411 Wainui Road, RD2, Silverdale
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Fantails Childcare - Country are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
|
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Fantails Childcare - Country is a well-established centre in a rural setting close to Silverdale. It is one of three privately owned centres operating under the Fantails Childcare management. A group manager works alongside the centre manager, and together they lead experienced staff, most of whom are qualified teachers. The service has a positive ERO reporting history.
Children are viewed as articulate, capable learners. They engage confidently with their teachers, sharing ideas and choosing their areas of interest. The well-designed indoor play space and expansive outdoor environment provide rich opportunities for creative and imaginative play as well as supporting risk-taking and physical development. Younger children integrate well into the mixed-age setting.
Teachers work alongside children to support their learning, encouraging them to problem solve and work collaboratively with others. They skilfully integrate literacy, numeracy and science learning opportunities into the programme. Meaningful conversations promote tuakana/teina relationships in this setting where older children help to care for younger ones.
The programme is inclusive and strongly focused on children learning through play. Younger children receive caring attention in a calm environment where their independence and self-management skills are nurtured. Children with additional learning needs are well supported to fully participate in the programme.
Trusting and respectful relationships between children, teachers and families are highly evident. Responsive and reciprocal partnerships are fostered between schools and the wider community. Transitions into and through the centre are well managed.
The principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, guide planning. Teachers notice, recognise and respond to children’s interests. Their individual assessment portfolios clearly show each child’s individual learning journey.
Leaders’ and teachers’ commitment to embedding te ao Māori in the programme is highly evident. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are an integral part of centre practice.
A sound policy and management framework guides centre operations. A robust appraisal process is focused on continual strengthening of teachers’ professional practice.
Highly effective leadership is focused on sustaining high quality practice and the provision of a rich environment to enhance children’s learning. Leaders collaboratively use comprehensive evaluation processes to review the effectiveness of learning programmes. There is a deliberate focus on continually enhancing teacher practices to support children’s ongoing learning.
Fantails Childcare - Country will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Fantails Childcare - Country 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 services 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
3 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Fantails Childcare - Country |
| Profile Number | 10169 |
| Location | Silverdale, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 12 aged under two. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
56 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 7 |
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Review team on site |
April 2021 |
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Date of this report |
3 June 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2016 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Fantails Childcare-Country is in a rural setting close to Silverdale. The centre is licensed to provide full-day education and care for 50 children including up to 12 under two years of age.
A centre manager has overall responsibility for the management of staff and the programmes provided for all children. Two head teachers manage the two rooms in the centre. One room is dedicated to the nurturing and care of infants and toddlers. The other room caters for two, three, and four year old children. Allocated staff provide specific educational support for these children.
The centre staff consists of a combination of full-time and part-time teachers. Six are registered early childhood teachers and two are untrained educators. The staffing team is stable and most have been at the centre for a long time.
The current owner purchased the centre in 2010, and has worked consistently making improvements to the centre and to teaching practices. This is now one of two privately owned early childhood centres operating under Fantails Childcare management.
The previous ERO report identified that programmes engaged the children. Children were confident and articulate. Teachers developed children's interests, including numeracy and literacy learning opportunities. These features have been sustained. ERO suggested that self-review be used to place more emphasis on outcomes for children that parents aspirations be included in planning for learning. Staff have responded positively to these suggestions.
Children in this centre are settled and have a strong sense of belonging. They become part of an extended whānau and community of learners. They are socially adept and interact and collaborate well, engaging in complex conversations, and sharing their thoughts and ideas. Children with additional needs are well supported by teachers and external experts, who work co-operatively to achieve positive outcomes for children, allowing them to engage in the programme.
The programme is predominantly child-led and children explore their learning with one another. Engagement in imaginative play also prompts independent exploration and learning as children investigate and experiment with equipment and concepts. Children enjoy the rich variety and choice that the expansive outdoor learning environment offers.
Teachers value children's ideas. Children are curious and eager to learn and teachers develop programmes that encourage thinking, reasoning, measured risk taking and problem solving. Artistic activities provide outlets for imaginative thinking and creativity. A range of outdoor experiences build children's physical, creative and cognitive skills.
Teachers understand their role as facilitators who strengthen children's learning. They prepare a well-resourced and accessible learning environment that supports children to use it as a tool to direct their own learning. Teachers research children's interests to add complexity and enrichment to children's learning. Teachers know when to interact with children and when to minimise input, in order to encourage independent learning.
Teachers of younger children understand developmental stages and appropriately prompt learning and nurture children's confidence and independence. Infants' and toddlers' language and comprehension are skilfully supported.
Transition programmes ensure that children settle into the centre with ease and advance smoothly to the older children's room. Four-year old children participate in a meaningful programme where they are prepared to transition smoothly into school.
Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, principles and strands guide planning and ensure a focus on children's all round development. Teachers use the 'notice, recognise, respond and revisit' method of planning, evaluation and assessment to identify children's interests and extend learning. Teachers could now consider how the continuity and deepening of children's learning can be more effective.
Highly effective centre leadership and purposeful leadership opportunities for all teachers are a feature of the centre. Appraisals provide occasions for staff to support each other through feedback and discussions on improving their practice. Teachers take opportunities to build their colleagues' knowledge by sharing what they have learnt from professional training sessions. Some also share their knowledge and skills by mentoring team members.
Self review is used very well to promote positive outcomes for children. Centre leaders and teachers use it to consider implications for their teaching practice and centre development.
The key next steps to build on the good practice in the centre are to:
further imbed te reo Māori and tikanga Māori in the programme, and continue building reciprocal relationships with the local iwi
consistently develop progressions in children's learning
further develop policies and procedures aligned with the expectations outlined in the Vulnerable Children's Act 2014.
Before the review, the staff and management of Fantails Childcare - Country 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 Fantails Childcare - Country will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
21 September 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.
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Location |
Silverdale, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10169 |
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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 |
50 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
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Service roll |
72 |
||
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Gender composition |
Information not supplied |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā African Chinese |
4 65 2 1 |
|
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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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
July 2016 |
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Date of this report |
21 September 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2010 |
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|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
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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 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.