Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road

Education institution number:
5437
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
37
Telephone:
Address:

109 Mathers Road, Hoon Hay, Christchurch

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Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road - 30/03/2015

1. Evaluation of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road

How well placed is Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road 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.

Background

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road 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 2011 ERO review, the teachers have worked with the association to develop their planning and assessment of children’s learning. They have also increased the use of technology to support learning and teaching. There have been some staffing changes, including three educational support managers.

This review was part of a cluster of 18 kindergarten reviews.

The Review Findings

Teachers provide a warm and welcoming environment. There are positive relationships among the teachers, parents and whānau. The children relate well to their teachers. Parents feel comfortable to stay in the kindergarten and learn about their child’s progress. Teachers know the children and their families well.

Children are happy, settled, confident and independent in the programme and during group and kai times.

Teachers work hard to support the learning needs of all children. They role model inclusive practices and work alongside external advisers to provide suitable learning activities and resources. Children’s diverse learning needs are well supported.

The kindergarten provides a good range of activities to support children’s interests. This includes resources to support sign language and bicultural and multicultural activities.

Teachers provide a wide range of activities and resources that interest children. They provide a good balance between child and adult choice. Teachers use some effective teaching practices that engage and extend children’s thinking, particularly in literacy and mathematics. Children enjoy creative play and show interest in music, the arts and science.

The teaching team members work well together and support each other in the programme. Teachers have developed strong links with other community centres and schools. These links help children transition into the kindergarten and on to school.

This kindergarten is seen as an integral part of the wider learning community. Useful resources, long-established links with schools and other early childhood centres and the local community support children and parents to feel a strong sense of belonging.

The Kidsfirst Kindergartens Association

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:

  • encourage children’s critical thought, wonderment and inquiry
  • provide challenges, stimulation and social support for children, families and the wider communities
  • promote opportunities for children to learn about sustainable practices.

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.

Key Next Steps

The Kidsfirst Kindergartens’ managers have identified, and ERO agrees that the key next steps are:

  • to further align the existing appraisal process for ESMs, head teachers and teachers to recent developments in Kidsfirst Kindergartens' quality improvement programme, ensuring it is consistently achieving its vision to provide high-quality learning and teaching for all children
  • to continue to review kindergarten practices and premises to make sure that they meet the changing needs of their communities.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road 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 Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road will be in four years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern

30 March 2015

2. Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

5437

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, age two years and over

Service roll

35

Gender composition

Girls 20;

Boys 15

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Samoan

Korean

Chinese

5

24

3

2

1

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

November 2014

Date of this report

30 March 2015

Most recent ERO reports

These are available at www.ero.govt.nz

Education Review

June 2011

 

Education Review

November 2007

 

Education Review

June 2004

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.

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road - 30/06/2011

1 The Education Review Office (ERO) Evaluation

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road is located in the Hoon Hay suburb of Christchurch. This kindergarten operates on a sessional basis to provide care and education for 45 children over the age of two years. All teachers are fully qualified and registered.

It is one of 63 kindergartens (including one early learning centre) administered by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.

Positive features of this kindergarten are:

  • the welcoming and inclusive environment
  • effective teaching practices
  • well organised and resourced physical environment.

Teachers encourage sustainable practices in much of the programme planning and this is reflected clearly in the environment. They have successfully participated in a programme to support children and their families understand healthy living.

The next steps are to:

  • review and further develop assessment and programme planning practices
  • investigate ways to make greater use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in learning programmes.

The association is well organised and managed. It provides clear policies and procedures, a comprehensive framework for monitoring health and safety. The association incorporates management support in the form of education services 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 has been proactive in addressing these issues.

Future Action

ERO is confident that the kindergarten is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.

2 Review Priorities

The Focus of the Review

Before the review, the management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road 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 Mathers Road.

All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:

  • the programme provided for children
  • the learning environment
  • the interactions between children and adults.

ERO’s findings in these areas are set out below.

The Quality of Education

Background

The kindergarten’s vision is to provide a warm welcoming atmosphere where the community is involved with children’s learning in a variety of ways. They aim to provide a safe, secure and inclusive learning environment with high levels of respect for all. Children are encouraged to become confident, competent lifelong learners.

Areas of strength

Relationships

Teachers build good relationships across the kindergarten through knowing the children and their families well. Children, teachers and parents all contribute to the inclusive and welcoming environment. Children and families demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. ERO observed children playing cooperatively together for sustained periods of time. They enjoy each other’s company and effectively communicate to encourage learning and problem solving.

Teachers have established meaningful links to the local schools and wider community groups.

Teaching strategies

Teachers use an effective range of strategies to guide and support children’s learning and well-being. ERO observed interactions where teachers extended children’s ideas and thinking. They use empowering questions to prompt children’s curiosity and problem solving. Teachers regularly reflect on children’s learning progress.

Teachers plan programmes that are responsive to children’s interests and learning needs. They seek the input of children and their families into programme planning. Children are provided with a wide range of learning opportunities. They are encouraged to make choices and take responsibility for their learning and behaviour. Children understand routines and willingly take part in free choice activities. Teachers should now review formal group times to ensure all children’s learning needs are met.

Environment

Children learn and play in a well resourced and organised environment. They have easy access to all resources throughout the day. Children confidently use and share the resources. Teachers have reviewed indoor areas to encourage children’s access to wall displays. They are currently reviewing the outdoor environment to provide further challenges for children.

Areas for development and review

Assessment

Teachers regularly assess children’s learning through individual and group stories. However, links to the next steps for learning and links between stories are not always clear. Teachers should now review assessment and planning practices to make these links more explicit.

Since the 2007 ERO review, teachers are making programme planning more accessible for parents. Their next step is to make this planning more visible within the kindergarten environment.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that they need to consider ways to include more ICT within the learning programme. Children would benefit from opportunities to use a greater range of ICT in their learning and play.

3 National Evaluation Topic

Overview

ERO provides information about the education system as a whole through its national reports. This information will be used as the basis for long-term and systemic educational improvement.

Partnerships with Whānau of Māori Children in Early Childhood Services

As part of this review ERO evaluated the extent to which:

this kindergarten understands and values the identity, language and culture of Māori children and their whānau, particularly when the child and whānau transition to the kindergarten;

  • managers and teachers have built relationships with whānau of Māori children;
  • this kindergarten works in partnership with whānau of Māori children.
Background

There are 10 Māori children attending this kindergarten whose parents/whānau have identified them as Māori. Māori children experience an environment that respects their culture and gives a sense of belonging.

Areas of strength

Teachers value and are committed to Māori language and culture. Māori children experience an environment that respects their culture and gives them a sense of belonging. ERO observed:

  • natural and regular use of te reo Māori by teachers, children and parents
  • integrated bicultural practices
  • visibility of tikanga within the environment and programme
  • the association’s recent development of ‘Kidsfirst Whānau’ - a whānau-based approach for involving and engaging parents in kindergarten life and their child’s learning.

4 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road 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:

  • administration
  • health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial and property management.

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:

  • emotional safety (including behaviour management, prevention of bullying and abuse)
  • physical safety (including behaviour management, sleeping and supervision practices; accidents and medication; hygiene and routines; travel and excursion policies and procedures)
  • staff qualifications and organisation
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

5 Future Action

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

About the Centre

Type

Full/Sessional Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Centre) Regulations 1998

Number licensed for

45 children

Roll number

54

Gender composition

Girls 28; Boys 26

Ethnic composition

New Zealand European/Pākehā 36; Māori 10; Pacific 5; Asian 3

Review team on site

May 2011

Date of this report

30 June 2011

Previous three ERO reports

 

Education Review November 2007 Education Review June 2004 Accountability Review December 1998

Parents and Community of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road

These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road.

Kidsfirst Kindergartens Mathers Road is located in the Hoon Hay suburb of Christchurch. This kindergarten operates on a sessional basis to provide care and education for 45 children over the age of two years. All teachers are fully qualified and registered.

It is one of 63 kindergartens (including one early learning centre) administered by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.

Positive features of this kindergarten are:

  • the welcoming and inclusive environment
  • effective teaching practices
  • well organised and resourced physical environment.

Teachers encourage sustainable practices in much of the programme planning and this is reflected clearly in the environment. They have successfully participated in a programme to support children and their families understand healthy living.

The next steps are to:

  • review and further develop assessment and programme planning practices
  • investigate ways to make greater use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in learning programmes.

The association is well organised and managed. It provides clear policies and procedures, a comprehensive framework for monitoring health and safety. The association incorporates management support in the form of education services 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 has been proactive in addressing these issues.