50 Taieri Crescent, Kelson, Lower Hutt
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kelson Kindergarten provides all-day education and care for up to 45 children, aged over two years. Sessions run daily from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Of the 58 children currently enrolled, five are Māori. The kindergarten serves a culturally diverse community.
The kindergarten philosophy is due for review in early 2019. Priority learning areas emphasise sustainability, literacy, science, social competencies, confidence and exploration. The service curriculum has earned an Enviroschools silver award and a gold level Healthy Heart award. There has been some development of the outdoor environment.
A new head teacher was appointed in 2018. She is supported by long-serving staff. A number of new systems and processes have been introduced. All teachers at Kelson Kindergarten are fully qualified.
Kelson Kindergarten is one of 19 services in the Lower Hutt region, governed and managed by Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Since the June 2015 ERO report, a new senior leadership team has been appointed. This includes a general manager and two senior teachers, guided by a team leader. The governance board has also undergone significant changes.
ERO's previous report identified key next steps for this kindergarten. These included developing evaluation and assessment practices. Progress is evident.
Practices requiring development were also identified for the association. These included: strategic planning; cultural responsiveness to Māori and Pacific families; evaluation; and the appraisal process. Good progress has been made in these areas.
This review was one of a cluster of nine in the Hutt City Kindergarten Association.
Children are settled and confident, engaging enthusiastically in sustained play. They benefit from respectful interactions with teachers who effectively:
extend their thinking with thoughtful strategies
promote their confidence to share their expertise
focus on literacy in meaningful, child-led contexts
build their social competence
encourage physical challenge, active movement and healthy choices
empower them to understand and contribute to environmental sustainability.
The kindergarten community's priority learning areas are clearly evident in the daily curriculum and environment. Teachers agree that a review of the philosophy should show close alignment with these priorities. Revised guiding documents should then be used to consistently inform decision-making and support ongoing monitoring of the programme.
A purposeful relationship has been established with adjacent Kelson School. Reciprocal visits occur regularly. A range of useful strategies is in place to support confident transitions to school for children and their parents.
Aspects of kaupapa Māori are evident in the programme. Māori taonga are highly valued. Teachers are building their use of te reo Māori in everyday conversations with children. A next step for them is to grow their knowledge of bicultural practices that are strongly localised to the Kelson Kindergarten community. This is likely to be supported by the association’s current strategic focus in this area. Association leaders should also continue to build teachers’ understanding of specific strategies, in partnership with whānau Māori and the Pacific community, that promote the learning success of Māori and Pacific children.
Teachers successfully promote a strong sense of belonging for children. Their families' diverse cultures, languages and identities are celebrated in the environment and learning documentation, and through special events. Teachers are strengthening parent partnerships by using a range of strategies and reciprocal information-sharing and decision-making practices.
Teachers are alert to emerging group interests. A very useful process for programme planning supports them to notice, recognise and respond to children’s passions and build their learning dispositions. They plan creative, engaging and challenging experiences for children. Leaders agree that strengthening the evaluation component of the group programme should enhance the process.
A recently established planning cycle enables parents, whānau and teachers to co-construct meaningful learning goals for individual children. Teachers also identify strengths, dispositions and purposeful teaching strategies to progress children's learning goals. This process should support teachers to better monitor the outcomes of tailored teaching practices.
Good association support is in place to build individual planning processes for children with diverse learning needs. Teachers liaise with parents and outside agencies as appropriate.
Teachers are supported to grow their internal evaluation practice through very useful association systems and tools. Senior teachers should continue to work with teachers to build their capacity to measure the impact of their practice on children’s learning. This is a priority next step for the kindergarten.
Teachers are reflective and committed. The new head teacher values distributed leadership and encourages shared expertise and responsibility for initiatives. The association is providing good support for the team to establish a cohesive shared vision and ways of working.
A comprehensive, well-considered appraisal process is in place. Teachers challenge themselves to continually improve their practice through strategic goal-setting and professional learning. Plans are in place to further strengthen teacher development by implementing an inquiry-based approach to appraisal. This should support teachers to better measure the success of improved practices in promoting outcomes for specific children and priority groups.
The governance board includes community representatives with a wide range of useful skills. The board and senior leadership team work well together, with a shared commitment to meeting strategic goals and objectives for the benefit of children, whānau and community. Resource allocation clearly aligns with this focus. Equitable and inclusive ways to eliminate barriers to children’s learning and wellbeing are actively sought.
ERO, the governance board and senior leaders agree that they should continue to build their effectiveness by:
measuring the extent to which children's and their families’ outcomes are improved though association initiatives and systems. This should include analysing their impact on specific priority groups
increasing opportunities for whānau to actively contribute to the association’s operation and strategic direction.
The association's senior teaching team is reflective and highly improvement focused. Robust, linked systems and processes have been skilfully developed to guide and grow teacher capability and positively impact on children’s learning. Leaders successfully foster a collective sense of responsibility for the vision, values and mission of the association.
ERO and kindergarten teachers agree that their priority next steps are to:
deepen the bicultural curriculum
further strengthen parent and whānau partnership
develop internal evaluation capacity.
The association agrees they should increase focus on:
measuring outcomes for children and their families
developing whānau and community partnership practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kelson Kindergarten 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.
The next ERO review of Kelson Kindergarten will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
6 November 2018
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 |
Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5329 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
45 children aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
58 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 29, Boys 29 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
September 2018 |
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Date of this report |
6 November 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2015 |
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Education Review |
August 2012 |
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Education Review |
February 2009 |
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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:
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kelson Kindergarten is located in Hutt City and provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. Older children attend three days a week and morning sessions are offered to younger children twice a week. The kindergarten is licensed for up to 45 children.
The teaching team is fully qualified and the programme is further assisted by support staff. Teachers are well supported by an active kindergarten management committee. The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO.
The August 2012 ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included assessment, planning and evaluation, self review and the bicultural programme. Professional learning and development has focused on these areas and changes have been made as a result. Teachers are committed to the ongoing acquisition of professional knowledge.
The kindergarten is governed by the Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Two professional practice managers (PPMs) are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. Since the previous review there have been several changes to the General Manager.
This review was part of a cluster of ten kindergarten reviews in the Hutt City Kindergarten Association.
Children lead their learning at Kelson Kindergarten. Teachers, the environment and the curriculum effectively support them to make choices about their play and independently access resources and equipment. The programme clearly reflects the kindergarten philosophy and the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Positive relationships are a significant feature. Teachers’ interactions with children are warm, respectful and affirming. They know children well and spontaneously respond to their learning interests and needs. There is a strong focus on family engagement. Family members are welcomed as part of the programme. Adults and children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. Teachers have developed strong partnerships with families which support children’s learning and wellbeing. Successful transition to school is supported by an effective partnership with the local school.
Children are confident and well engaged in their learning. They happily play independently or cooperatively, interacting positively with each other.
The environment is spacious, attractive and well considered by teachers. Displays reinforce children’s learning and help them to revisit their prior experiences. Children can access a range of activities and resources that promote their literacy, numeracy and science skills. Environmental education continues to be a strong focus in the curriculum. Māori language and culture is visually reflected throughout the indoor spaces.
Teachers are committed to the development of a bicultural curriculum and are strengthening their focus on supporting Māori learners’ success. Current professional learning is assisting them to develop their understandings and confidence about te ao Māori and about appropriate ways to seek and respond to whānau aspirations for their children.
Children easily access and proudly share their profile books which contain attractive records of their learning experiences. Recent work to review this process has resulted in increased contributions from families. Assessment records document key learning events and ways in which teachers have noticed and responded. They are beginning to show how children’s learning is connected over time. There are plans to change to online digital profiles. This transition will provide a good opportunity for teachers to explore how to better extend and add complexity to children’s learning and respond to their observed interests.
The teaching team is led by an experienced head teacher. Staff regularly discuss, document and share with families, their reflections about the curriculum programme.
Review and development of operational models and assessment practice have led to positive changes and improvements. A next step is to strengthen self review to be more evaluative so that teachers can measure the quality of aspects of the curriculum. This is likely to better inform ongoing, improved outcomes for children.
The association is part way through the implementation of a new approach to appraisal. Once fully established this should assist leaders to provide a robust, supportive and developmental process. Kindergarten leaders should then undertake regular monitoring of how well appraisal is being implemented in each kindergarten.
The board receives a range of useful information. A key next step is for leaders to provide more evaluative reporting to assist in decision making and ongoing resourcing. The strategic plan provides a vision and shared direction to guide development. Establishing clearer measures of success should strengthen evaluation of progress towards goals. In addition, strategies that promote cultural responsiveness to Māori and Pacific families should be highlighted in strategic documents.
The PPMs provide half-yearly written reports. These provide information about how the kindergarten is meeting legislative requirements, and at times, make recommendations. These reports should be strengthened by providing critical feedback on the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of the curriculum in improving outcomes for children.
At the time of this review the association was involved in a process of a formal review to determine the future direction of Hutt City Kindergartens. ERO identified that, within the current operating model, the capacity of senior staff to provide targeted support that promotes ongoing improvement to teaching and learning is limited.
The association provides guidance and support to teachers for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. This includes:
ERO identified priorities for improvement include:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kelson Kindergarten 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 Kelson Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
24 June 2015
|
Location |
Lower Hutt City |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5329 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children, over two years of age |
||
|
Service roll |
46 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 28, Girls 18 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Other ethnic groups |
7 30 3 6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
||
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Date of this report |
24 June 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2006 |
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:
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.