared for and are comfortable to approach adults, knowing their needs will be met. They benefit from a nurturing learning environment and positive and respectful relationships with their teachers and each other. Teachers provide a warm and nurturing environment for infants and toddlers. This helps to build strong attachments that support children's sense of security.
The centre's philosophy and approach to children's learning is underpinned by shared values and beliefs and is evident in practice. The curriculum follows Montessori teachings which are interwoven with Te Whāriki. Teachers are responsive to children's interests, dispositions, needs and parents' aspirations.
The centre is very well resourced, including specific Montessori equipment which supports literacy and mathematics learning, and learning for life. Children have easy access to equipment and make their own choices. They are encouraged to develop independence, social competencies and self-regulation.
Assessment, planning and evaluation processes enable teachers to effectively notice, recognise and respond to children's strengths, interests, capabilities and needs. Parents' aspirations are acknowledged and used by teachers in assessment and planning to extend children's learning and development. Learning stories clearly show children's progress and possible next learning steps. They record the strategies teachers are using and the impact of these.
Programmes to support smooth transitions into, through and out of the centre are purposeful and flexibly paced to suit individual children's readiness and their family's wishes.
Teachers work collaboratively and are supportive of each other. They feel valued and trusted by the new leaders. Staffing appointments have been strategically focused on the needs of many children for whom English is a second language. This includes Mandarin speakers for the high number of Chinese children who attend.
The centre is very well supported by the Provincial Education Group through the provision of effective systems, such as in health and safety, appraisal, and high quality internal evaluation. Detailed guidelines for practices set high expectations for continuous improvement. Teachers have useful professional development and mentoring support to keep improving their teaching, leadership and ongoing learning.
The centre has identified and ERO agrees that key next steps are to:
continue to build the team culture and leadership capabilities
strengthen the inclusion of te ao and te reo Māori across the curriculum
extend the inclusion of children's home, language and culture into assessments/learning stories.
Before the review, the staff and management of Avonhead Montessori 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
19 February 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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70381 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
65 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
60 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Female 30 Male 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
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 |
December 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
19 February 2020 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
January 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2014 |
||
|
Education Review |
December 2010 |
||
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 |
Avonhead Montessori Preschool is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Avonhead Montessori Preschool is one of four centres owned and administered by Canterbury Early Learning Centres Limited (CELC). The centre provides for babies to children of school age, in two separate rooms. Each classroom has its own outdoor area. Most teachers are registered early childhood teachers and many teachers have, or are working towards Montessori qualifications.
The centre is inclusive of all cultures. Many children have English as a second language.
The centre has made significant progress since the 2014 review. Child assessment and programme planning are well established. The centre is establishing good processes for self review, strategic planning and staff appraisal.
The centre has been well supported by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and advisory support services to make the needed improvements to systems and practices that promote positive outcomes for all children.
This review was part of a cluster of three centre reviews in the CELC.
Children enjoy caring and respectful relationships with their teachers. Teachers model the relationships that they expect of children. They support children appropriately to develop the skills to work and play cooperatively with other children.
The environment is calm and children are well supported to participate in the Montessori curriculum, complete activities and develop new skills and knowledge. Teachers spend considerable time with individuals and small groups, listening, modelling and praising children for their efforts.
The programme provides children with many opportunities for mathematics, writing and oral language. Children are encouraged to develop their interests and work in a variety of curriculum areas. They are able to choose their own times for morning tea. Children are engaged in their learning and persevere to experience success.
Te reo Māori is well integrated into group times for the older children. Teachers and children regularly respond to each other in te reo Māori and sing waiata. Teachers have participated in regular professional development in te reo Māori and are using their new knowledge and confidence in the programme.
The centre has recently extended the under-two-year old area to include babies. Numbers are low and teachers provide individualised care. They skilfully include babies in the play and learning of older children in the under three-year-old classroom.
Systems and procedures for child assessment and programme planning are well established. Teachers have been effectively supported by the curriculum leader to consistently complete learning stories to a high standard. They regularly discuss assessments and plans so that all teachers have a good knowledge of individual children’s interests and learning.
Parents are kept well informed about their children’s learning through assessments, wall displays and planned meetings with the teachers.
Managers and teachers have made effective use of professional development to improve their management knowledge and skills. They have a useful self-review framework and have successfully completed the gathering and analysis stages of a review. The strategic plan gives clear direction for the ongoing development and improvement of the centre.
The managers, leaders and teachers have established effective systems and practices for health and safety and care routines. These systems and practices are efficiently implemented by staff and regularly monitored by leaders and managers.
The managers and ERO agree that the key next steps for the centre include:
CELC is making a number of improvements to the operation of the organisation at centre and management levels. These include:
The CELC managers and ERO agree that the next key steps for the organisation should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Avonhead Montessori 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:
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 Avonhead Montessori Preschool will be in three years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
14 January 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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70281 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
65 children, including up to 6 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
61 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 31; Boys 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Other Asian Indian Other ethnicities |
2 31 12 10 2 4 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
50-79% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
14 January 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
February 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
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.