345 A Main North Road, Redwood, Christchurch
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Redwood is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Redwood 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 old to school age. All teachers/kaiako are qualified and certified. The association education manager (EM) provides consistent professional advice and guidance to support the effective operation of the service.
The kindergarten's vision states that children learn in an environment that values and supports uninterrupted and sustainable play. Children are seen as risk takers and strategic thinkers, confident and capable. A strong sense of manaakitanga (caring and respect) and whānaugnatanga (family, relationships, history, and traditions) are central to the culture.
ERO's February 2013 report noted that teachers needed to further develop and refine some aspects of children’s assessment and programme planning, and that bicultural practices needed strengthening. Internal evaluation processes focus on ongoing improvements to all areas of the curriculum.
This review was one of seven kindergartens in the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association.
The kindergarten vision of promoting manaakitanga and whānaugnatanga is very evident in the curriculum. Teachers foster respectful, reciprocal relationships with families and children. They actively promote a secure sense of belonging for those involved in the kindergarten community.
The language, culture and identity of each child is acknowledged, valued and celebrated. Teachers ensure that they know each child as a learner in the context of their family and home culture. They provide a bicultural curriculum that is meaningful for children and respectful of the Māori culture. Māori tamariki have authentic opportunities to succeed as Māori.
Teachers encourage genuine partnerships in children's learning with parents and whānau. They work collaboratively to respond to the individual interests, strengths and capabilities of each child. Specific resourcing, particularly for those with additional needs, provides valued support for children to build on their sense of wellbeing and success in their learning. Teachers are skilled at promoting child agency and independent thinking within the positive and inclusive learning environment.
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. The 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. It has high expectations for teaching and learning and equitable outcomes for all children. This includes a strong focus on 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, the education manager and teachers agree that the key next steps are to:
develop the new team and embed a culture that builds on consistency of best practice and the valued skills of each teacher
embed new appraisal processes.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Redwood 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.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
15 May 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.
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5449 |
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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 |
40 children over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
46 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 28 , Boys 18 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
February 2019 |
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Date of this report |
15 May 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2013 |
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Education Review |
November 2007 |
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Education Review |
October 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 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.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Redwood is well placed to promote positive outcomes for all children.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens administers 62 kindergartens and one early learning centre in Canterbury and the West Coast. An education services manager (ESM) works with each kindergarten giving feedback and professional support. All teachers employed by Kidsfirst Kindergartens are fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Redwood experienced a number of changes in staff due to teachers taking on leadership opportunities in other kindergartens. The hours of operation for the kindergarten were in Term 4, 2012 changed to better meet the needs of its community and more closely align to the school day. At the time of this ERO review, it was the long-serving head teacher’s last week at the kindergarten. The Kidsfirst Kindergartens ESM has supported the teaching team to manage these changes well.
Teachers provide an inclusive programme and a calm and well organised learning environment. An attractive outdoor area provides good opportunities for children’s physical play.
Children with special education needs are well supported by teachers and specialist agencies in the community.
Teachers have established relationships with the local school to support children’s transition.
This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in nine early childhood education services within the Kidsfirst Kindergartens umbrella organisation.
Teachers' positive relationships with children and families support their wellbeing and sense of belonging. Parents are warmly welcomed and encouraged to spend time at the kindergarten. Teachers know children well because they take the time to talk with parents about children’s experiences outside of kindergarten.
Teachers are caring and respectful during interactions with children. They encourage children’s interests, affirm their efforts with their work, and celebrate their successes. Teachers use a range of ways to help children to settle well at activities of interest. They encourage children to learn how to play successfully with others. During the review, ERO observed children playing well with and alongside others, sharing ideas and developing friendships. Many older children supported and guided younger children.
The programme is well resourced and presented in ways that engage children’s involvement in a wide range of activities including art and literacy. Teachers provide long periods of uninterrupted time for children to develop their relationships and their learning interests.
Teachers support children’s oral language. They encourage children to talk about their interests within and outside of kindergarten. Teachers are increasingly engaging children in conversations that help them extend on their thinking and ideas. Some teachers are making good use of technology, such as computers, to support children to research, investigate and share their ideas. Teachers recognise when children may need support with their language development and seek additional help and resources.
The teachers work well together and have a shared vision for children’s learning. The head teacher has maintained a strong sense of teamwork and a shared focus on ongoing improvement. Teachers’ strengths are recognised and valued. They have good opportunities to use their skills and demonstrate leadership. The ESM provides useful and specific feedback on teaching practices and the programme. Teachers are very reflective and talk with one another about what they are doing and how they can further improve outcomes for children.
Teachers keep useful records of children's interests and strengths and participation in the programme. Teachers have improved the ways they plan the programme and review the effectiveness of their practices. Programme planning is now more clearly documented and focused on outcomes for children. Self-review practices are now better planned and follow a useful format.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Association has a well developed policy and practice framework to support the daily and long term operation of the kindergarten. The association is kept well informed about the work of the kindergarten by the ESM and head teacher. The Kidsfirst Kindergartens senior leadership team has recently developed a new process for reviewing and reporting kindergarten information. This process is likely to help them to further identify the appropriate support required to improve learning outcomes for children.
Teachers, with the support of the ESM, have reliably identified that they need to further develop and refine some aspects of children’s assessment and programme planning. They also acknowledge they are developing their understanding and use of practices that will enable them to review outcomes for children more effectively.
Teachers have stated, and ERO agrees, that bicultural practices need strengthening. This includes:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Redwood completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they select ‘have’ or ‘have not’ 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.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
12 February 2013
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5449 |
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Licence type |
Kindergartens |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
45 children,number aged over two years of age |
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Service roll |
38 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 21; Boys 17 |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā Māori Asian Other ethnicities |
27 7 3 1 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2012 |
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Date of this report |
12 February 2013 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Education Review Accountability Review |
November 2007 October 2005 January 2001 |
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these findings ERO considers:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of self review and partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service 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 the service.