Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School

Education institution number:
55413
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
26
Telephone:
Address:

9 Matai Street, Linden, Wellington

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Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)


Whakatō Emerging

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Kids Count Tawa -The Griffin School is a privately-owned early learning centre on the site of He Huarahi Tamariki Teen Parent Unit. It is one of six services owned by the Kids Count Group. A small number of Māori and Pacific learners attend. The key next step identified in ERO’s 2018 report was to build teacher capability in evaluation. Progress is ongoing.

3 Summary of findings

Children experience a well-resourced learning environment that supports their age, culture, and identity. Teachers are responsive to children’s interests and needs. They use a variety of positive strategies to support children’s developing oral language and social competence.

The values of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are evident in practice. Leaders and teachers work in partnership with the teen parent unit to support children and whānau. A range of useful initiatives are in place that promote equity of access and participation.

The culture, language, and identities of children are visible in the environment. Some te reo Māori is used and aspects of te ao Māori are implemented in daily practice. Teachers have yet to consider how mana whenua are recognised within the curriculum.

There is a strong focus on planning activities for the group and these are regularly evaluated. Greater attention should be paid to individual children’s learning and progress. In addition:

  • the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are not yet used to show children’s individual learning

  • planning is not sufficiently individualised or used as a basis to deepen learning opportunities

  • greater use should be made of the information parents share about their cultures.

Governance and management meet annually to review progress and decide the strategic direction for the organisation. A recently introduced system of review for policies and procedures is in place. Better attention to health and safety processes and practices is needed.

Leaders and teachers have undertaken some reviews of the environment which have supported children to work with and alongside others. While an evaluative framework is in place to guide internal evaluation, it is not yet well understood. Stronger leadership in this area is now a priority. A systematic approach to policy review is required.

4 Improvement actions

Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • show children’s individual learning and progress in relation to the learning outcomes in assessment

  • design and implement a tikanga localised bicultural curriculum that reflects the unique place of mana whenua and appropriate to the region/area 

  • establish a regular cycle of policy review to guide service operation.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Actions for Compliance

ERO identified the following area of non-compliance:

  • a record is kept of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and that the checks made by adults during that time.
    Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS9.

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:

  • a record of all medicine given to children attending the service that includes evidence of parental acknowledgement.
    Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS28.

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

11 May 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School
Profile Number 55413

Location

Wellington

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

39 children, including up to 32 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

17

Review team on site

January 2023

Date of this report

11 May 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2018; Education Review, January 2016

Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School - 18/12/2018

1 Evaluation of Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School

How well placed is Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School 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 Count Tawa - The Griffin School is a privately-owned early learning service situated in Tawa. It operates adjacent to the Teen Parent Unit that is a part of Wellington East Girls' College. Many mothers study in the adjacent classroom and have easy access to their children.

The service is licensed for 39 children, including 32 up to two years of age, and 10 children from the local community. At the time of this ERO review just over half of the children enrolled identified as Māori. Groups of children aged under and over two each have their own area of the centre.

Since the January 2016 ERO report, the centre has been purchased by Auckland-based, Kids Count Limited. These owners provide regular governance and management support to the centre. The new centre manager, appointed early in 2017, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the centre. She is supported by two team leaders, with one also appointed in 2017.

Leaders and teachers have continued to strengthen practice in the areas identified in the previous ERO report.

The Review Findings

The centre's philosophy and vision are highly evident in practice. Whanaungatanga underpins relationships that are warm and friendly. Children and their mothers demonstrate a strong sense of belonging within an inclusive environment. Their needs and circumstances are sensitively considered and their mana respected.

Teachers are highly attuned and responsive to children’s interests, abilities and non-verbal communication. They skilfully incorporate new learning opportunities and challenge into play and care moments. Routines are used to build trust and secure emotional attachments.

Babies and toddlers enjoy freedom of movement in their own area. Natural spaces, indoors and out, stimulate their interest and encourage them to be active explorers. They are supported to develop a strong sense of self and to transition to the older age group at their own pace.

Children of all cultures are supported to develop a positive understanding of their heritage. Māori children are authentically immersed in their culture. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are highly evident throughout the curriculum and centre environment. Teachers are currently deepening their knowledge of each child’s background and cultural heritage for further integration in learning.

Leaders are successfully building high-quality assessment practices and agree the next step is to promote greater consistency of practice across the team. Children's learning portfolios demonstrate how teachers effectively use intentional, specific teaching strategies to promote new learning. Evidence of each child's progress is captured and used to inform individualised future learning opportunities. Regular and in-depth conversations with parents and other family members further inform the learning activities. These support the development of meaningful parent partnerships.

Leaders have developed a very supportive organisational culture that is purposefully focused on collaboration and improvement. The centre manager sets well considered priorities and advocates strongly for children and their parents. She seeks ways to include them in all areas of decision making and supports the implementation of their ideas to enhance the curriculum.

Teachers are challenged to continually improve their practice as engaged professionals throughout a strengthened appraisal process. Beginning teachers are well supported through regular observations and discussions of their practice.

Governors set a very clear strategic direction for the centre. Positive outcomes and wellbeing are prioritised for children and their whānau. They look for opportunities to remove barriers, both economic and social, to the success and wellbeing of all involved.

Strong systems and processes are in place to monitor and guide centre operation. Management and governors provide robust guidance for policies and planning. Rigorous monthly checks gather information on how learners can be further supported.

Leaders and teachers are reflective and improvement focused. They seek to identify how changes to teacher practice impacts on children's learning. They regularly consult with whānau and make good use of current research to identify, and then implement, well considered improvements that benefit children. The service is now well positioned to evaluate the extent to which teaching and learning practices support improved outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and teachers should continue to develop their capacity and capability to effectively evaluate their practice and outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School 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 Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services

Southern Region

18 December 2018

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

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

55413

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

39 children, including up to 32 aged under 2

Service roll

35

Gender composition

Girls 18, Boys 17

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Cook Island Māori
Other ethnic groups

20
7
6
2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2018

Date of this report

18 December 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

January 2016

Education Review

November 2012

Education Review

March 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.

Kids Count Tawa - The Griffin School - 15/01/2016

1 Evaluation of The Griffin School (Two)

How well placed is The Griffin School (Two) 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

The Griffin School (Two) is licensed to provide early childhood care and education for up to 32 children. This can include 24 children aged up to two years of age. It is open five days a week from 8.30 am to 3.30 pm. The service has a roll of 27 children. Of these 11 are Māori and 8 are Pacific.

The service is located in Linden, on the same premises as the teen parent unit He Huarahi Tamariki, which is part of Wellington East Girls’ College. Parents are students at the unit. Information sharing process ensures that parents, teachers at the unit and centre staff are updated daily. He Huarahi Tamariki Trust oversees governance for the centre and provides support for the centre manager. The centre manager is a trustee member and is responsible for the daily running of the service. She provides professional leadership to two senior teachers and staff.

The philosophy focuses strongly on quality education and care and gives priority to the child’s right to freedom of choice. The Treaty of Waitangi articles also underpin centre practices.

Since the November 2012 ERO report many of the positive features stated have been sustained. Progress is evident in teachers’ responses to the areas identified for improvement.

The Review Findings

Children and parents are made to feel welcome at the centre. The centre tone is calm and settled. Routines are familiar to the children, enabling them to settle quickly. Their independence, confidence and self-help skills are promoted during these times.

Positive relationships between teachers and children are warm and mutually respectful. Children are encouraged to participate in the curriculum and access opportunities to extend their own learning and engage in sustained child-led play. Exploration, investigation and creativity are encouraged through accessing a good range of activities and resources. Literacy and mathematics are successfully woven throughout the daily programme. The environment for infants and toddlers is unhurried and follows their own rhythms.

The wellbeing of children is promoted through teachers responding to individual needs, interests and strengths. Children who need additional guidance and support have assistance from teachers and a range of external agencies.

Teachers notice, recognise and respond to children’s strengths and emerging interests to plan learning experiences. Recent development in planning and assessment practices has increased teacher professional knowledge and improved individual and collaborative analysis. There is an intentional approach to focus on children’s learning. Profile books document children’s learning journeys. These narratives show the complexity of children’s learning over time. Parents can now contribute to these learning journeys through an online portal.

Bicultural practices are affirming and inclusive of all children. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and Pasifika languages are integrated throughout the day. Teaching practice reflects an understanding of the essence of the Māori and Pacific child. The service gives priority to Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a foundation for culture, language and identity.

Parent, whānau and community involvement is valued. Parents and whānau contribute to processes that seek their aspirations for their children. The centre has a well-considered transition approach into and across the service. ERO agrees with leaders that transition from the centre to school continues to be a work in progress.

The centre manager encourages emergent leadership and there is a strong focus on continual improvement. A strong collaborative team approach supports children’s learning. Teachers participate in relevant professional learning and development. The appraisal process enables teachers to identify areas for further development and reflect on the impact of their practice.

Teachers continue to develop their self-review processes to inform centre practices. Good use is made of research to improve practice. Teachers have progressed their internal evaluation knowledge and understanding. Accountability and improvement-focused reflection across all service operation is making positive changes to teaching and learning. Continuing to strengthen internal evaluation processes to identify how well teaching practices support improved outcomes for children is a next step.

Key Next Steps

The centre staff and trustees should:

  • continue to strengthen internal evaluation practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of The Griffin School (Two) 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 The Griffin School (Two) will be in three years.

Joyce Gebbie

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central

15 January 2016

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

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

55413

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

32 children, including up to 24 aged under 2

Service roll

27

Gender composition

Boys 14, Girls 13

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Cook Island

Samoan

Other ethnic groups

11

5

5

3

3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2015

Date of this report

15 January 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

November 2012

 

Education Review

March 2009

 

Education Review

October 2005

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.