Kidz World - Maisey Place

1 Evaluation of Kidz World - Maisey Place

How well placed is Kidz World - Maisey Place to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Kidz World - Maisey Place is located at the northern end of Rotorua. It is an all-day education and care centre for children from birth to school age. The centre is licensed for 90 children, including up to 40 under the age of two years. There are separate age-based areas including a four year old room. Children come from a range of ethnic backgrounds. At the time of this review there were 74 children enrolled, including 30 who identified as Māori.

The centre is one of three privately owned Kidz World centres in Rotorua. In 2016 the centre owner developed a new purpose-built facility in close proximity to the existing centre and relocated. The established wider management team includes the owner/director, the education manager, administrator and three centre managers. The team works collaboratively across all three centres to provide governance, management and professional leadership. The centre manager of Kidz World -Maisey Place has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management. The majority of staff is qualified early childhood teachers and the centre maintains teacher-to-child ratios, better than minimum Ministry of Education requirements.

The centre’s philosophy states that learning occurs through play and exploration and empowers children to take measurable risks to extend their learning. The philosophy also encourages children to take responsibility for themselves to become capable, competent and confident learners.

The centre has responded appropriately to the recommendations in the 2015 ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children, their families and whānau benefit from positive, responsive and respectful relationships with teachers which support children’s sense of belonging in the centre. Leaders and teachers work in partnership with parents to support both learning and behaviour. The importance of learning through play is recognised and prioritised. There is a personalised approach to monitoring progress and development for each child. Ongoing observations of children in everyday activities informs planning and assessment. Teachers share children’s learning progress and development with family and whānau on a regular basis. Children benefit from a responsive curriculum that puts their needs first.

Teachers effectively engage children in their learning. They encourage the development of self-management and independence. Children are supported to problem solve and experiment through sustained teaching episodes in a well-resourced environment. Literacy and numeracy are naturally integrated into the life of the centre. Teachers respond effectively to children with additional needs and support them appropriately to fully participate in the daily life of the centre. There is some use of te reo Māori and Māori culture is integrated into meaningful learning and play contexts. Families from diverse cultures experience an inclusive and supportive approach. Children benefit from many opportunities to learn in a safe and supportive environment.

Children up to the age for two years are well nurtured and cared for. There are warm, caring and trusting relationships between teachers and children. Teachers engage in one-to-one responsive interactions and the care needs for these young children are well met. Children have choice and can manage their own learning and exploration. There are many opportunities for younger children to interact with their older peers and develop positive relationships. Oral language acquisition and development is a strong focus and children are benefitting from a language-rich environment. Children are confident, settled and happy in their environment.

Leaders foster high levels of collaboration, respect and trust. They are highly focused on building teacher capability and positive changes in practice are being embedded. There is a formalised approach to induction, coaching, mentoring and appraisal. Leaders facilitate many opportunities for teachers to participate in reflective practice to improve planning and outcomes for learners. Leadership is supporting quality teaching and learning for children in the centre.

Strong governance systems and processes guide the operation of the centre. There is a clear vision which sets the direction for ongoing improvement. Policy informs decision making and a regular review cycle enables input from staff, families and whānau. Centre priorities and goals are clearly identified and link strongly to positive outcomes for children. Ongoing responsive self review is well embedded and contributes to the centre's sustainability. Effective governance contributes strongly to positive outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and ERO agree the key next steps for the centre are to:

• continue to strengthen the implementation of the refreshed early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki in planning, assessment and evaluation

• further develop language, culture and identity for Māori in the daily programme

• design and implement a local curriculum for the centre in consultation with family/whānau/iwi.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kidz World - Maisey Place 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Kidz World - Maisey Place will be in three years.

Adrienne Fowler

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

9 October 2018

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.

1 Evaluation of Kidz World – Maisey Place

How well placed is Kidz World – Maisey Place to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Kidz World – Maisey Place is a full day licensed education and care service located in Rotorua. It is licensed to cater for 50 children, including 25 children up to the age of 2 in two age-based areas. At the time of this ERO review there were 15 children who identified as Māori from a number of iwi.

The centre operates under the governance and management of Kidz World organisation that has two other centres in Rotorua. The organisation places priority on the provision of high-quality services and positive learning outcomes for children and their families.

Since the last ERO review the centre manager has remained in her role and two team leaders have been appointed to over see the day-to-day operation of the two age-based areas.

The centre has sustained its areas of strengths identified in the previous ERO report in 2012 and has responded positively to the areas for development related to the philosophy, assessment practise and appraisal process.

The centre exceeds minimum Ministry of Education requirements in relation to the number of teachers with recognised qualifications and adult-to-children ratios.

The service prioritises respectful and nurturing relationships with children and their family/whānau. They aim to foster curiosity, exploration, self responsibility and sustainable practices for children and their whānau.

The Review Findings

The Kidz World belief in a collective responsibility that includes parents ‘to do the best for our children’ is central to the service’s philosophy, strategic plans, policies and expectations for teaching and learning. The senior management team work collaboratively to design and promote effective strategies, which align with, and support the implementation of, key values and principles expressed in the philosophy. This team has been integral in furthering the development of comprehensive and robust systems for self review, teachers’ appraisal, registration and professional learning and development.

The director/owner sets clear direction and expectations for the service. She is supportive and actively involved alongside the centre manager, and together they foster developing leadership, and encouraging staff to use and grow their expertise. The centre manager is an experienced and knowledgeable professional leader. She has developed a culture where children are first and foremost, valued and celebrated for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Effective centre leadership is resulting in teachers reflecting on their practice to enable them to respond to what they notice about children’s interests and learning.

The Kidz World - Maisey Place play-based curriculum is well designed and applied to promote positive learning outcomes for children of all ages. Key features of the curriculum include:

• respectful relationships, nurture and social competence
• literacy, mathematics and science
• foundation skills for life-long learning, including healthy eating, self care, life skills and problem solving
• sustainable practices like re-purposing materials, where children and teachers create resources and equipment for extending play and exploration
• the balance between the natural world and digital technology.

Children experience a rich curriculum where they are actively engaged and enjoy purposeful, authentic, hands-on play and learning. There would be benefit in documenting the curriculum design and priorities to further clarify the thinking that underpins the curriculum and teachers’ practice.

Teachers pay careful attention to creating and maintaining vibrant, interesting and complex environments that invite exploration and learning both inside and outdoors. Teachers are developing their understanding about their role to provide experiences that spark children’s curiosity and extend their potential as learners. Features of interactions among adults and children are positive and inclusive, and celebrate the uniqueness of each child and family.

The centre culture is reflected through the calm, settled environment where there is fun and laughter, along with a strong sense of family and belonging.

Key Next Steps

Ongoing work and development in the following areas should support the implementation of the centre’s strategic direction and motto ‘better than before’:

• full implementation and use of the Mahara information and communication technologies programme as a tool for documenting assessment, planning and evaluation
• bicultural development
• indicators for teacher practice
• growing the role of team leaders within the new management structure.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kidz World – Maisey Place 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Kidz World – Maisey Place will be in three years.

Dale Bailey Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

5 June 2015

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.