3 Ajax Street, Shirley, Christchurch
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley 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 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.
Kidsfirst Kindergarten Shirley states that it provides a welcoming inclusive environment where respectful and trusting relationships are fostered. Tikanga principles, and especially manaakitanga, are central to the kindergarten's curriculum priorities. Children are encouraged to make their own choices and take responsibility for their learning in a supportive, positive environment.
ERO's February 2012 report noted that assessment, programme planning and evaluation practices needed to be strengthened to better focus on teaching and learning. It also noted that self-review practices could be strengthened through more effective documentation of the process. While some progress has been made, aspects of both of these next steps remain a focus for further work.
This review was one of seven kindergartens in the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association.
The kindergarten's priority of manaakitanga is highly evident. Respect and kindness are valued and practiced by teachers and children. Teachers regard children as rangatira in their own right, and empower them by making them kaiako for a day. The concept of tuakana teina is well understood and demonstrated in the ways that older children help younger children. Teachers actively advocate for the children, involving specialists where appropriate. They are effectively promoting children's social competencies.
Children's language, culture and identity are valued. The home language of each child is acknowledged and celebrated. Teachers use their knowledge and understanding of the culture and identity of children and their whānau to support them to feel at home in the kindergarten setting. Māori concepts / tikanga are highly evident and well understood. The kindergarten has developed a cultural narrative that supports children to know who they are and where they come from.
Teachers engage effectively with parents, whānau and the community. They have created a welcoming space for whānau to gather, find out about what has been happening in the kindergarten, and communicate with teachers' and each other. Teachers are responsive to the views of whānau. They seek their aspirations for their children and display these in an attractive korowai - the cloak of dreams. There are strong links with the local community.
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 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 the teaching team agree that the next steps for the kindergarten are to:
strengthen internal evaluation
further develop group planning and evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley 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 |
5455 |
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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 |
36 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 19, Boys 17 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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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 2012 |
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Education Review |
October 2007 |
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Education Review |
May 2004 |
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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 Shirley is located in the suburb of Shirley in Christchurch. Since the October 2007 ERO review, the kindergarten has changed its operating hours and staffing. The kindergarten currently operates all day sessions for up to 30 children over the age of two years old. It is licensed to provide care and education for up to 40 children. All teachers are fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers.
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 include:
The next step for the teachers is to:
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 services 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 Canterbury earthquakes relating to children, family, personnel and property. The association has been proactive in addressing these challenges.
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
Before the review, the management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley 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 Shirley.
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 vision states that teachers aim to provide a warm and welcoming environment where children and their families feel comfortable and safe. The programme is based on the interests and needs of the individual child. Teachers see their role as providing the environment and resources to extend children’s learning and affirming them as confident and competent learners.
Children benefit from respectful interactions and positive relationships with their teachers. Teachers effectively involve themselves in children’s play. Teachers know children well and show a keen interest in children’s play ideas. They encourage children to talk about and share their thinking with others.
Teachers respond in ways that affirm and celebrate children’s cultural identities. Teachers use home language greetings with children. They help children to learn about each other’s cultures and languages. ERO observed children who were confident in using phrases of other languages. Aspects of a range of cultures were evident in wall displays. Teachers consult with and involve parents in offering cultural experiences to children in the programme.
Teachers model the use of te reo Māori and tikanga and encourage children to use their knowledge of te reo Māori in the programme. Some children demonstrated confidence in using familiar words and phrases of te reo Māori in the routines such as karakia, waiata, daily greetings and group time. Some children also used te reo Māori independently of teachers during their play.
Children have many opportunities to develop their social skills and relationships with others. Teachers provide consistent guidance to help children play successfully together. Children are encouraged to develop confidence in talking to their peers and being part of large groups.
Teachers effectively notice and respond to children’s emerging interests. They plan a wide range of activities that encourage children’s ongoing interests. They involve children in decisions about the daily setting up of the environment. Teachers are aware of children’s involvement and offer ideas and additional resources to extend children’s play. Teachers make good use of the community to broaden the range of experiences that they offer to children.
Children benefit from a spacious learning environment with a good range of resources and activities. Physical and imaginative play was prominent in the programme. Wall displays and information communication technologies (ICT) are effectively used to show children’s interests and their involvement in the programme. Teachers also use ICT, such as digital cameras, to make meaningful links between children’s home lives and their kindergarten experiences.
Assessment, programme planning and evaluation practices need to be strengthened to better focus on teaching and learning.
For assessment this includes:
For planning and evaluation this includes:
The teaching team has identified, and ERO agrees, that self-review practices could be strengthened through more effective documentation of the process.
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.
As part of this review, ERO evaluated the extent to which:
Although there are no children with identified moderate to severe special needs currently enrolled in this kindergarten, there are systems and practices in place to support the enrolment of a child with special needs.
These include clear policies and guidelines to support teachers to respond to these children and their families.
Teachers also have:
Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley completed an ERO CentreManagement Assurance 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 service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
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Type |
All Day Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over two |
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Roll number |
32 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 14 Boys 18 |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European Pākehā 24; Māori 2; Asian 4; Other ethnicities 2 |
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Review team on site |
September 2011 |
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Date of this report |
17 February 2012 |
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Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review October 2007 Education Review June 2004 Accountability Review November 1998 |
17 February 2012
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Shirley is located in the suburb of Shirley in Christchurch. Since the October 2007 ERO review, the kindergarten has changed its operating hours and staffing. The kindergarten currently operates all day sessions for up to 30 children over the age of two years old. It is licensed to provide care and education for up to 40 children. All teachers are fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers.
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 include:
The next step for the teachers is to:
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 services 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 Canterbury earthquakes relating to children, family, personnel and property. The association has been proactive in addressing these challenges.
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service 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.
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 kindergarten, may be included in the review. ERO will not include this strand in all reviews.
National Evaluation Topics – This strand contributes to the development of education policies and their effective implementation. The information from this strand is aggregated by ERO for its national evaluation reports. Topics for investigation are changed regularly to provide up-to-date information.
Compliance with Legal Requirements – assurance that this kindergarten has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of kindergarten 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 kindergarten.
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 kindergarten.