13 Robertson Street, Frankton-Queenstown
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.
Frankton Kindergarten is licensed for 50 children. The kindergarten provides for children aged from two to five years. Children are able to attend for full-day sessions or for morning and afternoon sessions.
The 2014 ERO report identified several areas for review and development. These areas included:
This review evaluates how effectively the kindergarten has addressed these areas. There have been staff changes since the 2014 ERO review and there have been two relieving head teachers. The permanent head teacher’s position is currently being advertised.
The teachers have made good progress in addressing these recommendations. They continue to receive effective support from Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association (trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens). This support includes targeted and well-planned professional learning and development, and regular support from the education service manager (ESM). Areas of governance and management within the Association have also been well supported by personnel from Kidsfirst. This has led to positive outcomes for children, their families and teachers.
The acting head teachers and teachers have developed useful systems for assessment, planning and evaluation. Teachers meet regularly to discuss children’s interests and needs. They have begun to work with children to identify children’s next learning steps. The teachers are more aware of the teaching strategies they need to use to support children’s learning and development.
The philosophy is highly evident in the daily programme. This is shown by the:
Key features of the kindergarten are:
The teachers have developed a shared understanding of the purpose of self review. They have begun to use self review to improve aspects of teaching and learning.
The ESM has worked with teachers to ensure a more shared leadership model that takes into account the teachers' interests, strengths and skills. This approach is leading to improvements in teaching and learning.
The education service manager, head teacher and the general manager agree that the following next steps for the kindergarten are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Frankton Kindergarten 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 Frankton Kindergarten will be in three years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
28 July 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.
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Location |
Frankton - Queenstown |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5642 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
50 children from 2 to 5 years old |
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Service roll |
56 |
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Gender composition |
Girls: 29 Boys: 27 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
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 |
N/A |
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Over 2 |
1: 10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
June 2015 |
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Date of this report |
28 July 2015 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |
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Education Review |
February 2011 |
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Education Review |
February 2008 |
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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.
How well placed is Frankton Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Systems and practices at Frankton Kindergarten require further development to be effective.
The kindergarten needs significant ongoing support from the Central Otago Kindergarten Association (COKA) in order to be considered well placed.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Children at Frankton Kindergarten come from a diverse range of nationalities. The kindergarten is located at the base of The Remarkables and beside the Kawarau River.
Since the February 2011 ERO report there have been a number of changes in staffing, including a new head teacher. The kindergarten has experienced an unsettled period with a high turnover of teachers. There are some long-serving and experienced teachers on the staff.
The kindergarten provides education and care for children from three-to-five years of age. Daily sessions run from 8.30am to 2.30pm.
The 2011 ERO report identified that assessment, planning and self review needed to be improved. ERO has found that these are still key areas for improvement.
This review was part of a cluster of seven kindergarten reviews in the Central Otago Kindergarten Association.
ERO observed positive relationships between teachers and children. Children settled quickly after being warmly welcomed. They work and play alongside each other and in small groups. Parents feel comfortable and welcome in the kindergarten. Many choose to stay for short periods of time.
Children benefit from a variety of diverse and rich experiences teachers provide, such as boat building and using flowers in making soap, perfume and book marks. They play and learn in a well-resourced kindergarten environment. Teachers provide a variety of different spaces for children to choose to play and learn in.
Teachers respond well to children’s interests and expand on these. They are respectful of children and hold genuine conversations with them. Children have uninterrupted time to play. They choose when they wish to eat and the activities they get involved in.
Governance
Over the past three years the Central Otago Kindergarten Association has gone through an unsettled period. There has been a break down in governance, management and systems which has adversely affected the effectiveness and level of leadership provided to each kindergarten. This has led to the board contracting Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association (trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens) in 2012 to undertake an independent review of the management structure. Then in September 2013, Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association was contacted again to provide management support and guidance in an effort to establish robust systems, competent leadership and management. The process for redevelopment is still underway. Overall, there has been a substantial turnover of teachers across the association. New systems are being established and at the time of this review, ERO found it was too early to tell how well they would be implemented. ERO also found that the association appraisal process was not robust and needs further development.
The head teacher and teachers at Frankton Kindergarten need to develop systems to support purposeful planning, assessment, evaluation and self review. This includes:
Teachers need to develop guidelines and procedures that will help them plan better for individual children and small-group learning. They need to record planning and assessment that acknowledges children’s strengths and interests and includes:
Teachers need to evaluate programmes to show the difference they make to children’s learning.
The head teacher and teachers need to develop:
The leadership needs to be strengthened to bring about sustainable improvements to what happens for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Frankton Kindergarten 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.
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Frankton Kindergarten will be within two years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
4 July 2014
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 |
Frankton, Queenstown |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5642 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
53 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys: 27 Girls: 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Island Other |
3 46 2 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
Not applicable |
|
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
4 July 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
August 2004 |
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.