62 Whitehaven Street, Lawrence
View on mapGoldfields Kindergarten
Goldfields Kindergarten - 08/08/2017
1 Evaluation of Goldfields Kindergarten
How well placed is Goldfields Kindergarten 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
Goldfields Kindergarten is one of four kindergartens governed by the South Otago Kindergarten Association (SOKA). A head teacher has responsibility for the kindergarten's daily practice. She leads a teaching team of three in providing education and care for up to 30 children of mixed age including 10 children under the age of two. The current teaching team had been together for three months at the time of this review.
The kindergarten has made significant progress with respect to the recommendations in the ERO 2013 report.
Goldfields is part of the Tokomairiro Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako (CoL).
This review was part of a cluster of four kindergarten reviews in the South Otago Kindergarten Association cluster.
The Review Findings
Children at Goldfields enjoy positive, respectful and affirming relationships with the teachers and each other. Families are welcome and teachers encourage parents to share their expertise and be involved in children’s learning. Teachers are continuing to develop new ways to support further participation and learning-focused partnerships. Teachers have good systems to gather and include parents’ views and use these in goal setting and when evaluating progress. These practices are helping to promote positive outcomes for all children.
Children are benefiting from the extensive work done by the teachers and community to develop the kindergarten's philosophy. The philosophy clearly shows what the parents and community value for children’s learning and their commitment to strengthening bicultural practices. Teachers make effective use of the philosophy to guide their teaching and ensure a strong focus on learning. The teachers' shared understanding of agreed values and practice is evident as they work together and with children.
Children are supported to be confident, competent learners. Teachers effectively cater to the diverse learning needs and interests of children and work with parents and external agencies to support any with special needs. Younger children and toddlers are well cared for. Teachers are responsive to the verbal and non-verbal cues of this age group. The inclusion of younger children in the programme has created a family feel at the kindergarten.
Teachers use a range of ways to help children learn. They are particularly skilful in the way they use conversations to extend learning. Teachers deliberately build children’s oral language development through everyday conversations and intentional teaching. Teachers provide a programme where they help children know what they are learning and be proud of their successes. They are supported to develop leadership skills and are learning to work together, help each other and care for one another. They approach teachers to share their views and for support. They follow well-established routines and expectations for behaviour. Literacy and mathematics learning is well integrated and teachers provide good support for children preparing for school.
Teachers are focused on building the kindergarten as a bicultural learning context. They consistently integrate Māori concepts and key learning during the programme and across the curriculum. Children have learnt, use or are familiar with Māori words and phrases and can talk about their learning using these terms. Inclusion of te reo and use of Māori tikanga, values and concepts are becoming normal practice. Children are learning what it is to be a bicultural New Zealander and this is helping build families' knowledge and awareness. Teachers see this learning as life-long and an ongoing process.
Teachers have developed useful systems for assessment, planning and the implementation of teaching strategies to support learning. Assessment shows clear learning intentions, the teachers’ role and includes consultation with parents. Weekly meetings ensure teachers track children’s progress with group goals and adjust teaching strategies where needed to improve outcomes. There is good evidence of children’s individual and group learning progress over time in kindergarten records.
The teachers work and learn together as a coherent team. They reflect on practice together and support one another to keep up-to-date with current theories. Internal evaluation practices have led to improvements. There are strong links between the kindergarten's strategic goals, the teachers’ appraisal goals and teaching practice. Teachers are building strong links with the community.
The kindergarten is effectively governed by South Otago Kindergarten Association. The association has developed clear strategies to guide the services' futures. The senior teacher is providing very effective leadership, support and guidance to the kindergarten. She shows a strong commitment to ensuring positive outcomes for children. The association implements useful systems to be assured that the kindergarten meets all requirements. The board funds regular appropriate professional development, which contributes to improved teaching practices, leadership skills and bicultural inclusion.
Key Next Steps
Key next steps for the association are to:
-
strengthen the processes of internal evaluation to ensure focused investigations within the association and across kindergartens
-
continue bicultural development within the board and across documentation.
The next step for the head teacher and teachers is to strengthen internal evaluation, and use a schedule for internal evaluation to ensure things that impact most on children are regularly evaluated over time.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Goldfields 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.
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 Goldfields Kindergarten will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Te Waipounamu)
8 August 2017
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 |
Lawrence |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
80014 |
||
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
35 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls: 18 Boys: 17 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
13 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
May 2017 |
||
Date of this report |
8 August 2017 |
||
Most recent ERO reports
|
Education Review |
June 2013 |
|
Supplementary Review |
September 2012 |
||
Education Review |
December 2008 |
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.
Goldfields Kindergarten - 07/06/2013
1 Evaluation of the Service
How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?
Goldfields Educare is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children.
Context
Goldfields Educare is a community-based early childhood care and education centre supported by the South Otago Free Kindergarten Association (SOFKA). Parents and whānau are very supportive of the centre. Since the September 2012 review, the centre, in consultation with the community, has reorganised the hours of opening to ensure that the centre remains financially viable. Teachers have made significant progress in improving all aspects of the centre's operation through developing and implementing an action plan. The centre has negotiated with SOFKA to be fully governed and managed by this association in the near future.
This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in four early childhood education services within the SOFKA umbrella organisation.
Review Findings
Since the September 2012 ERO review, the teachers, with the support of the SOFKA senior teacher, have developed and implemented a detailed action plan to address the recommendations of the review report. This has significantly improved the programme, learning environment and operations of the centre. The teachers have developed a strong understanding of self review and have effectively used this to monitor their progress.
Children play and learn in an indoor environment that is now attractively displayed, well resourced, and provides contexts for meaningful learning. This has been the result of teachers reviewing and resourcing the environment. Teachers continue to monitor how effectively the environment supports children’s learning and development to make ongoing improvements in light of these findings.
Infants and toddlers attend the centre for up to three days a week. They benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with their teachers and play in an environment that is well resourced and invites exploration.
Teachers are implementing a child-centred programme which recognises children’s strengths interests and abilities. Children's views are gathered to ensure that their opinions are considered.
The teachers have worked well together to develop a shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities and agreed values. They have:
- developed a clear vision, mission, and philosophy to guide centre programmes and practices
- implemented an effective appraisal system to ensure ongoing improvement of practices
- developed a strong culture of reflection that leads to improving their practices
- promoted and enabled emerging leadership.
The team works well together. Team members have a strong understanding of the strategic plan and annual plan and how these relate to the day-to-day operations of the centre.
The senior teacher provides very good support and guidance. The head teachers of the four services meet regularly to develop their leadership and provide support for each other. This has resulted in best teaching practices being shared across the four services. SOFKA has developed a strategic plan to guide its operations. There is very good alignment of the SOFKA goals and how these are implemented at Goldfields Educare.
Key Next Steps
The teachers should continue to implement and monitor the outcomes of the 2012 action plan to ensure the progress and improvements for children’s play and learning is ongoing.
2 Legal Requirements
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Goldfields Educare Inc 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.
3 Next Review
When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
7 June 2013
Information about the Early Childhood Service
Location |
Lawrence, Otago |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
80014 |
||
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten - All Day |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
49 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls: 28 Boys: 21 |
||
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Māori Other |
25 17 7 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Meets minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
March 2013 |
||
Date of this report |
7 June 2013 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Supplementary Review Education Review |
September 2012 December 2008 August 2007 |