228 Queenspark Drive, Burwood, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Queenspark is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Queenspark is one of 69 early learning services governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The kindergarten provides for the education and care of young children from two years to school age. All teachers/kaiako are qualified and certified early childhood education teachers/kaiako. The association education manager (EM) provides consistent professional advice and guidance to support the effective operation of the service.
The kindergarten's vision is to promote a stimulating and empowering environment for children regarding biculturalism, learning, inclusion, responsiveness to children's needs, and partnerships with parents and the community.
ERO's previous report noted that the leaders and teachers needed to continue to strengthen assessment, programme planning and evaluation documentation. While some progress has been made, further work needs to be done in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of eight kindergartens governed and managed by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association.
Strong, responsive relationships among and with teachers, children, whānau and the wider community support the learning and wellbeing of children. Teachers establish reciprocal and respectful relationships with each family, supporting children’s sense of belonging. They value and acknowledge parents' and whānau aspirations for their children. There are close links with the neighbouring school that effectively support children's transition to school. Children are settled, engaged, and building social and emotional competence.
Leaders and teachers value children’s language, culture and identity. Teachers are learning about local hapū and iwi, their history, sites of significance and kawa, and incorporating this into the programme in a meaningful and respectful manner. Kaupapa Māori concepts such as manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga are integral to curriculum decisions. Teachers seek ways to maintain children’s connections to their cultural identity. They work hard to use children’s first language, supported by prompts in the environment, resources, and thoughtful use of information and communication technologies. Children and their families know their culture is valued in the kindergarten.
The programme is increasingly responsive to the diverse needs and interests of children. The physical environment offers challenges that invite children to explore and become fully involved in a wide variety of activities. Teachers work collaboratively to organise and manage the learning environment and routines to support children's learning. They have adapted the programme for the wide age range of children and provide opportunities for children to take on leadership roles.
The Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association has a well-developed and clearly understood vision. It is underpinned by 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 kindergarten and to promote high quality learning outcomes for all children.
Since the last review, a restructure has enabled a key focus on education excellence within the kindergartens, and innovation and collaboration within the association and in the wider early childhood community. Key staff make a significant contribution to supporting other early learning services in Te Waipounamu / South Island.
The association has a very strong commitment to providing high quality professional development to build on leadership capacity and teacher capability. Association leaders have high expectations for teaching, learning and equitable outcomes for all children. This includes promoting understandings of and respect for te ao Māori at all levels of the organisation. The association's internal evaluation practices are being well used to inform decision making and support the strong focus on continuous improvement.
ERO and centre leaders agree that the next steps for the kindergarten are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Queenspark 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
5 August 2019
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.
|
Location |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5448 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, two years of age and over |
||
|
Service roll |
56 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 36, Girls 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
|
|
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 |
May 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 August 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 2005 |
||
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Queenspark is located in east Christchurch. This review was a part of a cluster of 11 kindergartens governed and managed by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
Since the 2010 ERO review, the teaching team, including the head teacher, has changed. The education service manager (ESM) has remained the same. She has provided consistent support to the different teaching teams and the community. The current teachers work well together. They are enthusiastic, strongly focused on providing positive outcomes and treat children and their families with respect.
Children’s sense of belonging is well supported through the transitions into and within the service and when they move to school. The head teacher has developed purposeful links with the neighbouring school to help foster successful transitions for children.
Teachers actively foster positive relationships with children, parents and whānau. Children benefit from comforting and caring interactions with teachers. Teachers help children to develop confidence in themselves as capable, independent learners. They grow children's leadership skills. Children’s efforts and successes are acknowledged and celebrated. Teachers and children enjoy each other’s company and have fun together.
Teachers value the language, identity and culture of all children and their families. They work with families in sensitive and respectful ways.
Teachers and parents share information to support children’s wellbeing and learning at the kindergarten and at home. Parent views and contributions to the programme are appreciated by teachers.
Children are well supported to direct their own learning, and to contribute to decisions about the programme, resources and environment. Their views are respected and valued. Teachers are skilful in the ways they recognise and respond to children’s interests. There is a good balance between the excited buzz and the calm, settled hum of learning.
Teachers are very good at listening to children’s views and acting on them in thoughtful ways. They involve children in interactions and conversations that extend their comprehension and verbal language skills. Teachers encourage children to think more deeply and investigate their ideas.
Teachers provide a good selection of resources that reflect the context of children’s learning. They set resources up in ways that encourage children to make their own discoveries. Children are actively involved in a wide range of interesting experiences such as:
Literacy and numeracy are strongly promoted and woven into the learning programme. Children are very well prepared for school within the daily programme.
Children have many opportunities to learn about bicultural practices that are respectful and meaningful to the Māori culture. Teacher’s professional learning of te reo and tikanga Māori has been well used with children who are developing their own skills in this area.
The association is strongly focused on providing a consistent approach to building on, and supporting teachers’ professional practice. In particular, teachers are well supported in developing their understanding of te ao Māori and making this more evident in documentation and practices.
The association has high expectations for teaching and learning. The use of recently developed indicators is helping to identify and spread good practice. Appraisal is used effectively to recognise teachers' strengths and where further developments may be necessary to improve teaching and learning.
Leadership is a strength of the kindergarten. The ESM, head teachers and teachers have a shared understanding of, and commitment to, the kindergarten’s vision. They are making good use of systematic, planned approaches to self review.
Teaching practices are strengthened through well-targeted professional development. The strengths and interests of teachers are recognised and used well. Teachers are making very good use of kindergarten processes and practices to improve the quality of teaching and learning opportunities for children.
The association provides effective governance and management for all of its kindergartens. The long-term vision and goals for all kindergartens are determined by the governing board. Each individual kindergarten establishes its own plan incorporating the board's goals. The association responded appropriately to the circumstances of Canterbury and Westland communities by removing all fees.
Each kindergarten is supported by education support managers (ESMs) who make regular visits and provides well-targeted professional development. In particular, teachers are well supported in developing their understanding of te ao Māori and making this more evident in documentation and practices. This remains an area for further development in this kindergarten.
The association has high expectations for teaching and learning. The use of recently developed indicators of good practice is helping to identify and spread effective practice. Appraisal is used effectively to recognise areas of strength and where further developments may be necessary.
The leaders and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that they will continue to strengthen assessment, programme planning and evaluation documentation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Queenspark 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.
The next ERO review of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Queenspark will be in four years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
18 February 2014
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.
|
Location |
Queenspark, Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5448 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over two years |
||
|
Service roll |
49 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 26; Girls 23 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Other ethnicities |
7 38 2 2 |
|
|
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 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 February 2014 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 2005 |
||
|
Accountability Review |
January 2001 |
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.