Avonside Early Childhood Centre

Education institution number:
70321
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
25
Telephone:
Address:

43 Woodham Road, Avonside, Christchurch

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Avonside Early Childhood Centre

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Avonside Early Childhood Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakatō Emerging

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whakatō Emerging

2 Context of the Service

Avonside Early Childhood Centre is a mixed-age service owned by a charitable trust and governed by a board of elected parents. Enrolled children include a small number of tamariki Māori and children from Pacific heritages. There have been significant staff changes since the 2019 ERO review. The new centre manager has overall responsibility for the operation and professional leadership of the service.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and teachers provide a learning-based play curriculum that links to the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Infants and toddlers experience caring interactions with their attentive teachers who know them well. There are many opportunities for them to explore and play alongside older children.

Opportunities for children to experience a bicultural curriculum are limited to some use of te reo Māori during routine times and group experiences. A stronger emphasis on deliberately planning and implementing the bicultural curriculum is required.

The teaching team is in the early stages of reviewing the philosophy and establishing and using updated assessment, planning and evaluation processes and practices. This includes how children may independently revisit their learning records while at the centre. Teachers are yet to use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to show children’s intended learning and their progress over time. A more targeted approach is also required to incorporating children’s languages, cultures and identity into learning documentation.

Leaders and teachers are building shared understandings as they collaboratively extend their professional knowledge and expertise. Quality improvement systems and processes including internal evaluation and appraisal systems require further development and consistent implementation. Children’s learning and wellbeing are at the centre of decision making by the board.

4 Improvement actions

Avonside Early Childhood Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Review and further develop the service’s philosophy, priorities for learning and assessment, planning and evaluation processes to be current and fit for purpose.

  • Use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to guide assessment, planning and evaluation of children’s learning and make their progress over time more evident.

  • Explore and implement ways children can independently access their learning records to revisit their learning, development and progress while at the centre.

  • Build all teachers’ cultural competence and expertise to provide a culturally responsive curriculum.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Avonside Early Childhood Centre 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:

  • 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Action for Compliance

During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:

  • When safety checking, ensuring the process includes accurately documenting the risk assessment of all staff in accordance with the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

1 November 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Avonside Early Childhood Centre

Profile Number

70321

Location

Christchurch

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

31

Review team on site

July 2023

Date of this report

1 November 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2019; Education Review, October 2016

Avonside Early Childhood Centre - 14/11/2019

1 Evaluation of Avonside Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Avonside Early Childhood Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Avonside Early Childhood Centre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Avonside Early Childhood Centre is a non-profit community centre located in the Eastern suburbs of Christchurch. It provides care and education for children aged two-to-six years. The centre is licensed for 30 children.

The centre is governed by a board of trustees. The management team is made up of a centre manager/senior teacher, a finance manager and the board chair. There is a stable, experienced teaching staff.

The centre's philosophy is based on Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum and the Incredible Years programme. The philosophy is underpinned by the centre values of kindness, responsive and intentional teaching, relationships and respect, open communication and honesty, and a collaborative and co-operative team.

The recommendations in the 2016 ERO have all been addressed.

The centre is a member of the Tamai Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.

The Review Findings

Avonside Early Childhood Centre is very effectively enabling positive outcomes for children. Warm, respectful relationships between children, teachers and families are highly evident. A well-considered philosophy, vision and values clearly influence the programme and contribute to equitable outcomes for children. Leadership has established a culture in which children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Leaders and teachers advocate for children and provide a quality and inclusive early childhood education.

Effective and collaborative leadership sets a clear direction for teachers. This ensures a consistent approach to quality teaching interactions. Leaders use internal evaluation well to make improvements to programmes and practices. Ongoing and focussed professional development has helped teachers better plan, record and assess children's learning.

A rich, responsive curriculum closely aligned with Te Whāriki provides an inclusive, stimulating learning environment. Teachers plan using authentic contexts for learning and use children's interests to engage them in the programme, they use a range of approaches for different assessment purposes to understand and support children's learning and development.

Parents' and whānau aspirations for their children are valued and considered in assessment and planning, processes and programmes. Leaders and teachers work in partnership with parents of children with diverse learning needs to improve and enhance their learning.

Leaders and teachers take responsibility for learning about the languages, cultures and identities of all children attending. Children have opportunities to use te reo and tikanga Māori in the daily programme. Transitions into and beyond the centre are well managed. The centre provides a range of well-considered and thoughtfully resourced indoor and outdoor environments that meet the needs of children.

Key Next Steps

ERO recommends, and the centre leaders agree to:

  • develop a greater alignment between the strategic and annual plans

  • ensure ongoing and evaluative monitoring of progress towards identified strategic goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Avonside 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:

  • 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

14 November 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70321

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, two years old and over

Service roll

32

Gender composition

Girls 18

Boys 14

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Pacific
Asian

12
12
6
2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Ratio of staff to children

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2019

Date of this report

14 November 2019

Most recent ERO reports

 

Education Review

October 2016

Education Review

July 2013

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Avonside Early Childhood Centre - 12/10/2016

1 Evaluation of Avonside Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Avonside Early Childhood Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Avonside Early Learning Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Avonside Early Childhood Centre is a community-based centre. It provides care and education for children aged two-to-five years old within a mixed-aged group setting. The centre also provides work experience opportunities for secondary school students.

A board of trustees governs the overall operation of the centre. An operation manager is responsible for the business management of the centre and the senior teacher is responsible for the curriculum. Most staff are experienced and registered early childhood teachers who have been employed by the centre for a number of years.

In 2015, there were some changes to the leadership and two new teachers were appointed. The teaching team are currently undertaking an in-depth review of the centre’s philosophy to ensure that it reflects the priorities of the learning community.

The recommendations in the July 2013 ERO report have all been met.

Leaders and teachers are part of the Linwood Learning Cluster and Wellbeing Community Hub that includes early childhood centres, schools and specialist agencies that are focused on supporting the education and wellbeing of children within their increasingly diverse community.

The Review Findings

Children and their parents and whānau are warmly welcomed into an inclusive learning environment. Teachers and leaders foster strong, responsive and respectful relationships across the centre. Children benefit from positive and caring interactions with their teachers and peers.

Teachers consistently use a range of useful strategies to encourage children to:

  • initiate and maintain positive relationships with others

  • be independent and develop self-help skills

  • extend their oral language and conversation skills.

Children learn and play in well-considered, attractively presented environments. They are provided with a good range of interesting activities, including creative and physical play, and real life experiences to support their learning and engagement in the programme.

Teachers use practices that extend children's interests and involve them in making decisions about their learning. Literacy, mathematics and music are well integrated into the programme. Increasing use is being made of digital devices in teaching and learning.

Teachers actively promote learning partnerships with parents and whānau. They listen carefully to families and make good use of their aspirations for their children. Parents' contribution and involvement in the programme is encouraged and valued. They are well informed about their children’s interests and centre events through a number of informative and useful ways.

Children's home language, culture and identity is acknowledged and valued. Teachers are focused on integrating a bicultural curriculum in ways that are meaningful for children and respectful of the Māori culture.

Leaders and teachers have a personalised approach to helping children and families make a positive transition into the centre and to develop a good sense of belonging and wellbeing. They have strong purposeful links to the community that enable them to sensitively support children and families as needed. Teachers also have close working relationships with a number of local schools to support children's transition to school.

The teaching team work collaboratively, have shared values and use consistent practices when they are working with children. Teachers are reflective and use self-review to inform decision making and to make changes to their practices.

Leaders make good use of identified individual teacher strengths. They have provided a wide range of targeted external professional learning development (PLD) across the service. This is having a positive impact on building teacher capability and leadership capacity.

The effective management structure is supporting the efficient operation of the service. There is increasing alignment between the centre's vision, strategic planning, self-review, appraisal and PLD. These links are contributing to sustainable management practices.

Governance processes have been significantly improved since the 2013 ERO review. There is a good variety of experience and skill within the board. Trustees are kept well informed about key centre priorities and developments.

Key Next Steps

Leaders agree that the key next steps for the centre are for teachers to continue to strengthen:

  • the consistency of children's assessment documentation

  • self-review processes, including the evaluation of practices that impact on children's learning

  • the rigour of appraisal processes to more closely align with the expectations of the Education Council.

Leaders and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that priority should be given to extending teachers' culturally responsive practices and knowledge of Pacific cultures.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Avonside 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:

  • 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Avonside Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.

Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

12 October 2016

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70321

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, two years old and over

Service roll

42

Gender composition

Girls 22; Boys 20

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Other ethnicities

6

32

1

3

Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2016

Date of this report

12 October 2016

Most recent ERO reports 

Education Review

July 2013

Education Review

February 2009

Education Review

October 2005

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.