20 Loris Place, Greymouth
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro is one of 71 early learning services governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Free Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens. The kindergarten provides education and care for children two years and over.
In 2016, there were significant changes in the kindergarten leadership and the teaching team. However, these have been well managed by the association. All teachers are fully qualified and certified in early childhood education. Teachers have recently reviewed the curriculum priorities to align them more closely to Māori values.
The kindergarten is part of the West REAP Transition to School Network of local schools and early childhood services. Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro has recently been recognised as a Bronze Enviroschool.
The education services manager and teachers have addressed the recommendations outlined in the 2012 ERO report and continue to build on good practice. This review was part of a cluster of nine kindergartens in the Canterbury Westland Free Kindergarten Association.
Children are happy and settled. They work well together as they explore the interesting play areas in the spacious, well-resourced natural environment. Children experience positive, respectful relationships with each other and their teachers. They are effectively supported to develop social skills, self-help and independence skills.
Children are positively encouraged to care for themselves, each other and the kindergarten. They have meaningful experiences to enhance their learning about sustainable practices and the natural world. Teachers support children to make meaningful links to the local area and reflect these in the kindergarten environment.
Children enjoy long periods of uninterrupted time to explore interests and extend their ideas. They have many opportunities to focus on real work as part of their project-based learning.
Teachers provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for children, parents and whānau. Transitions into the kindergarten and on to school are flexible and well supported. Teachers give purposeful support to children with additional needs and work closely with families and relevant external agencies.
Teachers notice and respond to children’s interests, strengths and abilities. They listen carefully to children and encourage them to express their ideas clearly. Teachers seek and value children’s contributions to decisions made in the learning programme.
Teachers provide a suitable range of physical challenges for children. They give thoughtful consideration to integrating literacy, numeracy, science and the arts into the daily programme. Teachers are giving increasing emphasis to including bicultural practices in their teaching.
Parents are well informed about their children’s participation and learning through assessment, extensive wall displays and digital technology. Teachers seek and value parents’ views. They encourage parents to spend time at the kindergarten and contribute to the learning programme. Teachers are effectively building reciprocal relationships with the wider Greymouth community.
Teachers work well together. They effectively use a systematic approach to internal evaluation and are strongly focused on promoting positive outcomes for children. Teachers are committed to continually reflecting on and improving their teaching practice.
The Canterbury Westland Free Kindergarten Association is well supported by an experienced, professional board. The association has a well-understood vision and targeted strategic and annual planning systems. There are close links between the kindergarten plans, internal evaluation, appraisal and professional development. Teachers are well supported by association managers and leaders to achieve the priorities of the association and their own kindergarten objectives and vision, to provide high quality learning outcomes for all children.
The association has a very strong commitment to providing high quality professional development to build on leadership capacity and teacher capability. It has high expectations for teaching and learning and equitable outcomes for all children. This includes the appointment of a kaitautoko to further promote a strong focus on Tiriti aspirations at all levels of the organisation.
The Canterbury Westland Free Kindergarten Association is innovative in its approaches and regularly seeks opportunities to be involved in the wider educational and local communities to promote high quality learning outcomes for all children.
The education services manager, teachers and ERO agree, that the key next steps to improve outcomes for children are to continue to:
strengthen bicultural practices in the learning programme
strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation processes
embed the updated appraisal processes.
The chief executive has identified and ERO’s evaluation has confirmed, that the key next step for the association is to continue its property improvement long-term plan, ensuring that enhancements reflect the changing needs of its communities.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro 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 Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer, Southern - Te Waipounamu
21 March 2017
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 |
Greymouth |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5427 |
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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 |
30 children over two years old |
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Service roll |
41 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 22; Boys 19 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other |
8 31 2 |
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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 |
October 2016 |
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Date of this report |
21 March 2017 |
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Most recent ERO reports
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Education Review |
May 2012 |
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Education Review |
September 2008 |
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Education Review |
June 2005 |
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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:
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.
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 Karoro is located in the West Coast rural town of Greymouth. The experienced and qualified teaching team works effectively together to cater for the learning and well-being of children within a diverse community.
The kindergarten is one of 63 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 a management layer in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who works in partnership with teachers providing ongoing educational leadership and professional development.
This review occurred at a time when the association and its kindergartens were responding to issues associated with the Pike River Mine disaster 2010 and the Canterbury earthquakes during 2010 – 2011. The association and the kindergarten teachers have provided a high level of support to children and families.
Positive features of this kindergarten are:
The education services manager and the teaching team have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps are to strengthen the documentation of recent developments in assessment, planning and self review.
ERO is likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
Before the review, the management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by the kindergarten 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 kindergarten (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children at Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro.
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 teachers’ vision statement places an emphasis on aspiring to promote life-long, collaborative learning within a respectful, welcoming West Coast environment. They are focused on fostering positive and supportive relationships with children and families. The learning programme is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum.
Teachers give priority to providing a welcoming environment for children and families. They model care and respect for one another and for children. They communicate effectively and work well together and with children in ways that empower children and develop their sense of responsibility. They interact with children and families in calm and respectful ways with a focus on developing positive and reciprocal partnerships with families.
Teachers highly value parent contributions to the programme. Many parents spend time at the kindergarten and are comfortable to be involved in activities with their children. Teachers make time to talk with parents to support children’s learning and well-being.
Children demonstrate a good sense of belonging and settle quickly at activities of interest. They benefit from a good range of interesting activities and learning experiences and have ready access to resources to add to play ideas. Teachers encourage children’s sustained involvement in activity to develop their ideas.
The teachers provide an inclusive learning environment. They listen attentively to children. They are very responsive to the individual interests and needs of children and encourage them to make their own choices and develop self-help skills.
Teachers make good use of questioning and respond in ways that develop children’s oral language and conversation skills.
Teachers challenge children by prompting them to explore things in different ways and encouraging them to problem solve. They place a strong focus on exploratory and sensory play.
Many children play well with and alongside others for substantial lengths of time. They initiate and maintain relationships with others. ERO observed children caring for one another, playing cooperatively and sharing ideas. Teachers and children have fun together.
Children benefit from a well organised and maintained learning environment. The spacious outdoor learning area strongly reflects the natural West Coast environment. Children make extensive use of this are where they have many opportunities to be involved in physical play and to learn about the natural world and sustainable practices.
Teachers have developed a reflective culture that focused on ongoing improvement of teaching practices to extend on children’s learning. They are currently trialling different approaches to assessment, planning and self review.
The teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps are to strengthen:
Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro 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 kindergarten’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 likely to review the kindergarten again in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
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Type |
Full Day, Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, over the age of two years |
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Roll number |
52 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 22 Boys 30 |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā 40 Māori 8 Asian 1 Other ethnicities 3 |
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Review team on site |
May 2012 |
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Date of this report |
29 June 2012 |
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Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review September 2008 Education Review June 2005 Accountability Review February 2001 |
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Karoro is located in the West Coast rural town of Greymouth. The experienced and qualified teaching team works effectively together to cater for the learning and well-being of children within a diverse community.
The kindergarten is one of 63 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 a management layer in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who works in partnership with teachers providing ongoing educational leadership and professional development.
This review occurred at a time when the association and its kindergartens were responding to issues associated with the Pike River Mine disaster 2010 and the Canterbury earthquakes during 2010 – 2011. The association and the kindergarten teachers have provided a high level of support to children and families.
Positive features of this kindergarten are:
The education services manager and the teaching team have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps are to strengthen the documentation of recent developments in assessment, planning and self review.
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.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the kindergarten or see the ERO website, http://www.ero.govt.nz.
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.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of kindergarten’s 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 kindergarten 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.