Henderson Valley Playcentre

Education institution number:
22006
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
26
Telephone:
Address:

31 Farwood Drive, Henderson, Auckland

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Henderson Valley Playcentre - 07/03/2019

1 Evaluation of Henderson Valley Playcentre

How well placed is Henderson Valley Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Henderson Valley Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Henderson Valley Playcentre operates as a parent cooperative and is licensed for 30 children, including 20 up to the age of two years. Since the 2015 ERO review, the roll has increased and become more culturally diverse.

Programmes for children are underpinned by the Playcentre philosophy of parents and children playing and learning together. The vision of Henderson Valley Playcentre members is to emphasise the importance of learning through play and recognise parents as first teachers of their tamariki. Centre members support children's interests, a bicultural perspective, and the home languages of families for whom English is an additional language.

The centre offers three-hour, parent-led play sessions four days a week. It hosts a supervised weekly session for children aged three years and older, and a session for children aged under two.

The centre is part of the newly established Northern North Island Playcentre Region. Regional systems support centre members to manage their centres and to provide educational programmes for their children. Playcentre personnel also provide adult education programmes for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications.

ERO’s 2015 report recommended further development of bicultural practices and adults' professional knowledge. It also recommended that self review and strategic planning be strengthened. Centre members have responded positively to those recommendations.

This review is part of a cluster of 12 reviews in the North Island Playcentre Region.

The Review Findings

Children lead the programme, choosing from a wide range of accessible learning resources. They readily settle and involve themselves in play. Children relate confidently and talk well with adults. They benefit from high levels of engagement in play and a good focus on wellbeing. The centre culture is inclusive of diverse cultures and learners. Children have a strong sense of belonging and enjoy their friendships in a homely and stimulating learning environment.

Parents/whānau appreciate and immerse themselves in the Playcentre philosophy of learning through play. Interactions with children are positive and challenging, and provoke active engagement in the joy of learning.

Adults are adept at extending children's conversations and providing opportunities for them to sustain play and develop creativity and imagination. There are good opportunities to promote oral language, social interaction and emotional competence. Te reo, waiata and tikanga Māori are increasingly evident within the programme.

Children benefit from good indoor/outdoor flow in the learning environment. They enjoy the challenge of physical play and discovery. Parents/whānau support children's developing love for storytelling and books well. Children's learning opportunities are enhanced by regular excursions.

Infants and toddlers enjoy sharing a play environment with older children. Both younger and older children benefit from this integration in play where leadership and tuakana/teina opportunities are promoted well.

Centre members follow a distributed model of leadership that promotes their capacity building. Playcentre adult education promotes the use of effective teaching strategies that support children's learning through play. The centre has a strategic plan that is improvement focused. Centre members are developing internal evaluation processes.

The regional structure is replacing individual Playcentre Associations. Newly appointed regional personnel are making good progress building on existing systems and establishing effective regional management structures for supporting centres. Centre support workers are guided by regional centre support coordinators. Systems are being developed for monitoring the quality of programmes for children, adult education levels, and health and safety requirements.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders agree that key next steps for centre improvement include:

  • ensuring programme planning and the use of teaching strategies help children to develop complexity in their play

  • continuing to promote a bicultural programme

  • strengthening internal evaluation processes to promote ongoing improvement.

The Northern North Island Playcentre regional manager (acting) and support personnel agree that key next steps include:

  • implementing and embedding the revised Playcentre adult education programme

  • establishing a framework to evaluate the effectiveness of centre support systems, roles and processes.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Henderson Valley 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:

  • 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.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

7 March 2019

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

Henderson, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

22006

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

47

Gender composition

Girls 26 Boys 21

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese
other ethnic groups

3
29
8
7

Review team on site

November 2018

Date of this report

7 March 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2015

Supplementary Review

June 2013

Education Review

June 2012

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 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.

Henderson Valley Playcentre - 15/06/2015

1 Evaluation of Henderson Valley Playcentre

How well placed is Henderson Valley Playcentre 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

Henderson Valley Playcentre is a family cooperative and is licensed for 30 children, including 20 up to the age of two years. The centre operates as a part of of Te Akoranga Playcentre Association, which provides Playcentre’s adult education programme, frameworks of policies and procedures, and support personnel. The centre has representatives at Association level, who support bicultural practices among all members.

The Playcentre philosophy of whānau and children learning together guides centre operations. Centre whānau value the way that Playcentre promotes social opportunities for children and families.

Currently the national Playcentre organisation is in the process of a comprehensive restructure. This is likely to change the current structure of Te Akoranga Playcentre Association.

The centre offers three hour, parent-led play sessions on three days a week. The centre is used for adult education sessions attended by trainees from centres in the Te Akoranga Association. It hosts an extended supervised session for children aged 3 years and older. This programme is run by the Association and is open to families from all centres within the Association. The centre hosts sessions for first time parents that are also run by the Te Akoranga Association.

The 2013 ERO report noted that the centre required further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children. Centre members have made good progress in further improving the quality of:

  • the programme provided for children
  • management practices
  • provision for children’s health and safety.

The Review Findings

Children and their families have responsive and respectful relationships. Children are comfortable, confident and independent. They are curious about the world they live in. Children are encouraged to contribute to the learning programme and are well supported by adults.

Whānau have a good understanding about the developmental and learning needs of infants and toddlers. Children up to two years have opportunities to explore and engage with the learning environment, with parents often setting up areas of play to cater for children's specific interests. Members could consider ways to promote a stimulating curriculum for this age group in an area that is calm and where children can take their time to explore resources.

The large open spaces are accessible to children, with good flow between inside and outdoor environments. Learning opportunities for children include literacy, mathematics and the sciences. Adults communicate well with each other and with other children. They provide a programme that is flexible and responsive to individual children’s or group interests. They have developed very effective assessment processes that relate to in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Whānau have a strong commitment to promoting a bicultural curriculum and are developing their bicultural practices.

The spirit of a learning community is evident in centre practice. Good leadership approaches, with clear communications and guidelines, support new members to settle quickly into shared responsibilities. High levels of commitment from members enable the leaders to build understanding of the centre’s culture. Robust processes for self review, which are meaningful, valued and well led, are promoting positive outcomes for children.

The Association provides good support for centre members. The strategic plan provides a guide for Playcentres in the Association. The Association provides sound management and administration assistance for centres. A curriculum and programme supporter visits each term. The centre continues to rely on Association personnel to meet qualifications requirements. Association office holders are highly committed to maintaining Playcentre as a valuable early childhood education option for families.

Key Next Steps

Centre members agree that key next steps for the centre include further:

  • promoting bicultural practices so that they become more meaningful for families
  • developing adult professional knowledge through Playcentre training
  • strengthening self review, particularly in relation to the programme provided for children up to the age of two years
  • aligning the strategic plan with an annual plan that includes the centre’s goals for ongoing improvements.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Henderson Valley 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:

  • 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 Henderson Valley Playcentre will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

15 June 2015

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

Henderson, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

22006

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

33

Gender composition

Boys 22 Girls 11

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Tuvalu

3

24

5

1

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:2

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:2

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2015

Date of this report

15 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Supplementary Review

June 2013

 

Education Review

June 2012

 

Education Review

May 2009

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.