Brightwater Playcentre

1 Evaluation of Brightwater Playcentre

How well placed is Brightwater Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Brightwater Playcentre requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

The centre has recently experienced significant member turnover, the enrolment of an increasing number of parents new to the centre and Playcentre philosophy, and a change in curriculum leadership. Key aspects of practice require significant development. Members should benefit from a period of support specifically tailored to centre needs.

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

Background

Brightwater Playcentre is one of 13 early childhood services set up by the Nelson Playcentre Association (the association). It operates two morning sessions each week and is licensed for 30 children, including up to 15 aged under two years. At the time of this review 24 children were enrolled.

The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (the federation) is undergoing a significant restructure that includes amalgamating the 32 associations nationwide into one organisation, Playcentre Aotearoa. To date the legal amalgamation of the associations has not been completed so centres continue to operate in accordance with original association policies. Nelson playcentres are now managed from a regional office based in Christchurch.

A centre support worker (CSW) visits the centre to provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen the programme for children. Support for compliance with regulations is the responsibility of a centre administrator (CA). Both the CSW and CA are employed by the federation. Day-to-day management is the role of centre-elected office holders. A paid session facilitator with a recognised qualification leads curriculum development and provides ongoing support for parents' participation in the learning programme.

The May 2015 ERO report identified there was a need to strengthen te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and the inclusion of Māori families, assessing children's learning and self review. A number of key next steps relating to improvements in the association were also outlined. Since the 2015 review, all parents are new, with many starting at the centre in 2019.

Playcentre philosophy recognises the importance of parents working together, alongside their children, to support their self-initiated play and to promote their learning.

This review was one of a cluster of eight in Nelson and Marlborough playcentres.

The Review Findings

The programme is responsive to children's needs and emerging interests. Adults encourage children to investigate, socialise, make their own choices and have fun. Creativity and self-expression are fostered. Oral language is well modelled and aspects of literacy introduced in play-based ways. There is good provision for infants and toddlers. Children are settled, cooperative, confident learners.

Children have access to a wide range of learning materials. The outdoor play space is well equipped to promote adventure and challenge. Children enjoy the opportunities provided. Many sustain their play for long periods.

Promoting a shared understanding of assessment for learning is a key priority especially with the recent influx of new families to the centre and appointment of new session facilitators. The focus on encouraging parents' interest and input into their children's learning plans and supporting their understanding of the Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki (2017), should continue. The session facilitators and CSW should also consider ways to make planning and evaluation increasingly focused on learning, rather than activity-based.

Guidelines are in place to help members successfully support children's transitions to primary school. This should be a continued focus for development if the centre is seeking to retain learners up until school age.

The associations' and federations' acknowledgement of the importance of bicultural partnership is not yet sufficiently reflected in the centre's daily practice and development planning. The recent appointment of a Māori development officer at federation level, and regionally based field worker, should assist with this work.

The CSW provides regular and valued face-to-face feedback and assistance to members, including strong support to build a sense of team. ERO's evaluation concurs with the centre support coordinator's findings, that CSW support should be increasingly focused on centre needs and improvement. A more evaluative approach linked to strategic priorities, and aimed at growing practice, is likely to further promote and sustain improvement over time.

A new appraisal process is in place to support the CSW, CA and session facilitator in their roles which supports reflection on practice. This process should be reviewed after its first cycle to ensure sufficient rigour in relation to goal setting, observations of practice and feedback to effectively support development. The previous session facilitator did not have a complete appraisal cycle. The CA has yet to be appraised.

A comprehensive range of association policies is in place to support members' shared understanding of playcentre expectations. Many of these are past their review date. Some no longer reflect up-to-date legislation at association level. While the legal amalgamation of the associations is imminent, in the interim, the centre should have access to a full range of up-to-date guidelines for practice.

A range of tools is being developed to assist with the implementation of internal evaluation at all levels. In this centre, understanding and use of this improvement-focused approach is at a very early stage.

The restructure of playcentre operation is being carefully worked through to support a new and more sustainable future for the organisation. The regional office provides a range of support for centres. This includes new roles designed to redistribute the management of compliance and administration, and improved assistance to members for curriculum, teaching and learning, internal evaluation, adult education, marketing and property. Leaders report that the strategic focus on growing a sense of community, and increased membership and parent involvement, is already resulting in increased collaboration across centres and interest in Playcentre philosophy. Detailed action plans should contribute to progress in meeting goals.

Key Next Steps

ERO and regional leaders agree that the federation should prioritise the:

• support for the CSW and session facilitator to promote playcentre members' understanding of programme planning and evaluation, internal evaluation, te ao Māori and implementation of a bicultural curriculum
• further development of CSW support and reporting
• review and further development of the appraisal process for CSWs and session facilitators.

The current focus on strengthening leadership, growing a sense of community, parent participation and collaboration between playcentres should continue.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Brightwater Playcentre 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to curriculum and governance and management. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:

• assessment, planning and evaluation
• self review

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C2, GMA6

In order to improve current practice the service provider should ensure:

• the centre has a complete set of up-to-date policy guidelines
• emergency plans are reviewed annually
• provision for sleeping children is clarified.

Development Plan Recommendation

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.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

22 May 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

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.