608 Marychurch Road, Matangi
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 Country Gate Early Learning are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Country Gate Early Learning, formerly Country Creche Childcare, changed ownership in March 2023. The owner manages daily operations and leads the teaching team, which includes three team leaders. There are three age-specific areas provided for children. Of the children enrolled, a small number identify as Māori. There has been some progress made in provision of a bicultural curriculum since ERO’s previous review in 2019.
Children experience a curriculum that fosters their ways of learning, and understandings of the natural world. Teachers respond well to infants’ non-verbal communication, care needs and emerging interests. Toddlers benefit from respectful teacher interactions that support their developing social and emotional competency and oral language. Older children experience a well-resourced curriculum that supports literacy, numeracy, creativity, independence and higher thinking skills.
Learning-focused partnerships with families are being established. There are regular opportunities for sharing of children’s learning. Parent aspirations are gathered and recently were used to guide individual planning for children. Assessment information shows children’s interests, progress over time, and celebrates different ways of learning. Increasingly, connections are being made with the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Positive steps have been taken to grow teachers’ understandings of culturally responsive practices. Tamariki Māori hear basic te reo Māori, and experience some integration of tikanga Māori, including waiata and pūrākau. Whānau Māori are beginning to share their whakapapa with teachers. Valued cultural celebrations are observed. Children’s cultures are, more recently, reflected in planning and assessment information. The service has yet to develop a local curriculum. Consistency around how teachers demonstrate bicultural practices requires further development.
Systems for improvement are being re-established by the current owner. An external mentor supports leadership, including for the three team leaders who are new in their roles. Teachers access relevant professional learning to develop their understandings of how children learn. Evaluations and professional growth cycles inform positive curriculum changes. The service is yet to monitor the impact of these changes on children’s learning.
The owner allocates resources to improve the learning environments and implements suitable systems and practices to guide daily operations. The learning and wellbeing of children is a primary consideration in decision-making. Reviewing the philosophy to generate priorities for children’s learning with whānau and teachers is a next step to inform curriculum development.
Country Gate Early Learning will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Review the philosophy and develop a localised curriculum that:
Before the review, the staff and management of Country Gate Early Learning 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:
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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
18 March 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Country Gate Early Learning |
| Profile Number | 34084 |
| Location | Matangi, Hamilton |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 63 |
| Review team on site | February 2024 |
| Date of this report | 18 March 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, June 2019; Education Review, February 2016 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Country Creche Childcare Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Country Creche Childcare Centre is a privately owned, purpose-built centre located in rural Matangi, between Cambridge and Hamilton. The centre provides all-day education and care for children from birth to school age. It is licensed for 72 children including 15 up to the age of two years. Eleven children identify as Māori. Under two's, over two's and preschool children are catered for in three separate aged-based buildings each with an extensive outdoor area.
Since the 2016 ERO report a new owner has purchased the centre. One of the centre's experienced team leaders has been recently appointed as centre manager. There are new team leaders for each area and there have been some changes to the teaching teams. The owner provides regular onsite support in governance and administration. The centre is committed to teacher-child ratios above the minimum Ministry of Education requirements.
The vision is to 'provide a place of exploration, discovery and wonder.’ The centre states that they value ‘every tamariki as taonga and collaborate with whānau, tamariki and kaiako to ensure they are empowered to learn and develop to their full potential.’
The centre has responded positively to the recommendations from the previous ERO report regarding planning and assessment. However, implementing a staff appraisal system is still to be addressed. The need to further develop and embed internal evaluation and bicultural practice also continue to be priorities for improvement.
Children benefit from responsive teaching practices. Teachers actively involve themselves alongside children in meaningful play. Opportunities are available for children to problem solve, extend their oral language and develop mathematical concepts. Recently introduced individualised planning reflects parent aspirations, supporting teachers to respond to, and extend, children’s interests. Warm, respectful and positive relationships were observed by ERO between teachers, staff and children.
Children experience a broad and responsive programme. The well-resourced indoor and extensive outdoor environment provide a wide range of learning opportunities. The needs of individual children are actively planned for. Well-managed and flexible routines enable children to participate in sustained play. Parents and whānau contribute their expertise to the programme to enrich the learning culture.
Transitions are well-considered and personalised as children move into and through the centre and on to school. The centre accesses external expertise for children with additional needs when appropriate to effectively meet their learning and development goals.
Bicultural practice is evident in the environment and in some teaching practices. The centre acknowledges this is an area for further development in order to support children's language, culture and identity.
Children up to the age of two learn and play in an environment that is conducive to their learning and wellbeing. Teachers work in partnership with parents to reflect a home-like environment. They skilfully maximise learning opportunities for infants and babies.
The centre owner and recently appointed manager provide good-quality governance and leadership. A clear vision and direction for the service has been developed. The recently reviewed philosophy reflects centre priorities. Building a shared understanding of the implication of the revised Te Whāriki is a key next step. There is a useful policy framework in place that informs centre systems and processes which guide operations. The performance management policy and procedures now need to be implemented. A cohesive team has been established and respectful relationships centre-wide are evident across the centre.
The centre owner and the new centre manager should prioritise:
Before the review, the staff and management of Country Creche Childcare 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.
ERO found an area of non-compliance.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
10 June 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.
| Location | Matangi, Hamilton | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 34084 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 72 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 69 | ||
| Gender composition | Males 37 Females 32 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 11 49 9 | |
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 |
| Over 2 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | April 2009 | ||
| Date of this report | 10 June 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | February 2016 | |
| Education Review | December 2012 | ||
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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Country Creche Childcare Centre is privately owned early childhood centre. It is located on 2.5 hectares of rural land in Mātangi, between Hamilton and Cambridge. The centre provides education and care for a maximum of 72 children in three separate age-based buildings: under twos (0-2 years), over twos (2-3.5 years) and preschool (3.5-6 years). Each building has a spacious outdoor area. The current roll of 103, includes seven children of Māori descent.
The experienced licensee and her husband are co-owners of the centre. The licensee has the overall responsibility for strategic planning, quality of education and care, self review, property and human resource management and compliance. The co-owner assists with financial management and administration.
There are three supervisors who provide leadership for their respective teams. The stable teaching team of 20 includes 15 qualified early childhood teachers and two teachers who are primary trained. Many of these teachers are long-serving at the centre.
ERO’s 2012 report identified self review and fostering New Zealand’s bicultural heritage as areas for development. Although the centre has made progress in these areas, this report identifies the need for further development. Recent whole-centre professional development has focused on learning stories, communication and team building.
The centre’s philosophy aims to foster individual children’s learning, confidence, independence, practical life and social skills through respectful experiences and interactions.
Preschool children learn to be capable and competent learners. They are very settled and enjoy trusting relationships with adults and other children. Friendships are very evident between children, and they play well with and alongside their peers. Preschool children demonstrate well-developed negotiation skills and frequently engage in sustained imaginative play. They confidently communicate with adults and peers, enjoy experimenting with writing and reading to themselves and others.
Babies and toddlers enjoy calm, caring and nurturing interactions and with familiar adults in a friendly and supportive learning environment. Consistent caregiving supports their need for strong and secure attachments and provides high quality support for language development. Teachers work closely with parents and whānau to identify and respond to children’s individual needs and routines. They follow children’s lead and are highly responsive to their verbal and non-verbal cues. Babies and toddlers are confident explorers and communicators, and high levels of trust are particularly evident between children in the under two area.
Children enjoy a wide variety of learning opportunities in attractive and well-resourced learning environments. Features of learning programmes include:
Children have some opportunities to listen to and sing in te reo Māori and to learn about tikanga activities such as karakia.
Teachers’ interactions with children are positive, respectful and inclusive. Positive guidance and settling strategies are effective. Teachers skilfully foster children’s independence and development of self-help and social and language skills. They also provide leadership opportunities for children and encourage them to be creative problem solvers.
Teachers have well-developed planning and assessment systems. The over-two teaching team has explored strategies to make their planning more responsive to individual children’s learning and interests. Other teams have investigated alternative strategies to enhance planning processes. Individual learning portfolios are well presented. Professional development has resulted in a greater emphasis on identifying children’s strengths, interests and dispositions or preferred ways of learning.
Teaching teams have established strong relationships with parents and whānau. Parents find teachers to be friendly, welcoming and approachable. Teachers keep parents well informed about their children’s involvement in the learning programme through portfolios and informal discussions. Parents appreciate teachers’ ongoing support and responsiveness to their children’s individual needs, and opportunities to attend workshops about good practices in early childhood education. They regularly participate in centre activities and contribute to self review.
The co-owners and supervisors demonstrate a strong commitment to the centre’s philosophy, vision and goals. They work collaboratively and effectively as a centre-wide leadership team. Supervisors lead their teams by example, and staff appreciate their support and guidance. There are examples of shared and collaborative leadership, and comprehensive self-review and reflection leading to positive change. There is an appropriate mix of both personal and centre-wide professional development.
The licensee continues to provide high quality professional leadership. She maintains consistently positive, respectful and caring relationships with staff, parents, children and community members. The licensee strongly advocates for, and is highly responsive to, the needs of children and their families. Funding of high teacher-to-child ratios, accessing external support, and employing additional staff to support children with special needs reflects her ongoing commitment to provide high quality education and care for all children. She promotes and models ongoing improvement through self-review, including recent development of high quality health and safety systems and processes.
ERO and centre leaders agree that key next steps are to strengthen:
In addition, team planning and assessment practices should be strengthened through:
ERO agrees with centre leaders on the need for:
Before the review, the staff and management of Country Creche Childcare 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 Country Creche Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
17 February 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.
|
Location |
Mātangi |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
34084 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
72 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
103 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 54 Girls 49 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other European |
7 93 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
2 to 3.5 Over 3.5 |
1:6 1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
December 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
17 February 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2012 |
|
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.