ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
Governance, management, and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Halswell Preschool is one of three, family-owned early childhood education and care centres. The 2020 ERO report identified several areas for improvement. Progress has been made in strengthening the appraisal process, parents and whānau consultation, and growing te ao Māori understandings and practices. A significant number of children identify as Māori. Since ERO’s onsite visit, the service has ceased to operate.
Children experience a curriculum that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau, and life context. Adults engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and promote reciprocal relationships.
The design and layout of the premises supports a range of individual and group learning experiences appropriate to the number, ages, and abilities of children attending. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to extend their learning and development.
There are suitable systems for governing and manging the service, including an annual plan which identifies the key tasks to be undertaken each year. Reasonable steps are taken to maintain health and safety requirements within the service.
Next steps include:
continuing to build shared understanding of the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki and use these in planning assessment and evaluation practices to better show children’s learning and progress over time
further developing ways to gather parents’ aspirations for their children’s learning.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
26 April 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Halswell Preschool |
|
Profile Number |
65082 |
|
Location |
Hallswell |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
26 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
17 |
|
Review team on site |
October 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
26 April 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, January 2020; Education Review, October 2016 |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
discussions with those involved in the service
consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Halswell Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Halswell Preschool is one of two small, family-owned early childhood education and care centres. Both centres operate under the same governance, management and administration structure. Halswell Preschool is licensed for 26 children, including up to eight under the age of two. It has two separate areas to cater for the specific needs of infants and toddlers, and for older children up to school age.
A centre manager works closely with the owner to oversee the day-to-day operation of the service. All teachers are fully qualified. Leaders have maintained the positive aspects of the service identified in the 2016 ERO report while also developing internal evaluation, assessment, bicultural and teaching practices. Professional links to the local community include involvement in Waimariri-iwi Kāhui Ako.
The centre’s philosophy places emphasis on the development of supportive relationships amongst children and adults. It includes a commitment to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and expresses a child-centred approach that promotes fun, challenge and children’s wellbeing.
The philosophy and valued outcomes for children are clearly evident in practice. Children are at the heart of all decision making. Each child is seen as a learner in the context of family and culture. The home language, culture and identity of families are acknowledged and valued.
Leaders and teachers actively foster positive, reciprocal relationships and inclusive practices. They promote partnerships in children’s learning with parents and whānau. Teachers value and make good use of parent voice and aspirations to plan for and support children’s learning and wellbeing.
Teachers work collaboratively to provide a child-centred curriculum that is responsive to the individual interests, strengths and capabilities of children. Children are actively involved in a range of play-based learning experiences that promote their curiosity and creativity. They have many opportunities to explore and make their own discoveries within a natural outdoor environment.
Teachers work closely with children to help develop oral language, social skills and confidence as a learner. Emphasis is placed on improving bicultural practices and integrating te reo and tikanga Māori in ways that are meaningful for children and respectful of te ao Māori.
Children under two benefit from a calm and unhurried environment. Teacher interactions are caring and nurturing. Children are involved in routines in ways that are respectful of their preferences and aligned to home routines.
Parents are regularly informed of their children’s interests and learning through well written individual learning records. Personalised and supportive transitions into the centre, between areas within the centre and onto school help to develop a positive sense of belonging for children and families.
Leaders encourage a culture of critical reflection which leads to ongoing improvements to teaching and positive outcomes for children. Strategic priorities are aligned to annual goals, internal evaluation, appraisal processes and targeted professional development.
ERO identified, and service leaders agreed, that priority should be given to:
strengthening annual strategic planning to include a process of ongoing monitoring and evaluation of key annual priorities
parent and whānau consultation on management documents and priorities
further development of appraisal processes to include formal observations of teacher practice and critical feedback and feedforward on identified goals
updating appraisal policy and procedures so that there are clear guidelines for appraisal and attestation processes, including observations, gathering evidence, and annual summary reports.
Centre leaders have identified, and ERO’s evaluation has confirmed, that other priority areas are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Halswell Preschool 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.
During the on-site stage of the review ERO identified two areas of non-compliance. This included one late police vet and a piano that needed securing to ensure safety of children in the event of an earthquake.
The service must ensure that:
The centre owner responded with urgency to these concerns during the on-site stage of the review and provided ERO with evidence that these areas of non-compliance have been addressed.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
15 January 2020
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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
65082 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
26 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
32 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 18, Boys 14 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
October 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
15 January 2020 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2013 |
||
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 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.
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Halswell Preschool is one of two preschools that are privately owned. It is licenced for 26 children with up to eight under two year olds. It provides for infants, toddlers and children up to school age. The nursery and preschool are in separate areas.
The centre's philosophy recognises parents as first teachers. It shows a commitment to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It expresses a child-centred approach and promotes fun and challenge in children's learning.
There have been a number of staff changes since the last review. All four teachers are fully qualified. The head teacher has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the centre.
The centre has made good progress in addressing the recommendations from the 2013 ERO review. This includes raising bicultural practices and improving appraisal processes, teaching practice and self review.
The philosophy is clearly reflected in the daily life of the centre. Teachers work closely with parents. They value parents' contributions and views about their child's learning. Leaders and teachers work in partnership with whānau, sharing skills that support and extend children's learning and reflect the centre's philosophy.
Children and whānau are welcomed into a respectful, family-based environment. Children are settled and confident. They relate well to each other. Older children are encouraged to support younger children in their learning programmes. Routines are flexible and promote a calm atmosphere.
Children follow their interests and teachers support them to extend their learning through a range of thoughtfully presented learning experiences. They experience a useful range of literacy and numeracy learning, which is well integrated into their programmes. Children have good access to digital devices to record their learning and share it with their families.
Teachers are increasingly including te reo Māori and tikanga Māori in the learning programmes and the centre environment. A sustainability initiative links the natural world with te ao Māori, the Māori world, in a way that is both engaging and purposeful for the children, staff and families.
Children from diverse backgrounds enjoy having their home culture and language reflected in the environment and programmes.
Children under two years old experience a thoughtfully resourced and personalised environment that supports their sense of belonging and development. They enjoy calm, child-paced routines with adults they know. Regular communication with parents ensures consistency between the centre and home.
Transitions into, within and out of the centre are well managed and are based on the child's confidence, readiness for change and discussions with parents.
Centre leaders and teachers are improvement focused. They benefit from a close relationship with the other centre, sharing purposeful professional learning, planning and resources through regular communication and hui.
Leaders and teachers work well together and are supported to develop particular strengths and leadership skills to improve outcomes for children. They are developing a culture of reflective practice. Teachers readily seek feedback to improve their practices and extend children's learning.
The centre is well organised and managed. Centre leaders have developed a clear vision, well-considered strategic goals and robust policies and procedures to guide practices.
Centre leaders and ERO agree that the key next steps are to:
further embed bicultural practices in the curriculum
strengthen assessment to clearly show children's next learning steps, group planning and evaluation practices
more clearly recognise the culture, language and identity of children's home cultures
evaluate the impact of teaching strategies on the learning programme.
Before the review, the staff and management of Halswell Preschool 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.
The next ERO review of Halswell Preschool will be in three years.
Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
3 October 2016
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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
65082 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
26 children, including up to 8 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 18; Boys 12 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Asian Afrikaans |
1 27 1 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
August 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
3 October 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
June 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2012 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2008 |
||
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.