Geraldine Preschool Incorporated

1 Evaluation of Geraldine Preschool Incorporated

How well placed is Geraldine Preschool Incorporated to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Geraldine Preschool Incorporated is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Geraldine Preschool Incorporated is a rural, community-based early childhood service for up to 75 children, including 15 children aged under two-years of age. It is governed by an elected board of parent representatives.

Children come from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds. There are three separate, spacious indoor and outdoor areas for infants, toddlers and preschool children. Older children enjoy a large attractive outdoor environment, while infants and toddlers have their own well-considered and appealing area.

The centre's philosophy is to foster respectful relationships and a sense of security and belonging for children. Te ao Māori principles and sustainable practices are valued and incorporated across the service. Children are supported to extend and lead their own learning through a holistic approach that builds on their interests, knowledge and strengths.

Since the 2016 ERO review, the service has undertaken some changes to its leadership structure. A senior head teacher now has overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations and is supported by the head teachers of each room. Most staff are both registered and qualified early childhood education teachers.

Leaders and teachers have responded positively to recommendations in the 2016 ERO report. There is an improved understanding and use of bicultural practices. Assessment, planning, evaluation and internal evaluation have also been improved.

The preschool is a Green-Gold Enviroschool. It is also an active member of the Ka Awa Whiria Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning. Leaders are involved with many other local community and educational groups.

The Review Findings

The centre's philosophy is clearly evident in practice. Teachers provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. They are highly responsive to individual children's interests, needs and strengths, and engage with them in calm and caring ways. Children's development and independence are well supported through a wide range of effective and deliberate teaching strategies. Sustainable practices are highly evident throughout the programme and environment.

Children regularly have opportunities to hear and experience te reo and tikanga Māori, which is incorporated across the programme in meaningful and appropriate ways. Māori children are encouraged to share their culture and knowledge with other children, their teachers and whānau. Teachers are starting to learn about Pacific language and culture and to include some aspects in centre activities.

Teachers know children and their families well. They build positive and reciprocal relationships to promote children's learning and wellbeing. Parents are actively encouraged to engage in and contribute to their children's learning. Carefully planned, flexible transitions into, within and beyond the centre promote children's sense of belonging and wellbeing.

Infants and toddlers are nurtured in an environment that is calm and settled, with unhurried routines. Relationships are respectful, with interactions being positive and engaging. Teachers are responsive to children's developmental stages.

Teachers work collaboratively and are well supported by leaders to reflect on and improve their teaching and build leadership capability. There has been an emphasis on building a shared capacity across the teaching team to ensure quality planning and assessment, internal evaluation and appraisal. Teachers are provided with useful professional development and frameworks to support their understanding and implementation of new systems.

The centre is well managed and led by the leadership team and board. A strength of the service is the strong community connections, which are very well used to support teaching and learning and positive outcomes for children and families.

Key Next Steps

The senior head teacher, board and head teachers have identified and ERO confirms that the key priorities are to continue to:

• build capability and capacity across teaching teams in planning and assessment, internal evaluation and appraisal to ensure consistency in practice
• gain knowledge about Pacific language and culture and incorporate this into the programme.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Geraldine Preschool Incorporated 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 Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

9 September 2019

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

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.

1 Evaluation of Geraldine Preschool Incorporated

How well placed is Geraldine Preschool Incorporated to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Geraldine Preschool is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children.

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

Background

Geraldine Preschool is a community-based centre governed by an elected board of parents. It is purpose-built and has recently been extended to include a new building for the oldest children.

The centre provides education and care for infants, toddlers and children to school age in three separate areas. An increasing number of children are from a diverse range of cultures.

Most teachers are qualified early childhood teachers. The senior head teacher has overall responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the centre.

The centre has attained the silver level within the Enviroschool's programme. It is also a member of the Geraldine Community of Learning, working with local schools and the kindergarten.

Since the 2012 review, the preschool has made significant progress to meet the recommendations in the ERO report. Teachers are focusing on recording children's learning, next steps and teaching strategies to support individual learning. They are using clear self-review processes and have made their bicultural commitment more evident in the preschool's philosophy and annual plan.

The Review Findings

Children have respectful, positive relationships with each other and their teachers. They are highly focused on their learning and chosen tasks. Children have many opportunities to explore their interests and ideas at their own pace.

Teachers provide a welcoming, inclusive environment for children and families. They have a strong focus on developing children’s independence and self-help skills. Teachers use a clear process for assessing, planning and evaluating learning for each child. They listen carefully and talk with children in meaningful ways. Teachers extend children's learning by asking challenging questions and encouraging problem solving.

Infants and toddlers experience calm, unhurried routines and interactions with adults. Teachers effectively respond to children's interests and needs in caring ways. Children enjoy easy access to explore a wide range of appropriate resources in the spacious indoor and outside areas.

Transitions into and within the preschool are well planned, flexible and focused on the needs of the child and family. Older children are effectively supported to develop the skills and confidence to successfully transition to school. The preschool has close connections with local schools and well established transition to school processes.

The centre is very well resourced. Indoor and outdoor environments are spacious and include a strong focus on the use of natural resources. There are a number of interesting outdoor spaces for children to explore and learn together.

Parents are well informed about their child's learning and preschool events. They have many opportunities to contribute and be involved in the preschool. The preschool has effective links with and is very well supported by the local community, including fundraising assistance and provision of resources.

Teachers work collaboratively. Leaders make good use of teachers' individual strengths and interests to increase team skills and knowledge. Teachers have many opportunities to be involved in a wide range of professional development.

The centre is effectively governed by the parent-led board. Centre leaders have created a clear strategic vision and plan for the centre. The strategic and annual plans are clearly linked. The senior head teacher regularly reports to the board on the progress and achievement of strategic goals.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders and ERO agree, that the next key steps to improve outcomes for children are to strengthen:

• bicultural practices and use of te reo Māori in learning programmes

• assessment, planning, evaluation and self-review processes

• the appraisal system.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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 Geraldine Preschool Incorporated will be in three years.

Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

21 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 Early Childhood 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 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.