Future Focus - The Bach

Education institution number:
45620
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
41
Telephone:
Address:

886 Papamoa Beach Road, Papamoa Beach, Papamoa

View on map

Future Focus - The Bach

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Future Focus - The Bach is one of four Future Focus early learning services. The centre roll includes 16 Māori learners and a small number of Pacific learners. A recently appointed leader manages the centre, with support from the owners and teachers. This is the centre’s first ERO review since a change of ownership in 2021.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning. Teachers engage in meaningful, positive interactions with children to nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning and interests.

The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

An ongoing process of self-review and internal evaluation helps the centre improve the quality of its education and care.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • build teacher’s capability to embed within teaching practices, their understanding of the theories and research that underpin Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to consistently support outcomes for children’s learning and development

  • strengthen the extent to which the centre curriculum and assessment practices reflect all individual children’s culture and language.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

15 August 2022

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Future Focus – The Bach

Profile Number

45620

Location

Papamoa Beach, Papamoa

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

50 children, including up to 19 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

43

Review team on site

July 2022

Date of this report

15 August 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2018; Education Review, August 2015

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road - 20/11/2018

1 Evaluation of Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road

How well placed is Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road is a purpose-built centre located in Papamoa, Tauranga. The centre is licensed for 50 children, including 19 under two years of age. The centre is one of two privately owned centres and has been open since 2011. The majority of the staff are qualified and there are high teacher-to-child ratios. The centre philosophy promotes building relationships with children (Nga Hononga ki te Tamariki), families (Nga Hononga ki te Whānau), and community and wider world (Nga Hononga ki te ao Māori). Teachers and leaders are supportive of the Treaty of Waitangi and integrate te reo Māori into the daily programme.

Since the last ERO review in 2015 professional learning and development (PLD) for leaders and teachers has been a focus area for development. There are allocated funds for each teacher and leader be involved in required PLD. There has also been significant development of the strategic plan through consultation with teachers and parents.

The Review Findings

Teachers use a range of effective strategies to promote positive outcomes for children. They build on children’s strengths and interests and incorporate the learning outcomes of Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum, into planning and learning activities. Teachers are intentional in the way they recognise and respond to all opportunities to engage in and extend children’s learning.

Children have many opportunities to enhance their literacy and mathematical concepts, and oral language is developed through deliberate strategies. Positive and respectful relationships among teachers, parents and children are purposely developed and teachers use a range of strategies to support children's behaviour and development. Teachers have a sound understanding of te ao Māori perspectives that are naturally embedded into the daily programme and routines.

Curriculum design is responsive to children’s individual needs, interests and strengths. The curriculum aligns to the principles of Te Whariki, and is visible in planning, self-review, appraisal and the learning environment. Assessment practices provide parents and whānau with good opportunities to contribute to their children’s learning.

Self review is used well and informs curriculum development. The centre celebrates and acknowledges tangata whenua through intentional learning including incorporating local Māori legends into the programme.

A strong focus on professional learning and development to build teacher capability is having a positive impact on outcomes for children. A clear philosophy, vision and goals are well embedded into all aspects of centre operations. The strategic plan is a working document and includes an annual plan and to guide short and long term planning. Policy review processes are in place and there is a regular review cycle through consultation with whānau, parents and teachers.

Leaders have established relationships based on respect, trust and reciprocity. They promote and model a collaborative approach with distributed leadership opportunities for all teachers. Leaders support and enact the centre's philosophy and there is a strong commitment to bi-cultural practices. Leaders are inclusive and actively gather parent aspirations and feedback through self-review processes. They provide opportunities for feedback that are valued and effectively responded to.

Key Next Steps

The centre now needs to:

  • develop a formalised policy that guides performance management practices

  • further strengthen the appraisal process to include targeted observations providing feedback and feed forward to build teacher capability.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road 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 Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road will be in three years.

Adrienne Fowler

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

20 November 2018

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

Papamoa

Ministry of Education profile number

45620

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children, including up to 19 aged under 2

Service roll

37

Gender composition

Girls 21 Boys 16

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other

26
10
1

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2018

Date of this report

20 November 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

August 2015

Education Review

October 2012

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.

Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road - 12/08/2015

1 Evaluation of Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road

How well placed is Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Beginnings and Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road is located in Papamoa, near Tauranga. It provides all-day early childhood education and care. The centre is licensed for 50 children including a maximum of 19 up to two years of age. At the time of this ERO review, 44 children were enrolled, of whom 19 were identified as Māori, and 3 as Pacific from Samoa or the Cook Islands.

This centre continues to be led and managed by an experienced owner/director. Since the 2012 ERO review, there have been changes to the leadership in the two age-group areas. These are Teina Ruma for children up to two and a half years, and Tuakana Ruma for children over two years and up to school age. The centre works closely with a nearby centre under the same private ownership.

The centre philosophy aims to give children/tamariki opportunities to explore a variety of learning experiences and build supportive, collaborative relationships with parents, whānau and the wider community. The centre is committed to respecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi and including appropriate tikanga and te reo Māori in the curriculum. Children’s language, culture and identity are important aspects of centre practice.

The centre was established in 2011. The 2012 ERO report identified the centre’s effective management and identified good quality teaching and learning leading to positive outcomes for children. The centre currently employs a high proportion of qualified, registered and experienced staff.

The Review Findings

Children in both age group areas are well-settled, enjoy their time at the centre, and are actively engaged in their play and learning. They form friendships with their peers, and benefit from the centre’s positive, welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. The interesting and attractive environments are equipped with quality equipment, furniture and resources. They offer a wide variety of choices, promote creativity, and invite children’s exploration and involvement. Children also have opportunities for visits in the community, including to local parks, the beach, and neighbouring businesses. They are able to select books fortnightly from the mobile library van. Parents feel welcome, are able to spend time alongside their children, and share home information about their children’s wellbeing and interests.

Babies and toddlers in Teina Ruma benefit from a positive and captivating environment for discovery learning, with a strong emphasis on sensory experiences. Teachers respond sensitively to children’s needs and interests. Children’s oral language and communication skills are fostered through teachers’ ongoing conversations, which recognise children's gestures, investigations and interactions with others. The indoor and outdoor environments support children to make choices, and develop their physical skills and independence. Babies and toddlers are growing as capable, confident learners. Their transition to Tuakana Ruma is individualised, undertaken at an unhurried pace, and is responsive to the parents and their children.

Teachers gain an in-depth knowledge of children through positive interactions and communications with children and their parents. They integrate children’s ideas into their emergent planning and support their choices of activities and experiences. The Kea Kids group for four-year-olds provides opportunities for children to add complexity to their learning in ways that acknowledge their interests and preferences. These experiences, together with their earlier learning, contribute to children’s confidence and readiness to transition comfortably to school.

The centre programme is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, together with children’s interests and choices, and teachers’ own knowledge and understanding. Literacy and numeracy are integrated in the programme in natural ways. Environmental education is integrated through the care of vegetable gardens, pets, and a worm farm. Te reo and tikanga Māori are valued by the centre. Children enjoy participating in waiata and himene, and often share their singing at home. Maori perspectives are also included in the programme through routines, celebrations such as Matariki, annual visits to a local marae, and a formal farewell to children moving to school. Teachers provide children with positive guidance that assists them to respect the centre’s high expectations and manage their relationships with others.

Teachers identify children’s learning in assessments that are available in both hard copy and digital portfolios. They provide perceptive records of children’s engagement and learning. Children enjoy sharing their portfolios and parents especially appreciate the digital resource. They are increasingly commenting on their children’s learning and progress, and sharing information with teachers about home experiences. Teachers are informally gathering information about parents’ aspirations and goals for their children. They should now consider how well this is working, ensure that parent opinions are regularly obtained, and make certain that teachers’ prompt responses and children’s growth are visible in portfolios.

Centre leaders strongly support the vision and philosophy of the centre. They meet regularly, and each month head teachers prepare detailed reports for the director about their areas of responsibility. These reports provide information that is useful as evidence for self review, strategic planning, and appraisal. Teachers have opportunities to take leadership in areas of interest or expertise. Currently, a leadership self-review is being undertaken to evaluate and further define head teachers’ roles in supporting and enhancing teacher capability.

An increased focus on self review has assisted teachers to develop a sound process for long-term, planned self review. This has resulted in improvements to aspects of the curriculum and centre procedures.

The experienced director, in consultation with teachers and parents, has developed a sound policy framework that guides practice. Since the 2012 review, the centre has further developed the philosophy to provide more details about the goals and aspirations for children’s learning and wellbeing. It is now a more valuable resource that could be used to provide guidance and indicators for self review, encompassing aspects of centre operation and development.

Performance management processes are robust, and provide teachers with honest feedback related to their professional roles, expectations and goals. A range of professional development opportunities has been available to assist teachers to progress their goals and professional capability. The director recognises the importance of continuing to recruit and support highly capable teachers who are able to work as part of a collaborative team committed to valuing and celebrating children for who they are, and what they bring to the centre.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre management agree that the service should continue with:

  • the current review of centre leadership, to ensure ongoing development of capability for leaders and teachers and commitment to relevant professional development
  • the progressive development of the strategic plan to define the centre’s future goals and actions for development, including an emphasis on teaching and learning.

The centre now needs to review the content of children’s portfolios. Attention should be given to managing teachers’ time commitment while recording assessments that achieve the desired outcomes for teaching, learning and evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road 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 Beginnings & Beyond Quality Preschool Beach Road will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

12 August 2015

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Papamoa Beach, Papamoa

Ministry of Education profile number

45620

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children, including up to 19 aged under 2

Service roll

44

Gender composition

Boys 23

Girls 21

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Cook Island

Indian

Samoan

19

21

2

1

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2015

Date of this report

12 August 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

October 2012

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.