46 Fairview Road, Western Heights, Rotorua
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park is situated in the Western Heights suburb of Rotorua. It is licensed for 40 children. The current roll of 33 children includes 25 of whom identify as Māori. Since the 2015 ERO review there has been a change in the operational model for this kindergarten. It now remains open during the school term breaks throughout the year, offering hours between 8am to 3.30pm, for children aged from two years to school age.
The kindergarten operates under the governance and management of the Central North Island Kindergarten Trust, a community not-for-profit organisation. The overarching philosophy of the organisation is to provide kindergartens where children learn through play and are supported to reach their potential.
Through their kindergarten philosophy teachers' aim to provide an environment and resources to support learning through play. They encourage problem solving, goal setting and establishing strong relationships with children and whānau. Teachers aim to provide a safe, warm and nurturing learning environment that provide equitable opportunities for children to play and explore.
The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO. It has responded well to strengthening self-review and developing a local place-based curriculum enhancing Māori children's identity. Assessment showing progress of learning over time remains an area to focus on.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Central North Island Kindergarten Trust organisation.
A broad and rich curriculum is promoting positive outcomes for children. Children learn through play in a well-resourced environment. Educational visitors enrich the programme. Maths, literacy and science are naturally integrated. There is a strong focus on Enviroschools, with a silver award recently achieved. Māori children are supported to achieve success. Whole community projects such as whānau-led artworks depicting te ao Māori, and te reo Māori community classes, support Māori children and their whānau to learn together. Children and their whānau develop skills for lifelong learning.
Children benefit from strong and affirming relationships. Teachers are highly responsive to children with additional learning needs. They work alongside external agencies for children who require this support. Children's oral language and social competence are well supported with teachers accessing relevant professional development and inquiring into their professional practice. Routines are unhurried and children can readily access the spacious and attractive outdoor area. Children develop a sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Children's learning is presented in informative wall displays and individual portfolio books which are made available online for parents and whānau. Indoor wall displays show parents and children what learning is happening, celebrates children's work and captures whānau engagement. Some group interests are planned for. Teachers should consider ways to intentionally plan learning pathways for all individual children, considering whānau voice and aspirations.
The experienced head teacher maintains a culture of learning and is a strong advocate for children and their whānau. There is an ongoing focus on equity for all learners and support for whole families. Strong connections with the wider local community and a wide range of initiatives to effectively remove barriers to education have been established. Each child is celebrated for who they are and what they bring to the kindergarten through inclusive teaching practices.
Children’s learning is at the forefront of decision making. A strengthened process for internal evaluation is leading to positive changes in practice. The head teacher and team are supported by a Kaiarataki from the trust. Leaders are growing the capacity of teachers through appraisal, inquiries and internal evaluation. This is leading to improved outcomes for children's learning.
Governance and management have comprehensive, well-established systems and practices to enable the organisation to monitor, evaluate and plan for improvement for its early learning centres. Clear guidelines and expectations for centre practice and curriculum are strongly fostered by the leadership team and Trust. The vision and values support positive outcomes for children’s learning, wellbeing and that of their whānau.
The key next steps for Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park are to:
In order to improve practice Central North Island Kindergarten Trust management needs to ensure observations of teacher practice are undertaken as part of the appraisal process.
Before the review, the staff and management of Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park 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 Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park will be in three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
8 February 2019
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 |
Western Heights, Rotorua |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5206 |
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5206Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
33 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 22 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
25 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
December 2018 |
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Date of this report |
8 February 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
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Education Review |
June 2006 |
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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:
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park is a located in the Rotorua suburb of Fairview at the base of Mount Ngongotaha. It is licensed for 40 children over the age of two years. At the time of the ERO review there were 37 children on the roll. Many of these children identify as Māori. They whakapapa to a variety of different tribes including Ngāti Whakaue, the local iwi. The service operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 2.30pm.
The kindergarten operates under the auspices of the Central North Island Kindergarten Trust. The trust provides robust policies and guidelines to support the operation of the kindergarten. It sets an overall strategic plan to guide kindergarten development. A professional leader, employed by the trust, supports practice in the kindergarten through regular visits. They work collaboratively with the Head Teacher to build leadership capacity, provide targeted support, coach and mentor teaching staff, ensure the trust policies and guidelines are followed and that the philosophy is enacted. The trust is currently reviewing teacher appraisal so that it encourages teachers to undertake inquiries which strengthen teaching.
Teachers understand children within the context of their whakapapa, whānau and wider community. They are aware of the many intergenerational and extended family links amongst children and use this knowledge to inform their learning interactions with children. They implement a 'wrap around' approach to fostering children’s emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical wellbeing. This is particularly evident through the provision of access to a doctor and nurse who visit the kindergarten on a regular basis. Access to transport to and from the kindergarten helps remove barriers to regular attendance. Acceptance of diversity and a non-judgemental approach are highly evident.
The kindergarten is led by an experienced head teacher. After a period of staffing changes two new teachers have been recently employed. All staff are focussed on ensuring they are developing strong relationships with children and whānau. The new teachers are being supported to align their practice with the values and philosophy of the kindergarten. All teachers are fully qualified early childhood educators.
Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park has a positive reporting history with ERO. Managers have responded to the areas for review and development identified in the previous ERO report.
This review was part of a cluster of seven kindergarten reviews in the Central North Island Kindergarten Trust cluster.
Children experience a rich range of opportunities to learn and extend their thinking through play. Literacy, mathematics, science and higher order thinking skills are well integrated into this play through teachers’ interactions and discussions with children. There are also many opportunities for them to develop their communication and social skills. Children display many attributes for life-long learning such as:
leadership
growing independence
self-management skills
tuakana/teina relationships.
Teachers are knowledgeable and have a good understanding of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The principles of Te Whāriki and the concepts of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are strongly evident. Teachers support children to develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity and resilience. They trust children to be capable and to take informed risks. There is a well-resourced and well-prepared environment for learning. A number of natural, bush-like spaces in the outdoor area, as well as small group excursions into the community visiting significant local areas such as Te Puia Geysers, promote children’s understanding of themselves as kaitiaki.
Strong, positive relationships between teachers and children underpin all interactions.
Effective teaching strategies observed by ERO include:
supporting children to become independent
modelling
asking open-ended questions
revisiting prior learning to add complexity and extend the learning
giving children time and space for sustained play and exploration.
Parents that spoke to ERO expressed a strong sense of belonging to the kindergarten and appreciated its homely, family-like environment. There are many opportunities for them to be involved and take a lead in daily kindergarten life. Teachers place priority on building trusting relationships with parents and whānau. This promotes open communication and the sharing of ideas and aspirations for children’s learning. Strong relationships with outside agencies provide support for children and whānau and help to remove barriers to learning. The head teacher is a strong advocate for children and whānau.
Children’s learning is well documented in learning profile books. Children take great pride in these profiles. They are well used as a tool for developing early literacy skills and for reporting to parents on children’s progress and development.
The head teacher shows a commitment to the kindergarten philosophy, which is well enacted. She promotes a culture of reflection and review. Leadership is collaborative and shared.
ERO and the kindergarten agree that useful next steps that would improve outcomes for children are continuing to:
strengthen the way the kindergarten evaluates and documents the impacts of self-review on outcomes for children
strengthen the ways that children’s progress over time is demonstrated
strengthen a local, place-based curriculum that supports and enhances children’s identity as Māori.
Before the review, the staff and management of Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park 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.
The next ERO review of Central Kids Kindergartens - Fairview Park will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
|
Location |
Rotorua |
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|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5206 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
36 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 22 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
29 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
September 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 November 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 2006 |
||
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.
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:
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.
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.