Lewis Street, Collingwood
View on mapERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Not meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Collingwood Playcentre is a parent-led service administered by Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa – Playcentre Aotearoa. It is on the Collingwood Area School site and provides two morning sessions per week. Regular support is provided by a Centre Advisor.
The March 2020 ERO review found further development was required to promote understanding of programme planning and evaluation, curriculum implementation and internal evaluation. Sufficient progress has been made in response.
Kaiako are beginning to use the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to identify significant learning to build a rich curriculum for every child. Kaiako providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their participation. The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences.
Those responsible for monitoring health and safety should apply more rigour to supporting the service to maintain compliance with Playcentre Aotearoa policies and the regulatory standards.
ERO found an area of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS12.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS7, HS8, PF7.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
18 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Collingwood Playcentre |
| Profile Number | 65104 |
| Location | Tasman District |
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Service type |
Playcentre |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
|
Service roll |
22 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 1, NZ European/Pākehā 21. |
|
Review team on site |
May 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
18 June 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2020; Education Review, May 2015. |
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.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
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:
As part of an Akanuku | 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Collingwood Playcentre requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Many members are new to this service and playcentre philosophy. They are still working to familiarise themselves with playcentre and legislative expectations for practice and operation.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Collingwood Playcentre is one of 78 playcentres in the Upper South Island region. It operates for two morning sessions each week and is licensed for 30 children, including 15 aged up to two years. Most children are aged three years and under.
At the time of the 2015 ERO review the centre was one of 13 administered by the Nelson Playcentre Association, under the umbrella of The New Zealand Playcentre Federation Inc. In June of 2019, the 32 associations nationwide amalgamated into one new entity, a charitable trust, Playcentre Aotearoa (the organisation). Nelson playcentres are now managed as part of a regional hub of the new organisation.
A centre support worker (CSW), employed by the organisation, regularly visits the playcentre and provides professional advice and feedback to strengthen the programme for children. A centre administrator (CA) works with members to support compliance with regulations. Day-to-day management is the role of centre-elected office holders. Two session facilitators with recognised levels of training provide ongoing support for the implementation of the daily programme.
Playcentre philosophy recognises the importance of parents working together, alongside their children, to support their self-initiated play and promote their learning.
The 2015 ERO report identified self review, bicultural practice and developing sustainability as areas for improvement. In addition, the Nelson Playcentre Association had several key next steps to address.
This review was one of four in Playcentre Aotearoa, Nelson region.
The daily programme is largely child led with adults providing activities to provoke interest, new ideas and investigation. Children's choices, exploration, creativity and self-expression are valued and encouraged. Many confidently self manage and, at times, engage in extended social play.
Children benefit from the wide range of learning experiences they are able to access. Well-organised areas of play promote their interest and participation. The outdoor play space promotes adventure and challenge. Regular excursions extend the learning environment.
The planned programme is responsive to children's needs and emerging interests. The centre's approach to assessment is implemented by the session facilitators with parents' involvement expected and strongly encouraged. To strengthen assessment the CSW and session facilitators should continue to prioritise:
supporting parents to identify, respond to and record their children's learning
facilitating and recording children's progress over time
acknowledgement of te ao Māori in children's profile books
documenting how adults respond to parents' aspirations for their children's learning.
Children's transitions to school are well supported due to the positive relationship with the adjacent school.
A sense of community is evident. The service is in a redevelopment phase after significant changes in membership over the last year. Collaboration is a feature as the centre rebuilds with a core group of members and the session facilitators working alongside the CSW to grow support in this parent collective.
Nelson-based CSWs are receiving targeted professional learning and development linked to regional priorities for improvement from the organisation. A more constructive approach to CSW support for centres, including reporting that is more responsive to needs, is in the early stages of implementation.
An appraisal process is in place to support the development of the CSW and session facilitators' practice. Implementation of the process should be strengthened to ensure there is sufficient rigour in goal setting, observations of practice and feedback. The CA should have the opportunity to participate in an appraisal process and targeted training opportunities.
New policy guidelines, developed by the organisation, have now been adopted at centre level. When fully implemented these should support shared understanding of the playcentre expectations and accountabilities. A recent licensing check identified areas of non-compliance that members are working to address.
Self review is a valued and regular part of members' practice. Understanding and use of a more improvement-focused approach is at an early stage at this centre.
ERO and regional leaders agree that Playcentre Aotearoa should continue to prioritise:
support for the CSW and session facilitators to promote playcentre members' understanding of programme planning and evaluation, curriculum implementation and internal evaluation
development of CSW support and reporting
review and further development of the appraisal process for the CSWs and session facilitators.
The focus on developing leadership, growing a sense of community, parent participation and collaboration should continue.
Before the review, the staff and management of Collingwood 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:
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 service had recently had a relicensing visit from the Ministry of Education (MOE). The MOE identified several areas of non-compliance relating to curriculum, premises and facilities, health and safety and governance and management. ERO also identified the following areas of non-compliance.
To meet requirements the service provider and playcentre members must ensure:
bark safety surfacing is replenished
contents of the first aid kit are regularly reviewed to meet requirements
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF13, PF28.
In addition, the service provider should check requirements with the MOE for implementing a process that meets regulatory requirements for school age children visiting the playcentre in school time to see their parents/siblings so that the school and the playcentre know where these children are in the event of an emergency.
Since the on-site phase of the review, Collingwood playcentre has provided ERO with evidence that the non-compliances around bark safety surfacing and ensuring the first aid kit meets requirements, have been addressed.
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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
9 March 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 |
Collingwood |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
65104 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
21 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Male 12, Female 9 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā |
21 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
0-49% |
||
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
November 2019 |
||
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Date of this report |
9 March 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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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.