13 Cornwall Street, St Albans, Christchurch
View on mapHow well placed is Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam 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.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam 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 attend kindergarten for up to six hours a day during the four kindergarten terms.
Since the 2012 ERO review, planning and assessment processes have been strengthened and the kindergarten’s curriculum has been developed to meet the changing needs of children.
This review was part of a cluster of 18 kindergarten reviews.
The kindergarten’s vision and values are strongly evident in the positive ways teachers work with children and parents, the high-quality programme and the well-developed environment. Teachers take time to warmly welcome whānau and to listen to their aspirations for their children. These close links between teachers and children’s families support a strong community culture.
Children’s diverse learning, language and cultural needs are well respected and valued. Teachers know the families well.
The child-centred learning areas have interesting activities and well-organised resources that engage children in learning. Opportunities for real-life play support children to develop literacy and mathematics knowledge and skills.
A range of technologies support teaching and learning. This includes, children and teachers naturally using iPads for a range of teaching purposes in the environment. Electronic portfolios enable parents to be more involved with their children’s learning.
Teachers work collaboratively. Leadership is valued and shared and teachers’ strengths and interests are well used. The head teacher and the Education Service Manager work well together. Teachers have high expectations for quality teaching and learning. They are reflective about their practices and are strongly committed to improving the way they teach and interact with children.
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:
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.
The Kidsfirst Kindergartens’ managers have identified, and ERO agrees, that the key next steps are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam 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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer-Southern Southern Region
31 March 2015
| Location | Christchurch | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 5458 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 40 children, aged two years and over | ||
| Service roll | 66 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 37; Girls 29 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Fijian Asian Other ethnicities | 7 47 1 5 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 | November 2014 | ||
| Date of this report | 31 March 2015 | ||
Most recent ERO reports These are available at www.ero.govt.nz | Education Review | March 2012 | |
| Education Review | November 2007 | ||
| Education Review | March 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:
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 Sunbeam is located in the St Albans suburb of Christchurch. The kindergarten currently operates morning sessions from Monday to Friday and three afternoon sessions each week. It is licensed for 45 children over two years of age. All teachers are fully qualified and registered as early childhood teachers.
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 management support in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who work in partnership with teachers providing ongoing leadership and professional development.
Children benefit from a well organised and attractive learning environment. Teachers give careful thought to the presentation of resources to inspire children’s curiosity, investigation and art appreciation.
The well-being of children and families is fostered through supportive and caring relationships in the kindergarten community. Parents and families are actively involved in the life of the kindergarten.
Other positive features of this kindergarten are the:
Teachers use a good level of te reo Māori in ways that provide opportunities for children to experience te reo Māori and tikanga Māori throughout the programme. Bicultural perspectives are well integrated into the environment.
The teaching team has identified, and ERO agrees, that the next area for development is to build on aspects of evaluation documentation and to continue to increase children’s and parents’ contributions to the programme and self review.
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 and the kindergarten teachers have been proactive in addressing these challenges.
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.
Before the review, the management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam 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 Sunbeam.
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 association’s philosophy states that teachers aim to provide a warm and welcoming environment where children and their families feel comfortable and safe. In this kindergarten, the association’s philosophy is interpreted in a vision statement which states that teachers aim to provide an environment where close links are established between teachers and families.
The programme provides a structure to encourage children to develop independence, caring attitudes towards each other, and decision making.
Teachers have warm, responsive and inclusive relationships with children and families. Teachers know children and families well. There is a strong sense of belonging for children and families. Many parents are comfortable spending time at the kindergarten and involve themselves in the programme supporting their own and other children. Teachers have well established links with the local school and other local early childhood education services.
Teachers actively foster children’s independence and social skills. Children use effective language and practices that help to promote children’s social development. Children play cooperatively with and alongside others for sustained lengths of time. They show care and concern for each other. ERO observed many children confident to share ideas, make choices and develop their play with one another. Children are aware of the kindergarten expectations and teachers provide consistent guidance to support this.
Teachers provide many ways for children to be leaders in the programme and experience success with their learning. They make good links to the planned programme and children’s current learning interests.
Children are actively challenged in a wide range of creative and expressive learning activities. Parents are well informed in a range of effective ways about the strong value placed on children’s learning.
Strong features of the programme are the focus on literacy, maths, science and arts. Children’s art and progression with art is made highly visible in the attractive wall displays. Bicultural practices are well integrated into the environment. Teachers use a good level te reo Māori in ways that help to build on children’s use of the language.
Children benefit from a well organised, well resourced and interesting learning environment. Teachers present these areas in ways that help to inspire children’s curiosity, investigation and art appreciation. Children’s work is highly valued and respectfully displayed. Attractive wall displays inform parents about children’s current learning interests.
The spacious natural outside area provides children with many opportunities for physical play, and to learn about the natural world and sustainable practices. Children play with a wide range of literacy and science resources that are well integrated in the inside and outside areas.
The teaching team has identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps are to continue to:
build on aspects of evaluation documentation to more clearly show the impact of teaching strategies on children’s learning
increase children’s and parents’ contribution to aspects of the planned programme and self review.
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:
This kindergarten has some children with identified moderate special education needs currently enrolled. The kindergarten is well placed to meet the needs of those children and to identify any other children with moderate to severe special education needs. Teachers have clear policies and guidelines in place to identify such children and are intentional in their assessment of typical developmental milestones. Teachers are well informed about processes for identifying and referring children who may have developmental challenges. This judgement is based on the teaching team’s strong:
Before the review, the staff of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam 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 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
|
Type |
Sessional, Kindergarten |
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
|
Number licensed for |
45 children over two years old |
|
Roll number |
83 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 43; Girls 40 |
|
Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā 58; Māori 9; Pacific 2; Asian 6; Other Ethnicities 8 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2011 |
|
Date of this report |
1 March 2012 |
|
Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review November 2007 Education Review March 2005 Accountability Review June 2000 |
1 March 2012
To the Parents and Community of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Sunbeam is located in the St Albans suburb of Christchurch. The kindergarten currently operates morning sessions from Monday to Friday and three afternoon sessions each week. It is licensed for 45 children over two years of age. All teachers are fully qualified and registered as early childhood teachers.
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 management support in the form of education service managers and a manager of kindergarten operations who work in partnership with teachers providing ongoing leadership and professional development.
Children benefit from a well organised and attractive learning environment. Teachers give careful thought to the presentation of resources to inspire children’s curiosity, investigation and art appreciation.
The well-being of children and families is fostered through supportive and caring relationships in the kindergarten community. Parents and families are actively involved in the life of the kindergarten.
Other positive features of this kindergarten are the:
Teachers use a good level of te reo Māori in ways that provide opportunities for children to experience te reo Māori and tikanga Māori throughout the programme. Bicultural perspectives are well integrated into the environment.
The teaching team has identified, and ERO agrees, that the next area for development is to build on aspects of evaluation documentation and to continue to increase children’s and parents’ contributions to the programme and self review.
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 and the kindergarten teachers have been proactive in addressing these challenges.
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.
When ERO has reviewed a kindergarten or 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 centre 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 centre, 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 centre has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of centre 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 centre 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.