Carlyle Kindergarten - 20/04/2016

• On this page:

• 1 Evaluation of Carlyle Kindergarten
• 2 Information about the Early Childhood Service
• 3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

How well placed is Carlyle Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Carlyle Kindergarten is licensed for up to 43 children aged over two years. The centre provides six-hour sessions each weekday. The roll of 53, includes 11 Māori children.

The kindergarten is part of the Napier Kindergarten Association, which oversees the operations of 16 kindergartens, including two based in Wairoa. A board of trustees oversees governance for the association with the support of the general manager. Two education managers have a responsibility for building teacher capability. An experienced head teacher is providing considered leadership to a stable teaching team. A recently appointed Pou Whakarewa Mātauranga supports teachers to develop their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori. He demonstrates a clear vision for Māori children and their whānau.

Since the September 2012 ERO report, two teachers have been appointed to the long serving teaching team. They have focused on strengthening the team's understanding of bicultural teaching practices. Improvements have been made to the kindergarten property to enhance its appeal for children. The Enviroschool programme and understandings of cultural diversity are integrated in kindergarten practices. Positive guidance for children through a virtues programme has been extended to include mindfulness.

This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the Napier Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

The kindergarten's philosophy is clearly evident in practice. There is an emphasis on building positive relationships and children forming friendships. Children are enthusiastic and show curiosity and confidence in how they learn through sustained cooperative play. They enjoy learning about healthy food and caring for the environment through sustainable practices.

A strong focus on supporting literacy, mathematics and testing theories is evident. Children are actively encouraged to communicate and develop their oral language skills. They appreciate the natural world and being able to follow their emerging interests.

Kindergarten routines are increasingly responsive to the wider range of children's needs, including those aged two years and children who require additional support. Teachers work collaboratively with external agencies to increase the participation and engagement of children in learning. Information to support children's transition to a wide range of local schools is provided for parents.

The bicultural aspect of the curriculum to support success for Māori children and their whānau has strengthened. The programme enables children to participate in learning experiences that celebrate local Māori history, places and events. Whānau are sharing their expertise with teachers and children. Teachers continue to work on building their capacity to support Māori children's language, culture and identity.

Profile books attractively record children's enjoyments and participation in a wide range of kindergarten experiences. A recently introduced approach strongly acknowledges parent aspirations and children's interests. Teachers should continue to build their use of assessment, planning and evaluation to progress each child's learning over time.

Teachers plan to further refine appraisal goal setting, evidence gathering, feedback and observations in relation to the Practising Teacher Criteria.

A stable teaching team is focused on building collaborative ways of working. An experienced head teacher role models the importance of putting children at the heart of decision making. An emphasis on growing culturally responsive teaching practices is sustained.

Self-review practices are used by teachers to better consider options and to inform decision-making. Leaders should continue to develop the teaching team's understanding and use of evaluation to improve outcomes for children.

The association empowers teachers to use team strengths to respond to children and the parent community. Education managers should continue to lead the implementation of systems and processes that effectively build teacher capability.

Key Next Steps

The kindergarten teachers and education managers should continue to improve:

• assessment practices, planning and evaluation linked to whānau aspirations

• understandings and use of self review and internal evaluation to support ongoing improvement in children's learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Carlyle 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:

• 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 Carlyle Kindergarten will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

20 April 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

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.