38 Tauranga Direct Road, RD 6, Rotorua
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Hamurana Playcentre is parent-led service that provides education and care for children from birth to school age in a mixed-age setting. It is located in Hamurana near Rotorua. The playcentre is licensed for 30 children, including 15 up to two years of age. It offers two morning sessions each week. The current roll of 22 children includes three of Māori descent and a number from other nationalities.
During 2018 playcentres are transitioning from operating as The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) with 32 regional associations to a national organisation with six offices. In the central North Island eight associations have merged into a regional hub renamed Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region (PACNIR). This region includes 95 playcentres spread over a large geographic area. During the organisation transition there is some overlap between the previous Rotorua association systems and new national approaches. At the time of this ERO review there is considerable uncertainty as new processes become established.
The new governance management structure consists of a regional manager and a centre support coordinator whose role is to access administrative and management support for the playcentre. Currently the centre receives some support for administration and a centre support worker has been recently appointed. A national professional learning and development team is in the early stages of planning for additional learning support to build members’ capability as first teachers of their children.
Parents take shared responsibility for specific leadership roles. A member with appropriate qualifications enables the centre to receive Ministry of Education funding for each session.
Centre members embrace the playcentre philosophy. Parents are valued as first and most important teachers of their children. They aim to support child-initiated play underpinned by the principles of Te Whariki.
The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO. There has been a significant increase in the numbers of children on the roll since the last ERO review in 2015. Good progress has been made with areas for development identified in the previous ERO report, related to planning and evaluating the curriculum, strengthening bicultural practices and further valuing the language, culture and identity of each child. Centre members have attended playcentre course work with a focus on building their understanding of bicultural practices. There have been improvements to the building and grounds, and the addition of new resources.
There is a need for ongoing support from PACNIR to strengthen parents' knowledge and understanding of effectively managing systems and processes related to documenting and monitoring aspects of legislative requirements, including health and safety.
This review was part of a cluster of four playcentre reviews in the Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region.
Experienced and dedicated leaders work collectively to provide strong leadership for centre operations. A useful management plan, aligned with Ministry of Education licensing criteria, guides centre direction. There would be benefit in documenting the outcomes of the goals set in this plan to strengthen internal evaluation. Leaders attend the Rotorua Playcentre Cluster meetings which provides a wider support network for parents as educators. Members volunteer to undertake specific roles and responsibilities for the day-to-day running of the centre. They meet regularly to make decisions about centre organisation and to discuss, plan and document children's learning. Leaders have established a culture of care amongst the playcentre community. Positive leadership is contributing to the ongoing sustainability of this well-established early childhood service.
Parents maintain a richly resourced, spacious and stimulating learning environment for children and their families and whānau. Children of mixed ages enjoy making choices and initiating their play with trusted adults and peers. They demonstrate high levels of social and communication skills. Children's emerging leadership is recognised and promoted by adults.
Children up to the age of two years experience nurturing and responsive care from their primary caregivers. Breastfeeding mothers maintain familiar routines and are well supported by centre members. Very young children are confident explorers in a stimulating and supportive environment.
The curriculum is well designed to promote positive outcomes for children. A strength is the way parents use their languages and share the cultural traditions from other nationalities to enrich the curriculum. Emerging literacy and mathematics skills are evident in children's conversations and the meaningful use of tools for writing and drawing. Flexible routines contribute to a calm and settled environment and children's ability to sustain their play. Trips and excursions to places of interest support children to learn about their community. Transitions are well planned. There is a sensitively managed induction programme for new families. The recent reestablishment of playcentre adult education courses supports members to continue to build their knowledge as first educators of their children.
There are some good models of assessment and planning for groups and individual children. Attractive centre displays record recent events and children's interests. Children's profile books are well maintained and accessible for them to revisit and share their learning. Adults identify and document meaningful ideas to extend children's learning. Useful end-of-session evaluations support continuity of learning for children across sessions. Adults need to take a planned approach to building their understanding and implementing the revised Te Whariki. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and contribution as they play and learn alongside adults who know them well and affirm them for their successes.
Success for Māori children as Māori is promoted. Equipment and materials reflect Māori cultural values. The Matariki celebration included planting the vegetable garden and learning about the names of the stars. Members should seek to learn about the places and stories of significance to local iwi and hapu and integrate these consistently into the programme. Māori children and their whānau benefit from the respect shown for tikanga, use of te reo and the collective whānau approach to centre organisation.
Parents model positive and respectful relationships amongst children and each other. High adult-to-child ratios support frequent and meaningful interactions with children. Adults use rich oral language to enhance children's communication and learning. They are skilled at recognising and responding to children's interests. Parents intentionally add complexity to children's learning through providing further resources, asking open questions and planning extension activities. Children have time and space to explore their interests and develop as confident, competent learners alongside supportive and well-informed adults.
The centre would benefit from more effective support from PACNIR during a time of transition. NZPF is in the process of updating existing policies to meet legislative requirements. The strategic and annual plans are yet to consistently guide regional and centre direction. A particular strength of NZPF is the two-house model initiative for governance. Te Whare Tikanga Māori promotes self-determination for Māori members through regular hui and targeted funding and enacts the partnership aspect of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
ERO has identified the need for PACNIR management to develop a strategic approach to implementing professional development for centres in relation to the revised Te Whāriki.
Playcentre members' next steps for ongoing development are to:
ERO recommends that NZPF and PACNIR give urgent priority to developing robust systems for:
Before the review, the staff and management of Hamurana 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:
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 identified areas of non-compliance related to health and safety.
NZPF needs to develop and document:
The next ERO review of Hamurana Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
16 August 2018
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 | Hamurana, Rotorua | |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 40078 | |
| Licence type | Playcentre | |
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | |
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 | |
| Service roll | 22 | |
| Gender composition | Girls 12 Boys 10 | |
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other European Other | 3 12 4 3 |
| Review team on site | June 2018 | |
| Date of this report | 16 August 2018 | |
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | May 2015 |
| Education Review | December 2011 | |
| Education Review | September 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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Hamurana Playcentre operates according to Playcentre philosophy. The centre believes that parents are the ‘first and best educators of their children’.
The centre is located in the community of Hamurana, near Rotorua. Most parents are drawn from the rural community, or from neighbouring areas. It is licensed for 30 children, including a maximum of 15 children up to two years. At the time of this ERO review, 11 children were enrolled. One of these children is of Japanese/Thai descent, and two children identify as Māori. The centre operates two sessions weekly, supervised by the group of parents sharing responsibility for children’s learning and well-being.
Since the 2011 ERO review, the centre has experienced considerable changes in membership and leadership, with leadership responsibilities being widely shared among members. The centre has addressed significant maintenance issues, and has made steady progress in improving the quality of the environment for children and their parents. These improvements have been planned and are being evaluated in conjunction with a self-review initiative led by a New Zealand Playcentre Federation professional development facilitator, as part of a Ministry of Education funded professional development programme.
Hamurana Playcentre operates under the umbrella of Rotorua Playcentre Association, which acts as its governing body. The association strongly endorses playcentre philosophy, and aims to empower parents to be the first and best educators of their children. It expects that parents will act as volunteer leaders and managers for their playcentre. The association employs staff to provide centre parents with guidance and support. The knowledgeable Operations Manager is readily available to assist with information, and an experienced Centre Support Officer attends playcentre sessions and meetings to advise and mentor members. The association receives reports from the Centre Support Officer and the centre that provide assurance of compliance with licensing, health and safety and other operational requirements.
Playcentres offer a recognised adult education qualification, designed to assist parents to provide appropriate learning opportunities for their children. The association offers training towards this qualification for all members. In addition, the association recently provided professional development through a Ministry of Education contract. An experienced tutor assisted the association and its centres to use self review to promote and evaluate the organisation’s strategic goals.
Through its strategic plan, the association provides a framework for centres to set their development goals. These relate to their Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitment, the vibrancy of their communities of learning, their recognition in the wider community, and their sustainable future.
This review was part of a cluster of six playcentres reviews in the Rotorua Playcentre Association.
Children and adults learn and develop new skills through responsive, reciprocal relationships and interactions that promote learning. The environment is thoughtfully designed to invite children’s engagement in exploring and investigating a wide variety of high-quality materials and equipment. The outdoor environment is a spacious, challenging and well-maintained natural setting for children’s active play. Siblings and children of different ages interact sociably together, supported by unobtrusive, positive guidance from their parents and other adults. Some children demonstrate confidence in early reading and writing skills. Children have well-developed oral language, confidently express their ideas, and share their learning together. They are independent, capable learners who make choices and decisions in a calm and unhurried environment.
As an outcome of successful self review, centre members have established a warm and welcoming environment. This is providing parents with opportunities to socialise and support one another to enhance children’s growth and development. Parents plan the programme based on their knowledge of children’s interests and ongoing development. Early concepts of literacy, mathematics and natural science are integrated meaningfully into children’s learning. Trips and excursions in the wider local world enrich children’s knowledge of their community. Individual portfolios record aspects of children’s involvement and experiences in the programme and celebrate their successes. Parents’ increasing knowledge of early childhood learning, and of their own children’s growth and development, contribute to the continuity of learning provided in the centre. Current self review is focused on strengthening planning and evaluation.
Parents share a strong commitment to taking leadership and responsibility for centre operations. They trust the centre to respond to the needs of parents with very young children. Parents are kept well-informed through effective communication systems. Emergent leadership is fostered, and parents are actively involved in playcentre adult education courses, many at higher levels. Parents are involved in centre decision making, use their knowledge to provide high-quality education programmes for children, and are strongly committed to enacting the playcentre philosophy and vision. The smooth running of the centre is supported by professional management of day-to-day centre operation and effective communication systems. Centre documentation is well organised and safely stored.
The centre has developed a useful framework for self review as an outcome of professional learning and practice. This framework is used regularly to identify and implement strategies for development and improvement of the centre environment and areas of play.
ERO has identified, and Hamurana Playcentre leaders agree that self-review processes could be further enhanced by making greater use of Ministry of Education tools and guidelines. Attention should be given to strengthening:
The association has agreed that recognising and celebrating the learning for both adults and children is an essential part of valuing the ‘playcentre experience’. Adding a goal to the association and centre strategic plans for identifying and building on programme successes would focus attention on the quality of learning opportunities and outcomes for children.
To implement this goal, agreed indicators are needed that identify effective teaching practices that build programme success. These indicators should include interactions that foster children’s language development, and intentional teaching strategies to engage in, and extend, children’s learning.
Consideration could also be given to including a responsibility for identifying and modelling quality teaching interactions, and providing feedback, as part of centre support visits. Including references to Ministry of Education guidelines would assist centres to evaluate their programmes and identify areas for further improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Hamurana 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Hamurana Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
4 May 2015
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 |
near Rotorua |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40078 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
11 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 6 Girls 5 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Japanese/Thai |
2 8 1 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2015 |
|
|
Date of this report |
4 May 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2011 |
|
Education Review |
September 2008 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2005 |
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.