5 Vega Place, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centres (10 B, T & P) Constellation is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centres (10 B, T & P) Constellation is part of national early learning service owned and operated by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd (the organisation). It is on the same site as the Kindercare Learning Centres (10P) Constellation. This centre is licensed for 147 children, including 40 children under two years of age. Families and teachers represent a diverse range of cultures and ethnic groups.
The centre is part of a large complex that provides care and education from children from birth to five-years-old in age-specific rooms, with access to shared outdoor spaces. It has charitable connections with the Gracegate centre and Care4Kids, that support children and their families. The centre has a long-standing teaching team with low staff turnover. Most teachers are qualified and registered ECE teachers.
The service philosophy is based on Kindercares' three key values for children to be ‘safe, loved and learning’. The organisation provides policies, procedures and processes to monitor health and safety. An area manager works in partnership with the centre director to support centre operation. The organisation has developed service-wide expectations and a strategic approach to understanding te ao Maori and culturally responsive practices.
Leaders and teachers have maintained the positive aspects identified in the April 2015 ERO report. They have worked together to further enhance partnerships with parents; and continued to develop capable, confident leaders and teachers who can achieve their potential and contribute to positive outcomes for children.
This review was one of five within Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd, Auckland region.
Leaders and teachers have embedded a strong shared, vision and values that are very well reflected in practices. They promote a culture of care and respect for one another and for children, parents and whānau. Positive and supportive relationships are actively fostered to create a strong sense of belonging for children.
Teachers work in partnership with parents and whānau. They value parent contribution to the programme and to their children's learning. Effective communication systems ensure that parents are well informed of their children's learning. Transitions into and within the centre and on to school, are personalised to the needs of each child.
Teachers provide a rich, broad curriculum that provokes children’s deeper levels of interest, oral language development, self-confidence and social competence. Children have many opportunities to investigate and extend their ideas and contribute to a curriculum that is highly responsive to their interests, strengths and capabilities. Teachers are very intentional in the planning and presentation of the environment to inspire children's curiosity, creativity and exploration. Literacy, mathematics and science are integrated in ways that are meaningful for children. Purposeful links to schools and the community enhance learning for children.
Diverse learners are well supported to see themselves as capable learners. Leaders and teachers take collective responsibility for children's wellbeing and learning. Teachers work closely with parents, whānau and external agencies. The organisation prioritises equitable opportunities to learn for all children. They provide additional resourcing and family support expertise, when required, to help children succeed.
Infants and toddlers benefit from a curriculum of care and respect, and the purposeful provision of separate, high quality environments. Teachers give emphasis to providing an ‘atmosphere of quiet care' especially for young infants. They are mindful of supporting a positive sense of wellbeing and security for children. Teachers work in partnership with parents and whānau to provide respectful routines and rituals that are aligned to home rhythms.
Strong effective leadership has established a culture in which children are valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Leaders have very clear expectations for effective teaching and learning outcomes for children. The leadership team provide high levels of professional support, including targeted professional development and mentoring, to strengthen teacher capability and leadership capacity. They promote a culture of inquiry and reflection, and critical thinking for leaders, teachers and children. Leaders and teachers work collaboratively, valuing and making good use of individual strengths and the skills of parents to enhance the curriculum.
The organisation has established a strategic approach that is well aligned to service priorities and the professional learning and development of teachers. Governance and management practices are underpinned by a strong, shared, vision and purpose. There is a clear focus on building leadership and promoting robust appraisal and mentoring processes to promote ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children.
Service leaders have identified, and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
ERO identified that the annual strategic plan could be reviewed and refined to provide a clear process for monitoring, evaluating and reporting on key strategic priorities.
The organisation priorities are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centre (10 B, T & P) Constellation 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement
Te Tai Tini (Southern Region)
7 May 2020
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.
| Location | Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 20465 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 147 children, including up to 40 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 154 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 81, Boys 73 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Asian Other ethnicities | 9 38 5 52 50 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | November 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 7 May 2020 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | April 2015 | |
| Education Review | March 2012 | ||
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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centres (10 B, T & P) Constellation is part of a large complex that provides care and education for children from birth to five years of age. It opened in 1993 and is situated in Mairangi Bay, Auckland. The community attending the centre is predominately NZ European/Pākehā and Chinese. A small number of children are Māori and from other ethnic backgrounds.
Since the last ERO review in February 2012, the complex has merged from four licenses to two. There has also been a significant focus around strengthening learning partnerships with families and whānau.
The centre philosophy and vision guides and underpins all practices and developments at the centre. The philosophy reflects early childhood as a precious stage in life; a time when significant adults build connections and prioritise keeping children ‘safe, loved and learning’. Teachers work together with parents to celebrate and help develop each child’s full potential.
The Kindercare umbrella organisation provides the centre with management and administration systems, including a policy and procedural framework. The area manager, centre director and centre supervisor/curriculum support person provide high quality governance and effective professional leadership. All staff play a significant role in sustaining and further developing positive learning outcomes for children.
The centre’s philosophy and values are well reflected in practice and underpinned by positive and respectful relationships. Children and parents are warmly welcomed when they arrive. This helps children settle quickly into the centre and play. Teachers’ caring, unhurried interactions with children promote children’s sense of self esteem and foster their belonging.
An atmosphere of quiet care, and opportunities for children to move freely within the centre support individual exploration and physical movement, particularly for infants and toddlers. Teachers’ engagement with children and the parent community underpins a programme focused on the interests of children and parent aspirations.
The outdoor area is particularly inviting for children. It offers them a range of equipment and play options designed to capture their interests and meet their learning needs. There are good opportunities for children to explore science and nature themes. Play options are offered to develop children’s physical coordination, strength and agility. Children can construct and create art, explore and enjoy quiet natural spaces. ERO observed many individual children and groups of children happily engaged in sustained imaginative and creative play.
The centre’s innovative curriculum focuses on an ‘ethos of care’. It reflects a deep level of respect for each child and their individuality. The flexibility of learning programmes enables children to play and develop at their own pace and follow their own interests. They also give children assurance that they are valued and uniquely special. Most teachers skilfully extend children’s thinking through careful and responsive questioning. These approaches enable teachers to extend the curriculum and grow children’s sense of resilience.
Stories about children’s learning are well documented on the recently introduced Educa web based programme. Parents receive current information about their children’s experiences and learning. This enables parents to follow up and extend children’s learning at home. Parents can also share children’s emerging interests with teachers. This has helped create a richer partnership with parents and to increase their contribution to their child’s learning.
The centre has made considerable developments to the bicultural dimensions of its programme. This is a result of tapping into the considerable knowledge and skills of its parent/whānau community. Strengths in this area include the:
The centre now has a good platform for further growth. Building on these strengths, leaders and teachers plan to review the curriculum and teacher practices with the aim of further increasing the centre’s bicultural capability.
The centre benefits from highly capable leadership and collaborative team work. Centre leaders and teachers participate in effective ongoing professional development to learn about current best practice in early childhood education. They make appropriate use of up-to-date information and research, along with reflection and evaluation of their practices, to continue to deliver high quality care and education for children.
The area manager, centre director and centre supervisor/curriculum support person capably guide the centre’s strategic direction. They promote high expectations, and support teachers to meet these expectations. The policy framework and management planning are sound. Centre self review is rigorous, systematic, and well documented. It focuses on improvement and invites parent contributions and feedback.
Centre leaders have appropriately identified that the next stages of centre development should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (10 B, T & P) Constellation 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.
The next ERO review of Kindercare Learning Centres (10 B, T & P) Constellation will be in four years.
Dale Bailey Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
10 April 2015
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.
|
Location |
Mairangi Bay, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20465 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
147 children, including up to 40 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
134 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 51% Girls 49% |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Korean other |
3% 51% 26% 8% 12% |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
10 April 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2002 |
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 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.