8 Oliver Road, Bucklands Beach, Auckland
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Bucklands Beach Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Bucklands Beach Kindergarten is a full-day service licensed for up to 40 children. It offers a six-hour day and serves a diverse community of migrant families. The four qualified teachers are well supported by an administrator, teacher aide and teaching assistant.
At the time of this report, most of the children attending the kindergarten are Chinese, and the roll includes a small number of Māori and Pacific children. A significant number of children are speakers of other languages and are learning English as an additional language.
The kindergarten's philosophy expresses the importance of relationships with children and their families and values diversity. Children are viewed as confident and competent learners who are encouraged to be risk takers. Teachers believe children learn through play and emphasise the development of social skills and being responsible for self and others.
ERO's 2015 report identified areas to strengthen, including children's planning and self-directed research, cultural responsiveness, evaluative self review and leadership. There has been good progress made in these areas.
The kindergarten is part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA), which provides leadership, a framework of policies and operational guidelines, support personnel and programmes of professional learning and development for staff. A new AKA structure and new leadership roles have been established, and new personnel appointed.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews in the Auckland Kindergarten Association.
Children and their families are warmly welcomed and experience positive relationships with their friends and adults. There is a calmness in the kindergarten that creates a strong sense of belonging. Children are familiar with routines and quickly settle into the programme. Teachers foster children's developing social competence.
Children have opportunities to select activities and engage in uninterrupted play at their own pace. They do this both independently and in groups, demonstrating their confidence and abilities. They have opportunities to explore their environment.
The environment is inviting and well resourced. Teachers provide opportunities for children to investigate a variety of manipulative materials and equipment that fosters their curiosity and a playful disposition. Teachers incorporate natural resources into the programme with a strong focus on science, deepening children's sense of guardianship of the environment.
Teachers recognise and acknowledge the whakapapa of Māori children. They first seek ways to maintain children's connection to their cultural identity. Teachers support children's developing language. They read stories to children in their home languages and this promotes oral literacy. Teachers have positive relationships with children, genuinely listen to their ideas and foster their participation in the programme.
Teachers respect and acknowledge whānau aspirations and invite whānau contributions to the curriculum. They demonstrate a collaborative approach to planning and assessment processes, based on records of children's learning. Curriculum documentation shows how mathematics and literacy are key components in the programme, increasing children's conceptual knowledge and understanding of these areas.
A shared understanding of internal evaluation has supported ongoing improvements. Professional learning and development is responsive to teachers' individualised goals that align with the AKA strategic, annual and business plans. Teachers lead their own inquiries and report back to the team what they have learned, building collective capacity and leadership.
The AKA continues to provide support for kindergartens to strengthen bicultural practices. In many instances this has made a significant difference to teachers' confidence and capability. Specialist support impacts positively on teachers’ inclusion of children with additional learning needs. Priority is being given to re-establishing and supporting Parent Whānau Groups in all kindergartens. The strategic direction being established by new AKA leaders is providing a positive framework for kindergartens’ annual planning.
Key next steps include:
increasing the extent to which curriculum evaluation identifies the impact of teaching practices on learning outcomes for children, as described in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum
demonstrating continuity and the extension of children's learning over time, in assessment portfolios
continuing to identify and plan the teachers' role in supporting more complex play and extending children's thinking.
It would be useful for AKA managers to:
clarify new roles and engage teaching teams in the implementation of the new structure across the AKA
increase the rigour of monitoring and quality assurance, and strengthen internal evaluation at all levels of the AKA
identify and implement strategies for achieving greater consistency of the practices that are strengths in some kindergartens, across the AKA.
Before the review, the staff and management of Bucklands Beach 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:
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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
13 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.
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Location |
Bucklands Beach, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5038 |
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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 |
40 children over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 27 Boys 23 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese Indian other ethnic groups |
2 9 25 4 10 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
October 2019 |
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Date of this report |
13 February 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
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Education Review |
April 2012 |
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Education Review |
May 2009 |
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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:
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Bucklands Beach Kindergarten is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Bucklands Beach Kindergarten has a history of providing good quality early childhood education for children in the local community. It caters for up to 40 children between 3 and 5 years of age. The Kindergarten Day Model offers six hour days, with 10 places allocated for children to attend mornings only. The four qualified teachers are well supported by a teacher aide, an administrator, and the parent community.
ERO’s 2012 report recognised that relationships, and community and cultural responsiveness were strengths in the kindergarten. Programmes were guided by children’s interests and strengths, and the well presented learning environment was identified as a feature. ERO recommended that teachers strengthen programme planning and documentation, self review and long-term planning. Teachers have addressed these areas well. They have continued to enhance their practice through professional development that has focused on deepening children’s learning and strengthening leadership.
The kindergarten operates as part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association, which provides strategic leadership, a management framework, support personnel and a programme of professional development for teachers.
After extensive review, consultation and development, the Association has recently launched a new 10-year strategic direction. Its four strategic pillars or objectives relate to educational excellence, core organisational processes, community engagement and a future focus. These objectives are intended to guide the Association and its kindergartens in their ongoing development. The Association’s approach to rolling out a substantial change in its organisational structure has been carefully considered.
New Association roles have been established to provide more targeted support for kindergarten operations, curriculum and development. Professional development is planned to support kindergarten head teachers in their leadership and management roles. A Quality Improvement Process (QIP) is being developed to monitor quality in kindergartens and contribute to self review and ongoing improvement.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Auckland Kindergarten Association.
Children at the kindergarten are viewed by teachers as capable and competent and are very well supported to develop as learners and communicators. Children are confident and articulate and their contributions to discussions and decisions about the programme are valued. Teachers actively promote positive and inclusive social relationships among children and partnership relationships with families. Children and their whānau have a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing in the kindergarten.
A feature of children’s learning is the high level of creativity, thoughtful presentation of art materials and skilled support by teachers in this area. Teachers’ planning and support for children’s literacy, mathematics and science learning is equally purposeful and effective. Children frequently draw and write as they play independently and in small groups. Their stories are recorded in displays and in programme and assessment documentation. Feedback from parents and children also demonstrates the effectiveness of the team’s strong focus on promoting children’s health and wellbeing.
Teachers have carefully considered how to incorporate the Treaty of Waitangi and bicultural practice in the kindergarten and have a genuine understanding of their obligation and commitment. Displays are of a high quality and bicultural practices are embedded in daily programmes. Children enjoy waiata, can talk about Māori mythology and readily incorporate Māori symbols in their art. Parents who spoke to ERO appreciate this aspect of the kindergarten.
The cultures of the surrounding community are also authentically represented in the environment and programmes. Children have good opportunities to engage with aspects of Chinese, Indian and Pacific cultural heritage. Families have supported teachers’ commitment to fostering children’s understanding about cultural diversity. Teachers consider and respond to the learning needs of all children and provide thoughtful, effective support for children to transition to local schools.
The kindergarten environment is richly resourced. Well designed spaces invite children and adults to explore. Very well presented learning stories, individual children’s assessment portfolios and displays prompt children to revisit and build on their prior learning experiences. These displays provide very good information for whānau and other visitors to the kindergarten about the breadth of the early childhood curriculum. They reflect teachers’ commitment to high quality provision for children’s learning.
The head teacher leads a collaborative and cohesive team that has established shared philosophical and theoretical understandings. The depth of teachers’ thinking about their professional practice is evident in well-aligned strategic plans and other documentation. Robust self review is based on research and professional learning. It helps teachers to sustain a focus on improvement and has resulted in several significant developments. Teachers are beginning to develop a culture of critical evaluation of their own practice. They recognise that their teaching responses to children’s emerging interests and children’s contributions to programme planning could be more visible for whānau and children.
Association systems for monitoring and promoting improvement in kindergarten operations are well established. A variety of useful systems and processes supports the teaching team’s self review.
Teachers’ strategic thinking and focus on learning are reflected in their plans for enhancing their practice and continually improving programmes for children. Their goals align with the Association’s strategic direction and include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Bucklands Beach 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 Bucklands Beach Kindergarten will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
29 May 2015
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Location |
Bucklands Beach, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5038 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children over the age of 2 |
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Service roll |
50 |
||
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Gender composition |
Girls 26 Boys 24 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Pacific other |
1 29 10 2 8 |
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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 |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2015 |
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Date of this report |
29 May 2015 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 2006 |
||
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.