Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West)

Education institution number:
40275
Service type:
Homebased Network
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
20
Telephone:
Address:

57A Spring Street, Tauranga

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Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) - 19/06/2020

1 Evaluation of Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West)

How well placed is Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) provides home-based education and care within the Auckland region including Waiheke Island. The service is a standard funded network. A qualified visiting teacher (VT) is responsible for the day-to-day support of experienced educators.

Since the previous ERO review the service has been purchased by Edubase Limited. A new governance structure was established in September 2019. Two directors and a national senior leadership team are responsible for service operations. A regional manager is the professional teaching and learning leader. She works closely with VTs to assist educators to provide a home-based curriculum.

The organisation's vision is to enable all tamariki to learn, grow and thrive in a home-based setting. The philosophy highlights Te Tiriti based practices and a bicultural curriculum.

This review was part of a cluster of four Home Grown Kids network reviews in the Edubase national organisation.

The Review Findings

The specific needs of infants, toddlers and young children are supported by a consistent and familiar educator. Emphasis is given to providing respectful and nurturing interactions within a small group setting.

Learning records show that the languages and cultures of children and their families are acknowledged and respected. There is a deliberate focus on developing bicultural perspectives and te ao Māori understandings. Leaders and teachers have identified that this can be further strengthened. Good modelling within the VT team is strengthening practice across the networks.

Leaders and VTs promote positive, reciprocal relationships to support educators with teaching and learning. VTs promote professional learning partnerships with and between educators. The aspirations that parents/whānau have for their children’s learning are sought, valued and responded to.

The VTs and educators use their knowledge and skills from professional learning to improve practice and to provide children with a stimulating curriculum. They are well supported by leaders to enact their role and responsibilities. Regular communication is promoting collaboration and collegiality amongst the VT team. They willingly share and discuss their work.

The VTs provide written feedback to educators about the curriculum provided for children. The quality of this information is being strengthened so that it includes evidence about children's learning and progress over time. The VT team is reflective and committed to making improvements that lead to positive outcomes for children.

Senior leaders are currently undertaking a significant review of all health and safety processes. This work is ongoing and is necessary to improve systems, processes and practices, especially in relation to meeting statutory obligations.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps are to:

  • refine strategic planning to include annual action plans and processes for monitoring, evaluating and reporting identified service priorities, including compliance with legal requirements

  • extend VT's knowledge and capability in relation to evaluative practice

  • strengthen the quality and consistency of the curriculum, particularly in the areas of assessment, planning and evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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.

Since the review, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances relating to health and safety and governance and management.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region - Te Tai Raki

19 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 Home-based Education and Care Service

Location

Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

40275

Institution type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2

Service roll

41

Standard or Quality Funded

Standard

Gender composition

Boys 24 Girls 17

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā
other ethnic groups

30
11

Number of qualified coordinators in the network

1

Required ratios of educators to children

Under 2

1:2

Over 2

1:4

Review team on site

February 2020

Date of this report

19 June 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

May 2017

Education Review

November 2010

Education Review

February 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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2008

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.

Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) - 22/05/2017

1 Evaluation of Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West)

How well placed is Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) 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

Home Grown Kids is a home-based education and care service catering for children from birth to five or six years of age. Home Grown Kids (Auckland – North/West) is one of seven networks operating nationally. The organisation's structure comprises two directors, a financial manager and two regional managers. A visiting teacher is responsible for overseeing the quality of education and care that children receive in this network. She is supported by a regional manager.

The mission statement “enhancing learning, enhancing life” provides direction for the organisation’s services. The philosophy of the Auckland networks reflects this mission statement and commits to bicultural development.

This network comprises 19 home-based educators who operate from homes across North Shore, and Central and West Auckland. The network caters for 35 children including, 2 who identify as Māori. Most of the children are aged up to two years of age. The network is licensed for 80 children.

Since the 2010 ERO evaluation governance, leadership and staffing has remained stable. Areas of good performance identified in the 2010 ERO report remain evident. The service responded well to the recommendations in the 2010 ERO report.

This review was part of a cluster of two home-based education and care network reviews in the Home Grown Kids Ltd organisation.

The Review Findings

Children have opportunities to play and learn in a mixed-age, home environment. Programmes and learning records link well to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Attention is given to ways to best cater for the preferences and interests of infants and toddlers. Educators recognise and use learning opportunities within respectful care routines, and they communicate daily with parents about their children's learning.

The visiting teacher personalises professional learning opportunities for educators to help them improve outcomes for these younger children. She models learning interactions that support children’s exploration and oral language development and extend their thinking and learning through play.

Educators respond well to older children's strengths and interests. Literacy, mathematics and science exploration are integrated through programmes. Very good support is provided by visiting teachers to help educators to recognise and respond to the learning in children's play. Emphasis is placed on educators building reciprocal relationships with children that take account of each child's unique and changing interests.

Regular playgroups, organised outings and community events feature in the programme. These events connect children with their local community. They also help promote smooth pathways for children to move to school or other early childhood education services. The visiting teacher accesses and shares worthwhile resources to assist educators to extend children's learning.

Individual records of children’s learning demonstrate their progress and development over time. Assessment shows how the visiting teacher and educators notice, recognise and respond to children's strengths and interests. Increasingly, educators identify the role they have to support children's thinking. Parents are informed about their children’s learning through email contact and social media forums. These various forms of media provide opportunities for families to contribute to learning and curriculum experiences.

Te ao Māori guides the operation and strategic direction of the service. An ongoing internal evaluation focus has greatly increased bicultural practices in this network. The visiting teacher models the use of te reo Māori and aspects of tikanga Māori.

Collaborative leadership practices focus on positive outcomes for children. The visiting teacher has opportunities to meet with colleagues from other networks and contribute to the organisation’s strategic direction. Professional development has supported the visiting teacher to enhance her leadership capabilities and improve systems for internal evaluation.

The company provides a well-considered range of both team and individual professional development opportunities and appraisal for educators and visiting teachers.

Directors provide clear strategic direction. Internal evaluation is well aligned to strategic planning and teacher appraisal. The organisation benefits from the comprehensive links that the directors and managers maintain with other home-based education and care services, professional development providers and government agencies. Health and safety checks are comprehensive and are regularly done at all levels of the organisation. There are very good systems to assure directors that health and safety requirements are regularly monitored.

As a result of discussions with ERO, service leaders have implemented written supervision plans in each home.

Key Next Steps

Agreed next steps are:

  • continuing to strengthen internal evaluation to inform appraisal, strategic direction and bicultural development
  • improving systems for playgroup planning and evaluation. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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 Home Grown Kids (Auckland - North/West) will be in three years. 

Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

22 May 2017 

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 Home-based Education and Care Service 

Location

Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

40275

Institution type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2

Service roll

35

Standard or Quality Funded

Standard

Gender composition

Girls       20
Boys      15

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Dutch
Fijian
Indian
Tongan
other ethnicities

  2
25
  2
  1
  1
  1
  3

Number of qualified coordinators in the network

1

Required ratios of staff educators to children

Under 2

1:2

Over 2

1:4

Review team on site

February 2017

Date of this report

22 May 2017

Most recent ERO report(s) 

Education Review

November 2010

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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014

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.