8 Oakleigh Avenue, Takanini, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
ELCM - Takanini provides full-day education and care for 96 children, including up to 12 aged under two years. Enrolled children are from diverse cultural backgrounds and many speak more than one language. The teaching team reflects the cultures of the children and their families.
Children are grouped according to age into four rooms. There are separate outdoor areas for infants and toddlers, and pre-schoolers. The centre is located on the same site as Great Potentials, a holistic support service for families in the community.
The centre's newly established philosophy strongly reflects Māori values with a focus on people and relationships. Teachers aim to take a holistic approach that empowers children, is respectful, and responsive to their individual needs.
The centre manager and two team leaders provide leadership for eight other qualified teachers, plus three in training and one unqualified. Leaders are looking to recruit two more teachers to complete the team.
ELCM - Takanini is part of the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) and operates under its policies and management framework. An operations manager from CMKA visits regularly and provides leadership and curriculum support for teachers. The CMKA is in the process of reviewing its structures and operational framework.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews in the CMKA.
Children settle easily into richly resourced, carefully considered play environments. They play well together in small groups or choose to explore on their own. There is a relaxed pace to the programme and a wide range of experiences that support children's wellbeing and engagement in their learning.
A consistent team of teachers and caregivers provides infants and toddlers with respectful and responsive care. Teachers are aware of the interests, abilities and communication styles of individual children and respond appropriately to them. They ensure children have easy access to resources and provide numerous opportunities for sensory play.
Teachers are inclusive of all children and know them well. They engage in warm conversations that support children's oral language development and celebrate their learning. They use effective strategies to support children's developing social competence.
Programme planning is based on teachers' observations of children at play. Children have opportunities to revisit their learning and play. The planning and evaluation framework continues to evolve as leaders and teachers reflect on the strengths and possibilities of a developing system, unique to their context.
Te ao Māori perspectives are very visible in the centre's philosophy. Leaders and teachers have worked collaboratively to establish a philosophy that is meaningful to their community. They are committed to strengthening their knowledge and use of te reo Māori, and to deepening their knowledge of the Māori culture.
Leaders are focused on progressing the vision and strategic thinking of the CMKA. They have developed an annual plan for the centre that links well to the organisation's strategic plan and is relevant to their context. A robust and consultative process drives the centre's internal evaluation. Relevant topics are chosen for review and the process results in positive outcomes for children.
The centre is very well led. Centre leaders work collaboratively to effect change, ensuring the whole team is engaged in the process. Relevant professional learning, accessed through an external mentor, is promoting growth in teaching and leadership practices.
Well established CMKA management systems, policies and processes guide the early learning centre's practices. Embedding regular documented observations into the appraisal process would provide effective support for teachers' professional growth.
Centre leaders agree their key next steps include:
strengthening assessment documentation to more deeply reflect children's language, culture, identity, and their individual learning journey
strengthening evaluation to show the impact of teaching practices on children's learning outcomes
deepening teachers' shared understandings around implementing the newly developed centre philosophy.
CMKA leaders agree that their next steps are to continue:
providing consistent ongoing support for leaders and teachers that sustains leadership and improves teaching practice
implementing Te Whāriki, the revised early childhood curriculum, to identify priorities for learning and evaluation
supporting teachers to increase the visibility of children's cultural identity and continuity of learning in their individual portfolios
building capability and depth in internal evaluation across the association.
Before the review, the staff and management of ELCM - Takanini 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 next ERO review of ELCM - Takanini will be in three years.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
18 January 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 |
Takanini, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46356 |
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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 |
96 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
104 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 56% Boys 44% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
23% |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2018 |
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Date of this report |
18 January 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2015 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
ELCM - Takanini is a newly established and purpose-built early childhood centre located in Takanini. The centre is owned and managed by Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) and operates under Early Learning Counties Manukau (ELCM).
The centre is licensed to provide education and care services for up to 96 children including 12 up to two years of age. The centre is organised into four rooms to provide for children in different age groups, and has separate outdoor areas for infants and toddlers, and pre-schoolers.
The centre’s philosophy is aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The programme promotes cultural diversity and highlights bicultural practices. The philosophy prioritises a nurturing environment and positive relationships with children and whānau.
The largest groups of children are of Māori, NZ Pākehā and Indian ethnicity. Some teachers represent the cultural diversity of the centre’s community. Good system have been developed to support the operation of the centre.
This is ELCM - Takanini’s first ERO report.
Children and their whānau are greeted warmly and welcomed. New families are supported to transition smoothly into the centre. Children participate in programmes that provide them with good early literacy learning. Older children’s independence and self-help skills are fostered so that they can participate in groups. A curriculum that supports environmental education is an area that teachers have identified for development.
Children are friendly and confident. They can explore freely in the inside and outside areas and the well-resourced learning spaces. The outdoor environment provides appropriate physical challenges for children. Children benefit from mixed aged play and engage in tuakana-teina roles with their siblings and each other. These relationships foster children’s social and communication skills.
Infants and toddlers are well cared for by staff and have designated areas for play. Their individual routines are well considered. Teachers encourage conversations with younger children about their play and interact respectfully and warmly. Toddlers are encouraged to develop independence in their play and make choices about indoor and outdoor exploration.
The centre takes pride in celebrating children’s cultures. Events such as Matariki, Pacific cultural celebrations, Diwali, and Chinese New Year are well supported by parents and whānau. Two teachers, who are confident and competent in speaking te reo Māori, are supporting other teachers who use basic te reo Māori in the learning environment. Some teachers also speak the home languages of many of the children. Continuing to develop bicultural practices is a centre priority.
Children’s portfolios provide a record of their learning and are culturally inclusive. Teachers are trialling different planning approaches and continuing to develop assessment practices that provide continuity of children’s learning across the centre. Teachers work alongside children and engage in conversation with them. They could now reflect on how well their questioning strategies extend and deepen children’s learning.
The teaching team comprises fully and provisionally registered teachers, and teachers who are in training. The centre manager and operations manager work collaboratively to provide professional and knowledgeable leadership support for staff. A key priority is building partnerships with parents. The use of online assessment is increasing communication between teachers and whānau.
Self review processes are becoming very well developed. Professional learning and development is strengthening teachers’ skills, knowledge and practice and improving outcomes for children. External support has assisted in the development of a new teacher appraisal processes.
The Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) provides a strong governance framework and professional support. Established policies and procedures guide the operation of the centre, and well documented long term plans support centre development and improvement.
Managers have identified that the next steps for centre development include:
Before the review, the staff and management of ELCM - Takanini 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 ELCM - Takanini will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
20 November 2015
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 |
Takanini, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
46356 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
96 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
118 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 50% |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
28% |
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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 |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2015 |
||
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Date of this report |
20 November 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO reports |
||
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.