Kidz Corner Miramar - 30/01/2019

• On this page:

• 1 Evaluation of Kidz Corner Miramar
• 2 Information about the Early Childhood Service
• 3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

How well placed is Kidz Corner Miramar to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Kidz Corner Miramar is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Kidz Corner Miramar is a community-based Christian early learning service in central Miramar, Wellington. It is licensed to provide full-day care for 40 children, including 12 up to the age of two.

A trust made up of parents provides governance. The centre supervisor is responsible for day-to-day management. Long-serving leadership and a well-established teaching team are in place. There have been some recent teacher appointments. All teachers are fully qualified.

The centre’s philosophy links to the values and beliefs of its parents, families and community, and promotes respectful relationships through a Christian ethos.

The key next steps identified in the February 2016 ERO report were to continue to improve assessment practices, internal evaluation and appraisal. Progress is evident.

The Review Findings

Children participate and learn in a play-based programme that supports their interests. Opportunities to extend their developing understanding of literacy and numeracy are promoted by teachers. Independent and small group play is fostered through activities that engage and encourage children to interact, create, explore and have fun. Teachers know children well. Relationships between children and with teachers are respectful and supportive.

Infants and toddlers experience a calm and unhurried learning environment. Teachers are nurturing and responsive to children’s cues and positive in their interactions.

Children with additional needs are identified and effectively supported. Leaders provide additional resourcing to enable their equitable access to the curriculum.

Aspects of kaupapa Māori are evident in the learning environment. Leaders are aware of the need to strengthen bicultural practice and have sought professional development to support teacher capability. ERO's evaluation affirms this direction.

Children’s portfolios record how teachers notice, recognise and respond to children’s interests. Māori and Pacific children’s cultures are visible in narrative assessment. High levels of parent and whānau feedback is evident. ERO and leaders agree key next steps are to promote the consistency of quality in assessment, planning and evaluation with particular attention given to:

• recording and responding to parents' aspirations for their children’s learning

• clearly identifying intentional teaching strategies to extend learning

• celebrating children’s cultures, languages and identities.

A recent review has established priorities for children's wellbeing and belonging as a platform for further learning.

A clear self-review process is in place. Leaders and teachers work collaboratively to inquire into, reflect on and make changes to their teaching. Next steps are to develop a more evaluative approach by clearly defining indicators of high quality practice related to the area under investigation. These should inform data gathering and support evaluation of practice.

A useful inquiry-based appraisal process supports the growth of teachers' capability. Regular appraiser observations help to identify good practice and inform next steps for development. In order to improve the approach leaders should ensure that:

• goals more explicitly align to the strategic plan

• constructive appraiser feedback and teacher reflections are focused on impact of improved practices in promoting outcomes for specific children and priority groups

• centre supervisor appraisal is more focused on developing her leadership.

Further developing the appraisal process to reflect Tapasā: Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners, should support teachers to respond more effectively to the needs of Pacific learners.

Trustees are supportive and are well informed about the centre curriculum and operation. They resource a range of appropriate professional learning and development opportunities for staff.

Trustees, leaders and teachers have a shared commitment to the centre vision. As the strategic plan is under review, it is timely to consider how the centre priorities will be met and reported to the Trust.

Key Next Steps

ERO and leaders agree priorities are to strengthen:

• assessment and planning

• the bicultural curriculum

• cultural responsiveness

• internal evaluation to inform decision making and measure the impact of the programme on children's learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kidz Corner Miramar 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.

To improve practice the service provider should ensure:

• a suitable range of up-to-date policy guidelines is in place to support compliance with legislative requirements.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Kidz Corner Miramar will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services

Southern Region

30 January 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

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.