Busy Bees Papamoa Beach

1 Evaluation of Happy Feet Childcare Papamoa

How well placed is Happy Feet Childcare Papamoa to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Happy Feet Childcare Papamoa is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Happy Feet Childcare Papamoa is licensed to provide all-day education and care for 62 children. This includes 19 children up to the age of two. At the time of this review, there are 71 children enrolled and 19 identify as Māori. Children progress through the three learning areas based on age and learning readiness.

There have been several changes since the November 2016 ERO report. In 2017, the service was purchased by the Provincial Education Group Ltd (PEG). The group provides administrative and governance support and teaching guidance. A regional manager supports the local operation.

A new centre manager was appointed in September 2017. An acting manager is presently in the post until March 2020. Since the previous ERO review, four new teachers have been appointed. A new room catering for children aged over four years was opened in November 2019.

The centre philosophy promotes children's exploration and discovery, and respectful, reciprocal and responsive relationships.

The previous ERO report identified an area for development in relation to the flexibility of group routines to more closely align with the centre philosophy. This has been successfully addressed.

The Review Findings

The centre philosophy is evident in practice. Children learn in an environment that supports their growing independence. They are active explorers and curious learners.

Promoting strong learning relationships is a key focus for teachers. They view each family and its knowledge of their child as an integral part of their learning community. Parents and teachers increasingly share assessment information to plan children's individual learning. Leaders and teachers continue to strengthen this process. Attention should be given to how well children's culture, language and identity is reflected in their assessments.

The learning of children requiring additional support is ably promoted by teachers. Teachers work collaboratively with parents and external agencies to create purposeful and achievable goals.

Infants and toddlers benefit from responsive caregiving aligned to their need for strong and secure attachments. They have space and time to lead their own learning.

Children's transitions are well supported. New children and families are encouraged to settle at a slow and steady pace. Children progress through the learning rooms in response to their individual needs. Teachers focus on promoting the skills and ways of learning that support older children as they prepare for their move to school.

A bicultural curriculum is evident in routines and in some aspects of the programme. Leaders and teachers recognise the need to strengthen this. Further work is required to develop a whole team approach to supporting Māori children's learning.

A recently introduced online appraisal system is building teacher capability. Strengthening the quality of feedback/feedforward to teachers will better support their ongoing professional growth. Senior leaders recognise this as a next step and are modelling improved practice for middle leaders.

A clear vision sets direction for the service. PEGL guiding policies set out explicit expectations for staff. Senior leaders promote high quality teaching practice and provide ongoing support for continual improvement. They have supported teachers well through a period of change. Team consistency is developing. Internal evaluation is ongoing and contributes to improved outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Senior leaders, leaders and ERO agree that teachers at Happy Feet Childcare Papamoa should:

• continue to strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning

• continue to strengthen implementation of the newly introduced appraisal system

• further strengthen the bicultural curriculum

• develop a whole team approach to supporting Māori children's success.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Happy Feet Childcare Papamoa 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.

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

15 June 2020

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

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.

1 Evaluation of Happy Feet Childcare

How well placed is Happy Feet Childcare to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Happy Feet Childcare is a new centre that opened in November 2014 and this is its first ERO review. The centre is an all-day care and education centre located in the Golden Sands area of Papamoa. The centre operates two specialised age-group rooms one to cater for the ages of infants, toddlers and another for children two years of age to school age. The centre is licensed for 62 children including 19 under the age of two.

The centre has developed a vision statement and philosophy in consultation with staff and families. Teachers are guided by core values and virtues of respect, the importance of family, creativity and imagination, honesty and integrity, kindness and fairness, and cultivating and encouraging happiness.

Since the centre opened developments have been on going and considerable. Self-review processes have been established to evaluate the new systems and initiatives. Teachers have had opportunities to participate in a variety of professional activities, individually and as a team.

Staff share a commitment to providing a nurturing, safe and happy environment for children and their families. They conduct home visits in order to connect with whānau, to answer questions, and to allow uninterrupted time with a family to talk about their educational aspirations for their children within a safe, nurturing and respectful environment

The Review Findings

The centre provides a welcoming, home-like environment. Activities and equipment reflect an environment that values children and their families. A clear, shared philosophy based on identified needs and community aspirations enables the provision of individualised programmes focused on children’s strengths and interests.

Teachers place emphasis on developing positive, trusting and respectful relationships, and view these as an essential foundation for learning. Key teachers ensure children's smooth transitions into the centre, between the centre rooms and to school. Communication between teachers and families is open and reciprocal. Children learn in a calm and relaxed environment where their learning is supported through individualised care and respectful social interactions with skilled teachers.

The owner/centre manager is knowledgeable about current early childhood pedagogy and provides highly effective professional leadership. She is well supported by her financial manager and head teachers. Centre leaders and teachers work well as a collaborative team. They liaise with other educational organisations and professionals, accessing additional support for children and families to promote an inclusive programme.

Children have many opportunities to engage in sustained and complex learning. The environment is well resourced and provides children with challenge and choice and to be self-managing learners. Children are free to actively inquire, explore and make discoveries that build on prior learning and supports new learning. Teachers include waiata, karakia and te reo Māori into the daily programme. Literacy, mathematics, the arts, and science is naturally integrated throughout the day.

Each child has an individual learning journal that documents their learning overtime. On-line journals has resulted in parents and extended family having greater opportunities to contribute and engage in their children's learning. Teachers are becoming more familiar with children's life and home experiences, and use this information to plan meaningful activities to further extend learning. The curriculum responds effectively to the interests, strengths and abilities of all children.

Teachers are knowledgeable about the early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. They use very effective strategies that encourage children to reflect, think and problem solve. Children's interests, strengths and abilities are carefully observed by teachers and used as the vehicle to extend learning through play. Children's social competencies are supported by teachers who encourage children to develop effective communication, skills, dispositions and knowledge. Teachers value and acknowledge the language, culture and identity that Māori whānau bring to the service.

Children up to the age of two years' experience an environment that is attractive and well resourced. It provides a safe setting for children not yet mobile, unable to sit, and for those crawling and learning to walk. Infants receive one-to-one care interactions with a key teacher who works in partnership with parents. In addition, teachers maintain a calm and slow pace so infants and toddlers have time to make decisions. Teachers in this area are attuned to children’s rhythms and provide infants with warmth, nurture and respect.

Self-review is systematic, ongoing and responsive to identified priorities. It influences and improves all practices in the centre, leading to the delivery of high-quality care and education for children.

Through their self review processes teachers have documented goals to further develop relationships with Māori whānau to enrich the bi-cultural experiences children receive, and to grow teachers' capacity to speak te reo Māori. Children’s sense of belonging is nurtured during and after transitions into and within the service, and when moving to school. The centre has developed sound foundations for providing high quality early childhood education for children and their families.

Key Next Steps

The centre manager and ERO agree there is a need to review the flexibility of group routines, and the Junior Explorers programme for extending older children. This is needed to ensure these times are more closely aligned with the centre philosophy, to support children to learn through play and self-directed learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Happy Feet Childcare 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 Happy Feet Childcare will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

17 November 2016

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

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.