1/14 Castor Bay Road, North Shore
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Castor Bay Infant Care Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakatō Emerging Whakatō Emerging |
Castor Bay Infant Care Centre provides education and care for infants and toddlers. The centre director is responsible for governance and health and safety. A qualified supervising teacher oversees curriculum and the professional growth of the teaching team. A small number of enrolled children are of Māori heritage.
Children are given space and time to lead their own learning. They are settled, and they are familiar and confident with routines and their teachers. Teachers engage in conversations with children to extend their vocabulary and provide options for their learning. They have a good focus on equity of access to resources for infants and toddlers.
Children’s learning records show evidence of learning over time, with some links to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers do not include Te Whāriki in documented curriculum planning and evaluation. They could strengthen their curriculum understanding to more consistently:
align planning and assessment with Te Whāriki
support teachers to evaluate how effective their planned teaching has been for learners.
Te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign language are evident in records and displays. Stronger integration of te ao Māori and Pacific culture to better celebrate children’s identities is required. Teachers are at an early stage of seeking parents’ aspirations for children’s learning. Curriculum design and learning records do not consistently consider children’s languages, cultures, or parent aspirations.
The centre director has developed a culture of trust, where teachers are beginning to collaborate together. The positive and nurturing culture of the teaching team prioritises children’s sense of security.
The quality of organisational conditions have been impacted by staffing recruitment, particularly keeping documentation up to date with service practices. A service priority is to develop capability for governance, management and curriculum. This would include strengthening processes, knowledge and expertise to design and implement a responsive curriculum focused on outcomes for all children.
Castor Bay Infant Care Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Strengthen leaders’ and teachers’ understanding of Te Whāriki to design, plan, and evaluate children’s learning.
Strengthen the service’s leadership and governance capacity to drive change and improvement that are focused on positive outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Castor Bay Infant Care 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.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
All children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
21 September 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Castor Bay Infant Care Centre |
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Profile Number |
45222 |
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Location |
North Shore, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
17 |
|
Review team on site |
August 2022 |
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Date of this report |
21 September 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, August 2019 |
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Regulatory standards |
|
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Castor Bay Infant Care Centre offers all-day care for up to 20 infants and toddlers. The centre has operated on the ground floor of a residential property for over 25 years. New owners purchased the centre in 2018.
Good practices noted in the 2016 ERO report have been sustained.
Teachers plan and implement a programme that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and responds to the interests, strengths and capabilities of enrolled children. Children’s learning is supported by positive interactions with teachers in a language rich environment that includes a wide range of learning experiences. Children have opportunities to gain an understanding of Māori as tangata whenua.
Leaders and teachers regularly communicate with parents to share information about children’s learning and encourage their involvement in decision-making. An ongoing process of review keeps the service focused on improvement in outcomes for children at the centre.
Since ERO’s on-site visit the service provider has provided ERO with further evidence to show that all policies and procedures meet requirements. Steps have been taken to ensure that fences around the licensed premises are secure, and that all glass meets appropriate safety standards. A dishwasher has been installed.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
16 August 2019
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Castor Bay Infant Care Centre |
|
|
Profile Number |
45222 |
|
|
Location |
Castor Bay, Auckland |
|
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
|
Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 years |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 - Better than regulatory standards |
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Over 2 |
1:4 - Better than regulatory standards |
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|
Service roll |
18 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 11 Girls 7 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā 10 other ethnic groups 8 |
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Review team on site |
July 2019 |
|
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Date of this report |
16 August 2019 |
|
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review March 2016 |
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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
the Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services 2008
the Licensing Criteria for Hospital-based 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.
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 Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
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 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 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Castor Bay Infant Care Centre, in Castor Bay offers all day care for up to 20 infants and toddlers. The centre was bought by new owners in 2014. A new teaching team has been employed in the small centre. The centre has operated from the ground floor of a residential property for over 25 years.
The owners are in the process of creating better links with the local primary schools and kindergartens. They continue to promote the value of relationships and family values in the programme. A philosophy of respect and empowerment where children are competent and capable in a safe environment underpins the centre's programme.
The recently appointed centre manager has led improvements in the centre, and strengthened parent involvement in their child's learning.
Children enjoy high quality care. They are respected and treated as capable learners who enjoy making choices about their play. They enjoy positive relationships with each other and adults. Teachers respond with care to the needs of infants and toddlers and support them to explore. Toddlers and older babies often play well alongside each other.
Teachers are responsive to children's exploration and interests. The spacious environment invites children to access resources and equipment. Children respond well to routines and expectations. Self-‑help is strongly promoted through the programme and centre routines.
Teachers work well together and respect each other's strengths and talents. They demonstrate a strong commitment to the care of babies and toddlers. They are patient and talk gently to children about their play and learning.
The head teacher leads the teaching team effectively and her approach is underpinned by current educational research. Teachers' practice reflects a commitment to a pedagogy of care and education. The new head teacher has worked to build a cohesive and dedicated team of teachers. Small group sizes allow good quality supervision of children.
Teachers are strengthening relationships with families as partners in their children’s learning. Parents are welcomed into the centre. They are invited to contribute to the programme and are well informed about the centre's activities. Good systems have been established to consult with parents as part of internal evaluation for ongoing improvement. The recently formed parent committee has supported the centre to liaise with other parents and to review its policies and procedures.
The curriculum is highly responsive to children’s interest and learning development. Teachers use parents' aspirations and feedback from home to enhance teachers’ knowledge of the children and their strengths and interests. Learning stories are attractive and focus on children’s learning over time.
The owner has placed priority on reviewing all centre policies and procedures. This process has enabled significant improvements to occur in the centre's systems and demonstrates her strong commitment to providing high quality and responsive practices.
The review of the performance management system should help to ensure that teachers are appraised against the Practising Teacher Criteria as required by the Education Council. This newly introduced system is personalised for each teacher, as well as being aligned with the centre’s strategic direction. The owner now needs to make specific provision for the head teacher's appraisal.
The owner, centre manager and teachers are working thoughtfully to achieve alignment between documentation, systems and practices. The current focus on sustainable practices and sharing good practice across other centres owned by the owner are promoting positive outcomes for children in their care.
The centre owner and manager have appropriately identified that their future focus is to continue developing:
Before the review, the staff and management of Castor Bay Infant Care 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:
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 Castor Bay Infant Care Centre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
31 March 2016
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 |
Castor Bay, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45222 |
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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 |
20 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
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Service roll |
24 |
||
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Gender composition |
Boys 12 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
17 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
January 2016 |
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Date of this report |
31 March 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2013 |
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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 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.