Gleniti Playcentre

Education institution number:
70054
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
3
Telephone:
Address:

355 Wai Iti Road, Timaru

View on map

Gleniti Playcentre - 02/05/2019

1 Evaluation of Gleniti Playcentre

How well placed is Gleniti Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Gleniti Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Gleniti Playcentre is a parent cooperative, where parents are encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the programme and centre operation. The service provides early childhood education for children aged from birth to six years. Infants, toddlers and young children play and learn in a mixed- age group setting. Gleniti Playcentre operates five morning sessions a week.

A paid educator works with the parent group to support the curriculum, relationships, parent education and good health and safety practices. The centre employs an administration worker to assist the centre with administration, including health and safety. Parents are encouraged to participate in playcentre education training to support them in their role.

The centre's philosophy and valued outcomes place an emphasis on the child and parent working together, and families participating in and leading the learning. The philosophy and valued outcomes reflect a commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Gleniti Playcentre is one of 47 playcentres in the recently-formed South Island Southern Region (SISR) hub, which operates under the umbrella of the New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF).

A parent council oversees the day-to-day running of the centre and each member has specific responsibilities. A centre support worker (CSW) from the SISR visits regularly to provide support. An experienced facilitator works with parents to support the provision of education and care for the children.

This review was part of a group of two SISR playcentre reviews. The playcentre organisation is nearing the end of an extensive restructure and review. From 2019, all playcentres will be part of a national group known as Playcentre Aotearoa.

The Review Findings

The playcentre's philosophy and beliefs about teaching and learning are evident in centre programmes and practices. Parents are welcomed and valued as educators of their children, and are well supported to build an understanding of the playcentre philosophy and how children learn best. They work collaboratively and constructively to ensure ongoing improvements to outcomes for children.

Parents know their own and other children well in order to support their learning. They are highly responsive to individual needs. Parents follow children's interests and are actively involved in planning to support and extend learning across the breadth of the curriculum.

The curriculum is based around children's identified interests, which are extended through play-based learning. Children are involved in decisions about their learning programme and their learning environment. The centre's inclusive and nurturing environment provides good support for children's wellbeing and learning. There are plenty of opportunities to explore their interests and build their developing physical capabilities. They are confident in the mixed-age group setting of the centre which enables older children to play with and support younger ones.

The learning environment is well resourced and used. It supports learning across the curriculum areas. Resources are purposefully set out and used to encourage children's exploration, engagement and wonder.

The planning for individual children has been strengthened and is better promoting and supporting intended learning outcomes for children. Assessment and planning processes are now becoming more aligned to Te Whāriki, the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum (2017).

The centre has developed a useful process for self review. It is used to identify areas for improvement and develop plans to improve outcomes for children over time.

Key Next Steps

The centre has identified and ERO agrees that the next steps needed to ensure positive outcomes for children are to:

  • strengthen aspects of assessment, planning and evaluation, and guidelines for their use
  • develop ways to encourage parents to participate more in the self-review process
  • ensure self review is well linked to intended outcomes for children.

Governance

NZPF has developed, and is implementing, a clear national and regional management structure. Some of the new roles have had a very positive impact at centre level, with parent council members valuing the increased support they receive.

Of particular significance are:

  • the centre administrator role which provides sound monitoring of health, safety and compliance
  • the centre support worker who visits regularly to share best practice and monitor the quality of learning and teaching
  • the role and availability of a facilitator to role model good practice and empower parents to implement effective early childhood education for their children.

Key Next Steps

The next steps for the SISR are to:

  • refine and embed the new NZPF structure, systems and processes, including monitoring and lines of reporting
  • continue to develop and strengthen the NZPF and individual playcentre internal evaluation processes and practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Gleniti Playcentre 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.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

2 May 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

Location

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

70054

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Service roll

33

Gender composition

Boys 17; Girls 16

Ethnic composition

Māori
New Zealand European/Pākehā

3
30

Percentage of qualified teachers

Parent-led service, educator with playcentre qualifications

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2019

Date of this report

2 May 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

November 2014

Education Review

December 2010

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.

Gleniti Playcentre - 07/11/2014

1 Evaluation of Gleniti Playcentre

How well placed is Gleniti Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Gleniti Playcentre is located in Timaru. It is one of five playcentres in the South Canterbury Playcentre Association. Three are playgroups and this and one other operate as fully-licensed playcentres.

Parents are very involved in their children’s education and with a paid educator they provide five sessions a week for children aged from birth to five years. They follow the playcentre philosophy of child-initiated play and ongoing adult education. In 2014 the playcentre has been encouraged by the number of new families enrolling with their children. A challenge at the time of this review was the news that the centre must relocate to new premises by mid 2015. In addition the association is facing challenges and uncertainty as the Playcentre Federation undergoes a period of change.

The playcentre has made some progress in many areas since the last review and has a positive reporting history with ERO.

This review was part of a cluster of two reviews in the South Canterbury Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Children and their families benefit from the very strong sense of community at Gleniti Playcentre. The parents work well together to ensure the effective running of the playcentre and are actively involved in their children’s learning. Families provide ongoing support for each other in times of need.

Children play and learn in well-resourced indoor and outdoor areas. There are many interesting resources to stimulate their curiosity, foster creativity and develop physical skills. Younger children are well provided for. There is an area for infants and toddlers with suitable toys for this age group.

Parents of younger children stay with them and parents of older children take turns to stay and help the educator provide the programme. Parents who are helping bring in materials for activities that children may be interested in, such as baking, special stories or art ideas. ERO observed parents joining children's play and sensitively following their lead. Children settled quickly into play and confidently made choices about where to play and what they wanted to do.

As part of this review, ERO considered how well the programme and educator and parents were helping children to become capable and confident mathematics learners. ERO found there were many opportunities in the daily activities for children to explore and learn mathematics concepts, such as, sorting, measuring and counting. The parents have determined that mathematics is an important learning priority for their children and have included this in their strategic plan. They have begun a review of mathematics and now need to complete this to show how well they are providing for mathematics and what they can do better.

The paid educator effectively works alongside the parents to support children’s learning. This is evident in the way she:

  • is a role model when working with children to build on their ideas and develop their thinking and learning
  • works with parents to build her own and their understanding of how best to plan for and assess children’s learning
  • encourages parents to be their child’s first teacher.

The South Canterbury Playcentre Association has provided the centre with policies and guidelines about how to operate as a playcentre. The educator and parents use these to ensure the efficient overall running of the centre. The parents have developed their own vision for the centre and a useful strategic plan to guide the centre developments.

Key Next Steps

ERO, the educator, and parents agree that the next steps for Gleniti Playcentre to improve outcomes for children are to continue to find ways to:

  • make Māori perspectives more visible in the centre programme, and environment
  • more effectively plan for the learning of individuals and groups of children, and evaluate the progress they have made over time
  • build their knowledge and use of self review.

The association should support the playcentre in progressing these next steps.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Gleniti Playcentre 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Gleniti Playcentre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

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

Location

Timaru

Ministry of Education profile number

70054

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

20 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

37

Gender composition

Girls: 22

Boys: 15

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Asian

35

2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

Parent Led Service, Educator with Playcentre Qualifications

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:1 Parents attend with Children

Meets minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2014

Date of this report

7 November 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

December 2010

 

Education Review

August 2007

 

Education Review

November 2004

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.