49 Staveley Street, Avonhead, Christchurch
View on mapHow well placed is Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
| Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead is one of 62 kindergartens governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens. All Kidsfirst Kindergartens share a common vision and values.
Children from two years old to school age can come to this kindergarten for up to six hours a day during the four kindergarten terms.
Since the 2012 ERO review, there have been leadership and staff changes. The roll has fluctuated but was increasing at the time of the review. There have also been improvements in the outdoor play area, including more natural resources and a focus on sustainable practices. Teachers have improved the way they plan, assess and evaluate children’s learning.
This review was part of a cluster of 18 kindergarten reviews.
Children make good use of the kindergarten’s resources and environment to develop and extend their ideas. Teachers ensure children are included in play activities. They listen and support them to make appropriate use of the equipment and the activities. Children play well together.
The programme has a strong focus on fostering children’s literacy and mathematics skills and knowledge. A range of technologies is integrated into the programme to support teaching and learning.
Children have good access to activities that promote natural science and sustainable practices. This includes growing vegetables and a worm farm.
Children’s identity, home cultures, and specific needs and capabilities are recognised in teachers' planning, the programme and in children’s profile books. Parents’ comments and ideas are valued and included in children’s learning. The regular use of children’s ideas in their profile books is developing.
Tikanga Māori perspectives are evident in the environment and programme. Teachers and children are developing the use of te reo Māori.
The teachers understand and use the association’s self-review process to make changes and improve outcomes for children. A review of relationships and communications in 2014 showed parents are feeling valued and welcomed.
All kindergartens in this cluster have spacious indoor and outdoor areas and are well resourced to meet the interests and learning needs of their children. In most of these kindergartens, environments and resources:
Kidsfirst Kindergartens provides significant support for priority learners and their families. Teachers in kindergartens with priority learners receive considerable extra training and funding to ensure the needs of these learners are well met.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens has a strong commitment to te ao Māori (the Māori world view) and ensuring that their Education Service Managers (ESMs) and teachers are competent and confident in te reo and tikanga Māori. In this cluster of kindergartens, a bicultural curriculum is in place and bicultural practices are highly evident. The contribution from parents of Māori children is highly valued and Māori children are well supported to achieve success as Māori.
The association has a well-understood vision, and highly effective strategic and annual planning systems, policies and procedures. It has strong leadership and collaboration across all levels of the organisation.
There is a thorough and well-understood process of self review at all levels of Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The skills and knowledge of the CEO, board and senior leaders are regularly sought by other kindergarten associations and early childhood services nationally and internationally.
The highly experienced and skilled trustees bring a good range of expertise to support their decision making. They have a wide knowledge and understanding of Kidsfirst and are very focused on achieving their goals. Their priorities are strongly linked to providing high-quality learning and care for all children.
The strategic leadership team members have a good breadth and depth of knowledge across their various areas of expertise. They value each other’s contributions and use their wide range of knowledge and skills to ensure effective operation of the service.
The ESMs show a high level of commitment to Kidsfirst and the implementation of the Kidsfirst vision, policies and expectations. They successfully challenge and use each other's strengths to meet the goals of Kidsfirst for high-quality learning and teaching in each kindergarten.
Kidsfirst has a well-developed evaluation process that is effectively used to identify the strengths, progress and areas for further development in each of its kindergartens. This allows the ESMs to successfully monitor how well each kindergarten is providing high-quality outcomes for children.
High-quality professional development is closely aligned to leaders and teachers achieving the Kidsfirst vision and goals. In this cluster, this is most evident in the well-developed, understood and useful self-review processes, child assessment and planning practices and effective use of a range of technologies.
The Kidsfirst Kindergartens’ managers have identified, and ERO agrees that the key next steps are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead 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.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern Southern Region
26 March 2015
| Location | Avonhead, Christchurch | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 5409 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 40 children, two years and over | ||
| Service roll | 47 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 28; Girls 19 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Asian Other ethnicities | 3 23 4 10 7 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates | 80% | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | October 2014 | ||
| Date of this report | 26 March 2015 | ||
Most recent ERO reports These are available at www.ero.govt.nz | Education Review | April 2012 | |
| Education Review | June 2008 | ||
| Education Review | June 2004 |
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.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead is located in Avonhead, Christchurch. Since the June 2008 ERO review, the kindergarten has made some changes to its hours of operation. The kindergarten currently operates Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm. It is licensed for 40 children over two years of age. All teachers are fully qualified and registered as early childhood teachers.
The kindergarten is one of 62 kindergartens (including one early learning centre) administered by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The association that governs this kindergarten is well organised and managed. It provides useful policies and procedures and a comprehensive framework for monitoring health and safety. The association incorporates management support in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who work in partnership with teachers providing ongoing leadership and professional development.
This review occurred at a time when the association and its kindergartens were responding to issues associated with the Canterbury earthquakes relating to children, family, personnel and property. The association and the kindergarten teachers have been proactive in addressing these challenges.
Since the last review teachers have made good progress in improving the way they assess children’s learning. Parents are well informed of ways teachers support and extend children’s learning. Teachers have also made some good progress with establishing systems to review and improve practices.
Positive features of this kindergarten are the:
The next steps for the teachers to support the ongoing improvement of practices are to refine and strengthen aspects of programme planning and self review.
Children use te reo and tikanga Māori in meaningful ways during group times. The teachers identified, and ERO agrees, that this is an area to further strengthen. This includes increasing opportunities to support children’s understandings of bicultural perspectives in the programme.
ERO is confident that the kindergarten is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore, ERO is likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
Before the review, the management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by the centre to contribute to the scope of the review.
The detailed priorities for review were then determined following a discussion between the ERO review team and the management and staff. This discussion focused on existing information held by the centre (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children atKidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead.
All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:
ERO’s findings in these areas are set out below.
The kindergarten’s philosophy states that teachers aim to provide a warm and welcoming environment where children and their families are comfortable and safe. In this kindergarten, the association’s philosophy is interpreted in a vision statement that views children as unique and special. Partnerships between children and teachers are valued. Teachers focus on providing a welcoming, safe and secure area where teachers and children learn together. The programme aims to meet the needs of its diverse community.
Relationships and interactions
Children benefit from caring and supportive relationships with their teachers. Parents and children are made to feel welcome. Many parents are comfortable to spend time at the kindergarten. Parent contribution to the kindergarten is valued. ERO observed teachers communicating well and working effectively together. Teachers are establishing good links with local schools that help to support the transition to school for children and families.
Teachers use a wide range of effective practices to involve children in the learning programme. They make good use of questions to extend children’s thinking. Children’s language development and conversation skills are well supported by teachers. Teachers know children well and make good links to home. They work with children in respectful ways and are actively involved in and build on their play.
Confident children
Children are confident to make their own choices and settle quickly at activities of interest. Most children make good use of opportunities to lead their own learning. They play well with and alongside others for sustained lengths of time. Children share ideas, play cooperatively and enjoy friendships with one another. Children’s independence, social learning and self-help skills are well supported. They are encouraged to take responsibility for the environment and to care for others.
Programme
The child-focused programme encourages children to develop their ideas and learning interests. Teachers provide predictable, flexible routines and transitions that are well managed and responsive to the needs of children. Features of the programme are the strong focus on literacy, numeracy, and sustainable practices. Teachers support children who have well-developed skills to extend on their imaginative and dramatic play.
Parents are well informed about children’s interests and involvement in the programme through well-presented individual profile books. These records clearly show children’s progress, and the ways teachers support and extend their learning. Teachers have made good progress in establishing processes that help to improve aspects of the programme. There are many opportunities for parents and children to be involved in the kindergarten’s self review.
Learning environment
Children benefit from a spacious, well organised, natural learning environment. There are many purposeful opportunities for children to learn about sustainable practices and the living world. Children have easy access to a wide range of resources. Their physical skills are extended by teachers as a regular part of the daily programme. Teachers also make good use of the park next door to build on physical play and team sports for children. Children are actively involved in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori experiences during group times.
The next steps for the teachers to support the ongoing improvement of documentation are to refine and strengthen aspects of programme planning and self review.
In programme planning:
In self review:
The teachers identified, and ERO agrees, that they need to continue to increase opportunities to support children’s understandings of bicultural practices throughout the programme.
Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead completed an ERO CentreAssurance Statement andSelf-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 documentation, including policies, procedures and records of recent use of procedures. ERO also checked elements of the following areas that have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:
ERO is confident that the kindergarten is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore, ERO is likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
27 April 2012
|
Type |
All day Kindergarten |
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
|
Number licensed for |
40 children over two years of age |
|
Roll number |
42 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 24; Girls 18 |
|
Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā 32; Māori 2; Asian 6; Other Ethnicities 2 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2012 |
|
Date of this report |
27 April 2012 |
|
Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review June 2008 Education Review June 2004 Accountability Review April 1998 |
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Avonhead is located in Avonhead, Christchurch. Since the June 2008 ERO review, the kindergarten has made some changes to its hours of operation. The kindergarten currently operates Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm. It is licensed for 40 children over two years of age. All teachers are fully qualified and registered as early childhood teachers.
The kindergarten is one of 62 kindergartens (including one early learning centre) administered by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The association that governs this kindergarten is well organised and managed. It provides useful policies and procedures and a comprehensive framework for monitoring health and safety. The association incorporates management support in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who work in partnership with teachers providing ongoing leadership and professional development.
This review occurred at a time when the association and its kindergartens were responding to issues associated with the Canterbury earthquakes relating to children, family, personnel and property. The association and the kindergarten teachers have been proactive in addressing these challenges.
Since the last review teachers have made good progress in improving the way they assess children’s learning. Parents are well informed of ways teachers support and extend children’s learning. Teachers have also made some good progress with establishing systems to review and improve practices.
Positive features of this kindergarten are the:
The next steps for the teachers to support the ongoing improvement of practices are to refine and strengthen aspects of programme planning and self review.
Children use te reo and tikanga Māori in meaningful ways during group times. The teachers identified, and ERO agrees, that this is an area to further strengthen. This includes increasing opportunities to support children’s understandings of bicultural perspectives in the programme.
ERO is confident that the kindergarten is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore, ERO is likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
When ERO has reviewed an early childhood centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management or contact person if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:
Reviews are intended to focus on outcomes for children and build on each centre’s self review.
ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting is based on four review strands.
Quality of Education – including the quality of the programme provided for children, the quality of the learning environment and the quality of the interactions between staff and children and how these impact on outcomes for children.
Additional Review Priorities – other aspects of the operation of a centre, may be included in the review. ERO will not include this strand in all reviews.
Compliance with Legal Requirements – assurance that this centre has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of centre performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to this centre.
Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a centre is performing poorly in relation to that issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this centre.