Etu Ao - Saeala

1 Evaluation of Etu Ao - Saeala

How well placed is Etu Ao - Saeala to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Etu Ao-Saeala is one of three licensed home-based education and care networks in Porirua City that are governed and managed by He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Free Kindergarten Association Incorporated (the association). This is a new kindergarten association created from joining the Rimutaka and Wellington Kindergarten Associations in 2014. The board and managers provide governance for the organisation.

This network was licensed in 2012, as the first Pasifika home-based service in New Zealand. Children receive an early childhood experience in their home language and culture. All three networks, Etu Ao-Niu, Etu Ao-Saeala and Etu Ao Le Aute, work closely together and are led by fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers. They are supported by an association senior teacher, and members of the association's Pacific strategic 'Amataga' team, including the manager and senior manager, for communities and participation. Well-established relationships with external agencies assist the association in promoting engagement, well-being and participation for children, families and aiga.

At the time of this review, there were 16 'TONI' (teach, observe, nurture, in-home) educators. They represent a diverse mix of ethnicities, offering skills and experiences from their own cultural backgrounds. As part of the association's commitment to quality home-based care and education all educators have a minimum Level 3 nationally recognised Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education.

The association resources each network with vans, drivers and driving assistants for those families requiring transport for children between their homes and the educators' homes.

Educators regularly use playgroups at three association kindergartens, Nuanua, Toru Fetu and Katoa, in Porirua. All playgroups are led by fully qualified, registered early childhood teachers who work alongside the educators and visiting teachers.

The service's philosophy emphasises the importance of providing quality home-based education and care for infants, toddlers and young children and upholding the values, aspirations, language and culture of the families, whānau and fanau. Underpinning this are core association values of nurturing children's mana, quality, partnership, honesty and transparency and integrity.

This is the first review for Etu Ao-Saeala. Since it began, there has been significant growth in the numbers of children and families in the network.

This review was part of a cluster of three home based services and three kindergarten reviews in He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Kindergartens.

The Review Findings

The in-home curriculum successfully provides experiences that extend children's interests, language development, and social learning. Children actively take part in a wide range of play activities. Sensitive, respectful interactions acknowledge what children and families bring to the setting, valuing their language, culture and identity.

Infants and toddlers benefit from relationships with visiting teachers and educators who are responsive to their interests, strengths and care needs. Educators are carefully chosen to meet the needs and wellbeing of children and families.

There are good opportunities for children to learn about healthy eating and active movement. Trips in the community and the playgroups continue to enrich children's experiences.

There are many ways for parents and families to feel a sense of connection to Etu Ao-Saeala. These occur during induction and transitions, regular events, cultural celebrations, newsletters and with information shared in children's learning journals and portfolios. There is a strong focus on building trusting relationships with families, in ways that promote Pacific values of respect and service.

Inclusive practice is highly evident. Barriers to participation are identified and effective strategies put in place to increase the levels of engagement and participation. Staff provide children with positive ways of understanding and celebrating difference. Diversity is valued and nurtured through the strength of relationships.

Playgroups are valued and keenly attended. They provide regular opportunities for children, educators and families to get together, share ideas and interact. The playgroup programme is responsive to the context of the community and its families.

Educators record children's daily experiences in learning journals. As a result of a review these now provide more useful information about the day's significant events and what educators have noticed about children's interests and learning.

Portfolio books acknowledge, celebrate and support the importance of children's first language learning, culture and identity. They show the knowledge that visiting teachers and educators have about children and their families. Visiting teachers share examples of ways educators can enhance what they notice about children's learning and how they respond to this, and provide ideas to extend learning. The 2016 planned review of portfolios should be useful in continuing to support and involve educators to have a greater role in undertaking these records of learning.

Visiting teachers, with good support from managers, gather useful and relevant information to inform curriculum decisions. Staff and educators are very well supported to grow their practices that promote children's wellbeing, culture and learning.

Strong leadership from the association's Amataga team and senior teacher assists staff in increasing knowledge and cultural understanding. Leadership is improvement-focussed. Decision making is well-considered supportive, collective and collaborative. Opportunities for children, educators and staff to lead are encouraged and supported. Visiting teachers work well together.

Visiting teachers continue to work with the association's Kaitiaki o Kaupapa Māori in further growing their knowledge of te ao Māori. There are clear and deliberate ways that Pasifika participation and engagement are encouraged and promoted. As well as a very strong commitment to the talanoa process and growing educationally powerful connections with and for its community.

Etu Ao home-based care and education has a clear vision and purpose that sets its direction. The philosophy and core values are strongly evident and enacted. There are high levels of care and support for educators and families. The association promotes equity and excellence for children and families through its integrated service model and partnerships with external agencies.

Health and safety processes are sound, rigorous and effective. Comprehensive systems are in place to assist with daily operations.

Ongoing training is responsive to the association needs and to individual goals, strengths and interests of staff. Opportunities for educators to grow their knowledge are purposeful, planned and strongly supported by the association. This empowers educators to experience success and develop their knowledge, and supports them to gain further training. The association has begun to gather data to show the impact of training on improving outcomes for children. ERO affirms this direction.

The revised association model of appraisal is being implemented. The process is focussed on goals to build capability and clear links with the practising teacher criteria. Continuing to incorporate cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners is an ongoing focus.

Self-review at visiting teacher and management level is very well understood. The sound framework supports in-depth inquiry and leads to positive change and improvement to teaching and learning. Continuing to extend knowledge to know about the effectiveness and impact of practices, programmes and policies is an agreed next step.

Key Next Steps

Etu Ao managers, staff and visiting teachers are clear about their future focuses for ongoing improvement. These include continuing to develop processes for growing the practice of visiting teachers and educators.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Etu Ao - Saeala completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Etu Ao - Saeala will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

3 June 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 Home-based Education and Care Service

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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014

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.