Home Grown Kids Wellington 1

Education institution number:
55442
Service type:
Homebased Network
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
26
Telephone:
Address:

23 Postgate Drive, Whitby, Porirua

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Home Grown Kids Wellington 1 - 18/01/2021

1 Evaluation of Home Grown Kids Wellington 1

How well placed is Home Grown Kids Wellington 1 to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Home Grown Kids Wellington 1 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 Wellington 1, previously known as Kids at Home Wellington 1, provides home-based education and care for infants and children up to school age within the Wellington region.

Since the January 2017 ERO review the service has been purchased by Edubase Limited. A new governance structure has been established. Two directors and a national senior leadership team are responsible for service operations. Edubase leadership work with three visiting teachers (VTs) in the Wellington region to assist educators to provide a home-based curriculum and implement regulatory systems and processes.

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

This review was one of three Edubase Limited networks in the Wellington region.

The Review Findings

Strong emphasis is placed on the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, as a basis for recognising valued learning through everyday experiences. Local excursions and playgroups extend the home-based curriculum and provide opportunities for social interaction and cultural events. Appropriate liaison with external agencies occurs to support children with additional learning needs.

Educators build close, positive relationships with children and their families and know them well. They celebrate children’s unique learning dispositions and provide experiences and resources that respond to their interests. A next step is for VTs to support educators to shift the focus of their assessment and planning from activities to purposefully progressing parents’ aspirations for their children and the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki. Educators’ strong knowledge of children’s personalities, passions and family contexts is a positive platform for this development.

The VTs use a constructive and affirming approach to foster educators’ growing understanding of key early learning concepts. They maximise their regular visits, discussions and documentation as opportunities to support educators' practice and model quality learning interactions with children. Service leaders have identified that culturally responsive practices should continue to be developed. ERO agrees that this would enhance the programme for children.

The VT team works well together. Regular communication promotes collaboration and collegiality. Educators and VTs are well supported with guidance and resources from the organisation.

The organisation is currently reviewing its strategic plan. When this is developed, leaders should find ways to track and monitor educator and child progress against key curriculum priorities. This would contribute to the governing organisation’s understanding of the effectiveness of its support and help to identify areas for extra professional learning. Leaders have self-identified that implementing more regular parent surveys should be part of this work.

Internal evaluation is guided by a useful framework. The VTs use success indicators to consider the effectiveness of their practices and plan improvements. Adding a monitoring component to the process, where refinements to practice are revisited over time, would add value.

Key Next Steps

ERO, leaders and VTs agree that next steps are to:

  • continue development of the bicultural curriculum

  • build culturally responsive practices, particularly for Māori and Pacific learners

  • consistently focus assessment and planning documentation on parent aspirations and progressing the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki

  • implement regular parent feedback surveys to contribute to internal evaluation

  • track and monitor progress around key strategic priorities.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Home Grown Kids Wellington 1 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

18 January 2021

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

Porirua

Ministry of Education profile number

55442

Institution type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

60 children, including up to 60 aged under 2

Service roll

39

Standard or Quality Funded

Quality

Gender composition

Female 20, Male 19

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

3
27
9

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

October 2020

Date of this report

18 January 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

January 2017

Education Review

March 2014

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

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.

Kids at Home Wellington 1 - 26/01/2017

1 Evaluation of Kids at Home Wellington 1

How well placed is Kids at Home Wellington 1 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

Kids at Home Wellington 1 is a home-based early childhood service, part of BestStart, formed in 2015. BestStart acquired the Wellington Childcare and Nanny Services LTD and rebranded it. There is a mix of nannies and home educators in this network. Most came to Kids at Home from the Childcare and Nanny Services LTD. Educators and nannies hold qualifications ranging from level three qualifications to Bachelor of Teaching (ECE). There are currently 20 educators working in the network, with 41 children enrolled.

One visiting teacher oversees the programme provided for children in their homes or the educators' homes. She is supported by the network manager who regularly visits children and educators to observe and audit visit notes kept by the visiting teacher. This is the service's first ERO review as Kids at Home.

This review was part of a cluster of three in the BestStart Kids at Home Wellington organisation and is its first review under BestStart management.

The Review Findings

Children build positive relationships with each other and adults. Information shows that educators are very focused on ensuring that children have positive experiences during their time with them. Infants and toddlers are well supported to engage with other children during their time with educators. Their routines and needs are discussed and agreed with parents.

Children engage in many activities in the home and with larger groups of children outside the home. Kids at Home operates playgroups and organises excursions for the larger groups. Some educators develop community networks and attend events outside the home to complement what happens in the smaller group.

Children are well supported to follow their interests. The visiting teacher models good practice for educators. This includes recording children's learning and sharing this with families and whānau. The visiting teacher offers new ideas and prompts for educators to extend children's learning. The inclusion of photographs and links made to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, guide educators in their understanding about assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning. 

The visiting teacher works positively alongside educators to support them to use assessment practices that identify children's learning, next steps and progress. Educators can see how they influence children's achievement. The educator manual supports their understanding of children's learning. The visiting teacher identifies assessment, planning and evaluation as ongoing areas for development with educators.

Parents increasingly access electronically their children's learning stories. Their comments are valued to enhance their child's experiences at the educator's home. The visiting teacher continues to build educators' confidence to use digital tools to record children's learning.

The network manager and visiting teacher work closely with educators to affirm and promote children's culture, language and identity. A number of strategies and initiatives support Māori children and their whānau within the network. Educators increasingly incorporate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into their programme. The visiting teacher acknowledges this is a continuing focus and area for ongoing development with educators.

There is clear evidence to show that the visiting teacher regularly reviews and assesses health and safety for children. The first four visits with educators focus on ensuring that they are familiar with expectations and understand their obligations to take all reasonable steps to make and keep their homes safe for children.

The Kids at Home Wellington team continues to build leadership capability. Across the three home-based networks most team members are fairly new to the organisation. They have established some useful strategies to continue to develop sound systems to monitor and evaluate practice. Internal evaluation is informing practice and has been particularly effective for staff to identify how well they support, guide and coach educators to promote positive outcomes for children. Evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum in promoting children's learning has been identified as a priority by visiting teachers.

Key Next Steps

The network manager and visiting teachers should continue to support educators to:

  • develop and implement effective assessment, planning and evaluation for children

  • promote children's culture, language and identity.

At a governance level, BestStart is in a position to review its strategic plan to incorporate quality aspects related to the Kids at Home brand. When this has been developed Kids at Home should develop a local strategic plan linked to the national plan.

BestStart should consider how the organisation provides ongoing professional support for Kids at Home staff to promote professional learning and build capability. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kids at Home Wellington 1 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 Kids at Home Wellington 1 will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

26 January 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

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

55442

Institution type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

60 children, including up to 60 aged under 2

Service roll

41

Standard or Quality Funded

Quality

Gender composition

Boys 21, Girls 20

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other ethnic groups

1

35

5

Number of qualified coordinators in the network

One

Required ratios of staff educators to children

Under 2

1:2

Over 2

1:4

Review team on site

November 2016

Date of this report

26 January 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

First report as Kids at Home

 

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.