719 Harewood Road, Harewood, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Harewood Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Harewood Playcentre operates as a parent cooperative under the governance and management of the Playcentre Federation, Upper South Island Region. The centre is licensed for 25 children, including a maximum of 15 children aged under two. The centre is open for five morning sessions a week and operates from a large community hall.
The playcentre employs two experienced coordinators who facilitate the sessions. Parents are rostered to help in the daily supervision at the centre. The Upper South Island Region employs a centre support person and an administrator who regularly visit the centre and provide support to parents and coordinators.
The centre's philosophy places a strong emphasis on the important role of parents in their children's learning and wellbeing, and on the Playcentre Parent Education Programme. The philosophy identifies the significance of play, and children and adults working together.
Since the 2014 ERO review the centre has been focused on sustaining the centre and increasing roll numbers. The areas for development in that review remain as next steps for improvement: building leadership and bicultural practices; and, improving assessment and programme planning.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Playcentre Federation, Upper South Island Region.
Children are confident, happy and are encouraged to work at their own pace. They are given the freedom and time to explore. This allows them to be purposeful and experience uninterrupted play. Good relationships are evident among children, who know each other well and develop strong friendships with one another.
Children self-select resources and lead their own learning. They play in well resourced, spacious and inviting indoor and outdoor areas. In particular, the indoor area is set up with a range of engaging experiences that stimulate children's curiosity and sense of discovery.
Children have trusting relationships with the adults and know their ideas will be listened to. Adults interact positively with their own and other children and allow children time to share their interests and ideas. The coordinators and parents plan events and excursions together based on group interests.
Adults provide good support for children under two years of age. Older children play well with younger children, and are encouraged to be fully involved in the playcentre programme.
Parents highly value the playcentre as a place to meet other community members and develop friendships. They have strong connections with each other and feel well supported within the cooperative. The playcentre has a strong relationship with the local school. Parents make good use of opportunities to visit regularly and be part of school activities. This supports children's transitions out of the centre and on to school.
The playcentre needs to develop strategic planning that identifies key priorities for improvement and provides clear directions for the future. The process for internal evaluation is at an early stage of development and needs to be improved. Assessment and planning documentation require further strengthening in order to better identify children's learning over time and improved outcomes.
The parent cooperative and ERO agree that the key next steps include:
improving strategic planning processes and regularly recording progress towards goals
developing a better understanding of the process of internal evaluation, involving parents more and reviewing the parent and coordinator roles
increasing bicultural practices in the programme and in documentation
more clearly showing next steps for children's learning and the actions that will be taken to that
making better use of assessment information to inform programme planning.
ERO recommends that the Upper South Island Regional Hub support the centre to address the key areas for improvement identified in this report.
ERO will maintain an ongoing relationship with the playcentre to monitor and evaluate progress against these key areas for improvement.
There continues to be significant change occurring with the playcentre's governance and management at regional and federation levels.
Before the review, the staff and management of Harewood 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:
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 Region
15 May 2019
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.
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70064 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
41 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 18 ; Girls 23 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
39 |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2019 |
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Date of this report |
15 May 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |
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Education Review |
July 2010 |
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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 |
Harewood Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Harewood Playcentre operates under the guidance of the Canterbury Playcentre Association. The Playcentre is a parent cooperative with parents encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the programme and operation. Harewood Playcentre operates five morning sessions a week.
The playcentre is located in a hall that is shared with the community. Parents set up and pack away before and after each session. The centre has two long-term experienced coordinators.
The playcentre has been through some unsettling times as a result of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. The hall was frequently closed and the playcentre operated from a classroom in the adjoining Harewood School. Parents and children enjoy a range of activities inside the centre, and with students at the school.
Since the July 2010 review, coordinators and parents have improved child-led play and extended opportunities for children to use literacy in the context of play.
This review was part of a cluster review of seven playcentres under the Canterbury Playcentre Association.
The coordinators and parents provide a positive, friendly and welcoming environment. Parents relate well to each other, and to all children. Parents and children feel a sense of belonging and form strong friendships.
Children play well together. New families are made to feel welcome and are well supported into the playcentre way.
The inside and outside play areas are well organised, attractively presented with a good range of equipment and activities that interest infants and older children. The area for under two-year-old children has been improved. This includes more space, a mat and a good range of suitable toys for toddlers and infants.
Older children confidently make choices about their play. They lead their own learning and follow their interests. Parents and coordinators enjoy and encourage children’s imaginative play.
Children and parents enjoy interesting experiences inside and outside the playcentre, often joining Harewood School’s activities.
The coordinators and parents have made some progress identifying and including some bicultural perspectives into the centre’s environment and programme. The coordinators are attending professional development which is helping them to learn more about Māori culture.
The coordinators and parents are developing their understanding of self review.
The association has effective systems and practices for monitoring health and safety, and parent involvement in the centres. The association’s support team visits assist centre staff to meet the association's expectations for the daily operation of the centre.
The association centre support team provides a vital link between the parents and the association. In centres where this link is strong, ERO found the centres received good quality targeted support. In these centres the coordinators and parents worked effectively as a parent cooperative. They had well defined roles and responsibilities and were able to provide evidence that the centre’s programme was extending children’s learning.
The association is undertaking major restructuring. A new manager was appointed in April 2014. The playcentre philosophy provides a good foundation for the association to build its vision and make the changes for the organisation and its centres. Plans to support the achievement of this vision have yet to be put in place.
Next steps for the association should include:
The playcentre association, coordinators and parent supervisors should review:
The association and coordinators have acknowledged they are ready to develop goals and plans that link to self review, professional development and the coordinator’s appraisal. This will ensure progress and the improvement of the programme and learning outcomes for all children can be monitored and improved.
Before the review, the staff and management of Harewood 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 Harewood Playcentre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
16 July 2014
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 |
Harewood, Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70064 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
52 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 29 Girls 23 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā South African |
2 46 4 |
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|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2014 |
||
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Date of this report |
16 July 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
July 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2007 |
||
|
Supplementary Review |
April 2004 |
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.