- ERO evaluates and reports on the education and care of children and young people in early childhood services and schools.
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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.
Kids Reserve is licensed to provide early childhood education and care for 46 children, including up to 18 aged up to two. It is run by a not-for-profit incorporated society made up of parents who serve on the management committee.
The service has operated in inner city Wellington for twenty years. It has a positive ERO reporting history and staff turnover is low. The centre manager and supervisor are highly experienced and committed to continuous improvement in the quality of outcomes for children.
The overarching vision of a ‘nurturing learning community’ is underpinned by philosophies appropriate for each of the three rooms. Infants and toddlers move smoothly between rooms that cater progressively for older age groups.
The service has effectively responded to recommendations made in the June 2010 ERO report.
Children play and learn in a positive learning environment. A calm, inclusive tone prevails and teachers provide age-appropriate programmes that reflect children’s interests, strengths and needs. Rooms and outdoor spaces are well equipped, offering a range of opportunities for children to explore, investigate and have fun. Children’s ongoing learning and development are recorded and celebrated in attractive profile books. Parent and whānau contributions to these and to the day-to-day running of the service are sought and welcomed.
Children under two years of age develop close bonds with their primary caregivers, who know them and their families well. Teachers are warm, nurturing and caring in their interactions with babies and toddlers.
Professional leadership is a strength of the service. The supervisor and centre manager are highly reflective and improvement-focused, with a clearly shared understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities. They work respectfully and collaboratively to support and sustain a team culture that promotes teachers’ commitment to enacting the vision, philosophies and strategic goals. Team leaders are well supported as they take increasing responsibility for the quality of teaching in each room.
Staff regularly reflect on their practice and receive meaningful feedback from the supervisor and team leaders. Suitable professional learning and development is provided to support ongoing improvement and progress towards centre and personal goals. Appraisal processes are thorough and respectful.
Teachers plan ‘learning journeys’ for individuals and groups, based on what they know about children, their families and communities. They provide appropriate support for parents and children making transitions into the centre and to school.
Staff recognise and celebrate cultural diversity and programmes reflect parents’ aspirations. Bicultural perspectives are valued. External professional development guides teachers’ implementation of effective practice in this area. Māori children experience a learning environment in which their language, culture and identity are highlighted. Te reo Māori is well used by some teachers.
The committee, which operates as the governing body, has a good working relationship with the centre leaders. Management of resources is carefully considered, with particular attention to financially prudent decision-making. The strategic plan, developed jointly by staff and parents, is based on four robust ‘building blocks’ which provide a firm foundation for continued development.
It is timely for the management committee to:
The centre manager and supervisor have identified the need to:
ERO’s evaluation affirms these goals. A further key step for leaders is to consider ways to increase consistency of the enactment of the vision and philosophy across the three rooms.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kids Reserve 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 Kids Reserve will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)
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 |
Wellington |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60333 |
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Licence type |
Education and Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
46 children, including up to 18 aged up to 2 |
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Service roll |
55 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 31, Girls 24 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Asian Other ethnic groups |
6 37 8 4 |
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Percentage of qualified staff 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 (Penguin Room) Over 2 (Tui Room) |
1:4 1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2013 |
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Date of this report |
2 July 2013 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2010 |
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Education Review |
September 2007 |
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Education Review |
March 2004 |
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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.