ElimKids Preschool

Education institution number:
65614
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
51
Telephone:
Address:

625 Main Road, Stoke, Nelson

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ElimKids Preschool

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool is a church-owned service that operates as a charitable trust. The governing board includes trustees, proprietors, parent representatives and staff. The service has a culturally diverse roll, including small numbers of Māori and Pacific children. Some progress has been made in relation to the key next steps in the March 2020 ERO report related to strengthening te ao Māori and improving the premises and facilities.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and teachers actively promote the shared philosophy and Christian values in the curriculum. Children experience relationships with teachers that are reciprocal and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Space and time are provided for children to lead their own learning. Tuakana -teina relationships are fostered (older children supporting the learning of younger children). Teachers support children’s developing social and emotional competence. Infants and toddlers benefit from attentive teachers who support their developing skills and interests.

Children have some opportunities to learn about the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. The learning environment is resourced in ways that support Māori language, culture and identity. Teachers are yet to actively integrate and use meaningful te reo Māori and pūrākau across the breadth of the curriculum.

Teachers have established learning-focused relationships with parents. This is evident in the way parents contribute to their children’s ongoing learning and development and share their aspirations for their children’s learning. Parents have regular opportunities to contribute to the service’s programme and operational documents. Leaders and teachers are beginning to explore the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. They are yet to use these outcomes to clearly show children’s developing capabilities, learning and progress overtime.

The centre manager is well supported by a kaitiaki. The leadership model provides teachers with opportunities to grow their leadership capabilities, including engaging in relevant professional growth cycles and targeted professional learning.

Those responsible for governance and management allocate resources that align with the service’s philosophy and reduce barriers to participation in the service. A self-identified area of improvement is to explore ways to be more culturally responsive at the governance level. Leaders and teachers are working to establish the conditions and a framework to do and use evaluation for improvement. Aspects of internal evaluation require strengthening. These include using measurable indicators of good practice at all stages of the evaluation process to better know what is working or not, and for which learners.

4 Improvement actions

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • More intentionally use Te Whāriki learning outcomes in assessment, planning and evaluation to show children’s developing capabilities and learning progress over time.

  • Leaders and teachers to increase the use of meaningful te reo Māori and pūrākau across the breadth of the curriculum.

  • Use evaluative questions and measurable indicators in evaluation and professional growth cycles to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching, and the difference made to improving learning outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool 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.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

16 October 2023 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool

Profile Number

65614

Location

Stoke, Nelson

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 13 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

62

Review team on site

July 2023

Date of this report

16 October 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, March 2020; Education Review, December 2016

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool - 04/03/2020

1 Evaluation of Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool

How well placed is Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool is located behind the Elim Christian Centre. It is a church-owned early learning service that operates as a charitable trust. The Elim Christian Church Pastor is the licensee of the centre and the board chair. The governing board is made up of proprietors, parent representatives and staff. The centre manager and assistant manager are responsible for the day-to- day operation of the service.

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool caters for the specific care and educational needs of children from birth to six years old. Most staff are qualified and registered teachers. The centre trains and supports a number of staff to become early childhood teachers.

Leaders and teachers have maintained the positive aspects identified in the 2016 ERO review. They have worked with the Ministry of Education and used external expertise to develop areas identified for improvement. This includes teachers' assessment, planning, internal evaluation and appraisal processes; and the board's strategic planning systems.

The centre philosophy, vision and values promote a ‘learning community that emphasises Christian values that respect the people and cultures of Aotearoa and enable all to grow and achieve their potential’.

The preschool is a member of the Stoke and Tahunanui Kāhui Ako | Community of Learning (CoL). The manager of this service represents local early learning services on this CoL.

The Review Findings

Leaders and teachers actively promote their strongly shared philosophy, vision and Christian values. They warmly welcome families into an inclusive learning environment. Teachers foster caring and trusting relationships through modelling care and respect for one another, and for children, parents and whānau. The home languages, cultures and identities of families are acknowledged and celebrated. Teachers know children well in the context of their families and culture. They work closely with parents to encourage valued partnerships in children's learning. The board is very supportive of families and focuses on ensuring equitable outcomes for all children.

Teachers are responsive to the individual interests, strengths and capabilities of children within the child-led curriculum. They give emphasis to developing children's independence, oral language, and social and emotional skills. Children are well supported to initiate and maintain relationships and develop friendships with each other. Bicultural practices are increasingly integrated into the curriculum in ways that are meaningful to children and respectful of tangata whenua and Māori culture.

Teachers work collaboratively with families and external agencies. They take collective responsibility for fostering children’s wellbeing and learning. Children with additional needs are well supported to experience success.

Infants and toddlers benefit from responsive and nurturing interactions with teachers who promote a curriculum of care. Teachers work closely with whānau to provide familiar routines that promote a sense of security, belonging and wellbeing.

Parents are well informed about children's interests and learning progress through daily conversations with teachers and well-written personalised learning records.

Leaders focus on building teacher capabilities and leadership capacity through regular and relevant professional development and mentoring. Strategic and annual planning provides clear directions for continuous improvement and positive outcomes for children. Priorities are well aligned to the centre philosophy, vision and values, and to key centre operations.

Key Next Steps

The board, leaders teachers and ERO have identified that:

  • a major undertaking for the proprietors and governance team will be a focus on improving and developing preschool facilities
  • priority should be given to strengthen understandings of te ao Māori and Pacific cultures to build culturally responsive practices and curriculum provision
  • the teaching strategies in programme planning should be evaluated to determine how well they are adding depth and complexity to children's learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

4 March 2020

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

65614

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 13 aged under 2

Service roll

67

Gender composition

Girls 33; Boys 34

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Pacific
Other Ethnicities

15
30
3
19

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

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

December 2019

Date of this report

4 March 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

December 2016

Education Review

July 2013

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool - 15/12/2016

1 Evaluation of Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool

How well placed is Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

While well placed, with additional support to build the capability and capacity the centre will become better placed to further improve positive outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool is located behind the Elim Christian Centre in Stoke. This church-owned service provides education and care for up to 40 children, including 13 aged up to two years. The centre is arranged with separate spaces for children under two and older children, each with its own outdoor play area. Plans are in place for the ongoing development of the facilities.

As part of the church community, the centre's mission includes supporting the local community and families. Since the 2013 ERO review, there are more families from a wider range of cultures using the service.

The centre has a governance team with representatives from parents, the centre and the church. The centre operates under the leadership of a manager, supported by an assistant manager and a team of teachers. Most of the staff who were present at the time of the 2013 ERO review remain at the centre. Many work part time. This centre aims to be known as one which trains and develops early childhood teachers. As a result, there is a range of qualification levels among staff from untrained teachers to teachers in training, to fully qualified staff.

The Review Findings

The centre philosophy, including Christian values, are visible in the environment and well reflected in practices. Staff members provide children and their families with a welcoming environment.

Staff members focus on promoting positive, nurturing, comforting relationships with children. Conversations between teachers and children are respectful and adults encourage children to participate in the programme.

Staff members provide children with a wide range of engaging play activities and learning experiences. They make good use of excursions in the local community, and visitors to the centre, to extend children's understandings of their local and wider community and the people within it.

Children are actively engaged in a calm, settled environment. Staff members regularly notice children's interests and extend on these effectively through the programme. Staff make appropriate efforts to recognise and celebrate children's languages and cultures, including Māori and Pacific.

The centre is effectively increasing its links with local schools to better support children as they make the transition from early childhood to primary schooling.

An important part of the centre philosophy is promoting positive relationships with families and providing additional support and links to other agencies when needed. The environment is inclusive for staff and children and provides good opportunities for children to see people's unique talents and qualities recognised and appreciated.

The centre has a strong commitment to supporting student teachers in training. This is assisted by a supportive andencouraging environment among teachers.

Teachers have used self review to regularly reflect on and make positive changes to aspects of their practice and centre policies. They have made good use of research to inquire into practice and ongoing professional learning and development opportunities.

There is a well-defined governance and management structure supporting centre operations and development.

Key Next Steps

Staff members at this centre have a wide range of experience and qualifications in early childhood education. They are at varying levels in their understanding on how to best support children's learning. ERO recommends:

  • strengthening assessment and planning practices, including developing clearer guidelines for staff on expectations for learning stories

  • supporting staff to use a wider range of teaching strategies to extend children's learning

  • developing appraisal procedures that better align with Education Council guidelines

  • developing clearer procedures to guide practice for self review so that staff capacity to undertake robust self review is supported

  • strengthening the governance board's strategic planning practices.

ERO has requested an action plan of how the service provider plans to address the next steps identified in this report.

Recommendation

ERO recommends the centre works with the Ministry of Education to seek external professional learning and development to support the improvement of planning, assessment and self-review practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool 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.

During the onsite stage of the review ERO identified some centre practices and documentation that needed to be strengthened. These included extending risk-analysis management planning for excursions, clarifying medication authorisation and acknowledgement practices and extending procedures for how complaints will be responded to. Since the onsite stage of the review the centre has made improvements to these practices.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Elim Kiwikids Childcare Preschool will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

15 December 2016 

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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. 

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service 

Location

Stoke, Nelson

Ministry of Education profile number

65614

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 13 aged under two

Service roll

76

Gender composition

Boys 42; Girls 34

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Asian

Other Ethnicities

15

46

2

8

5

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

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2016

Date of this report

15 December 2016

Most recent ERO reports 

Education Review

July 2013

Education Review

June 2010

Supplementary Review

March 2007

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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.

Review Coverage

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.