1 Commerce Lane, Te Puke
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 Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakatō Emerging |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whāngai Establishing |
Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Service is a mixed-age service formed in May 2020, through merging Giggles Rainbow Kidz and Giggles Bizzy Beez. The philosophy emphasises community, whanaungatanga and ako. The teaching team take shared responsibility for the day-to-day operation and strategic decision making alongside the director.
Children experience a curriculum that enhances their identity as successful learners. They lead their own learning with support from teachers. Tuakana teina relationships are established through play that encourages infants’ and toddlers’ involvement. Strength-based individual assessment reflects progress over time. Children are confident and engaged in learning.
Parent-teacher partnerships positively influence the curriculum and direction of the service. Many parents take opportunities to talk with teachers about their hopes and dreams for their children, discuss progress and feed into operational decisions. Children’s learning is connected to the context of their family.
The curriculum largely reflects the cultures, languages and identities of those children enrolled. Learning activities and whānau events share and celebrate the different cultures evident at the centre. Te reo and tikanga Māori are integrated into the programme. However, opportunities for children to learn about places and things of importance to local iwi are not clearly visible.
A deliberately designed curriculum, based on the new vision and philosophy, is yet to be created. Teachers are starting to consider shifts in teaching practice required to support children within a mixed-age setting. The service’s learning priorities to guide intentional teaching are still to be defined.
A purposeful shift to shared leadership has established trust amongst the team. An ongoing relationship with an external provider gives stable pedagogical leadership. Teachers collaborate to build their practice through engaging in professional learning and critical reflection. Children, including those requiring additional support, benefit from teachers’ consistency in approach.
Teachers are beginning to build their knowledge and understanding of effective internal evaluation. Ongoing inquiry and action research support the team to reflect on their teaching practice. They are yet to consider what is and is not working, and for which groups of children.
Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre 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.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS17].
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO has also been provided with evidence of all required components of safety checks having been completed (GMA7a).
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
24 May 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 40268 |
| Location | Te Puke |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 18, Indian 20, NZ European/Pākehā 9, Pacific 3. |
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Review team on site |
February 2021 |
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Date of this report |
24 May 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2017; Education Review, April 2015. |
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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.
Giggles Bizzy Beez is a privately owned early childhood centre located in Te Puke. It provides education and care for children from two years to school age. Bizzy Beez is one of two Giggles centres situated on the same site. The adjacent Giggles Rainbow Kidz centre caters for children under the age of two years. Bizzy Beez is licensed for 40 children. Its roll of 39 includes 14 Māori children and 15 children of Indian descent.
The centre's philosophy makes a commitment to creating an environment that excites children's curiosity.
The previous ERO in 2015 review identified a need to strengthen key aspects of centre operations about:
professional leadership
strategic planning
staff appraisal
self-review processes
the provision of learning resources.
Since the 2015 ERO review there have been significant changes in the teaching team including the appointment of a new team leader. A spacious grassed outdoor play area has been purchased by the owners to extend children's play spaces. Giggles Educare Limited management and staff have been involved in significant professional learning and development provided by the Ministry of Education.
Centre owners are clearly focused on promoting positive outcomes for children. They have benefitted from extensive professional learning and development to strengthen their governance knowledge and to build leadership and teacher capability. Under the guidance of their external professional advisor centre owners have developed:
respectful and reciprocal relationships with teachers
robust teacher appraisal processes that aligns to Education Council requirements
a meaningful strategic plan that provides a clear direction to promoting positive outcomes for children.
Children benefit from improved and responsive centre governance that is focused on providing a quality service.
Centre leadership is becoming more effective. Ongoing professional development is supporting leaders to further strengthen their leadership, teaching knowledge, and expertise. Leaders model good quality teaching practice. They are working with the centre owners and teachers to establish a more collaborative approach that utilises teacher's strengths and interests. Improved centre leadership is contributing to building teacher capability to provide positive outcomes for children.
Significant improvements have been made to the centre's curriculum. The programme is now more responsive to children's emerging interests. Children's involvement in uninterrupted sustained play is supported by the implementation of well-managed flexible meal times. Literacy and mathematics concepts are well integrated through children's play. Children's learning is enhanced by frequent visits into the local and wider community. A special feature of the programme is the recognition and celebration of the centre’s cultural diversity. Māori children’s sense of identity and belonging are promoted through daily karakia, the regular singing of waiata, and the celebration of significant events for Māori. Teachers are continuing to develop their confidence to use te reo Māori with children. Children benefit from participating in a broad programme that is increasingly responsive to their interests.
Centre owners and teachers have undertaken an extensive review of the centre environment and resources. This review has led to significant improvements to children's access to good quality resources and considerable development of the outdoor play spaces.
Teachers have strengthened the centre's assessment practices. These improvements reflect the professional learning undertaken by teachers and centre leaders. Individual profiles more consistently acknowledge children's learning as well as participation in the programme. They are easily accessible to children, and parents appreciate having access to an online version. Strengthened assessment practice is supporting teachers to more effectively respond to children's emerging interests, learning and parent aspirations.
Teachers are continuing to develop their teaching interactions to respond to children’s learning. They have positive and affirming relationships with children. Teachers are very responsive to meeting children's care needs. ERO observed some teachers using effective strategies that promote children's thinking and problem-solving skills. Leaders should continue to access professional development to support the consistent use of these effective strategies by all teachers.
Centre self review has been strengthened. Under the guidance of the centre’s professional advisor meaningful self-review practices are being implemented. Centre owners and teachers regularly review centre policies and procedures. Teachers undertake personal self reviews of key aspects of the programme and their teaching practice. Useful self-review processes are contributing to ongoing centre improvement and improved outcomes for children.
The key next step for the centre owners is to continue to focus on building teacher capability to respond effectively to children's emerging interest and next learning steps.
ERO recommends that the centre owners continue to access external professional development for themselves and teachers to address the key next step identified in this report.
Before the review, the staff and management of Giggles Bizzy Beez 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 Giggles Bizzy Beez will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
28 June 2017
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 |
Te Puke |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
40268 |
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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 |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
41 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 22 Boys 19 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
14 |
|
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
June 2017 |
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Date of this report |
28 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
January 2012 |
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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:
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.