Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation

Education institution number:
20535
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
18
Telephone:
Address:

5 Vega Place, Mairangi Bay, Auckland

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Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation - 07/05/2020

Here is the latest report for the Governing Organisation that this service is part of.

 

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation is part of a national early learning service owned and operated by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd (the organisation). It is situated on the same site as Kindercare Learning Centres (10 B, T & P) Constellation. This centre is licensed for 30 children. Families represent a diverse range of cultures and ethnic groups.

The centre operates within the purpose-built Kindercare Constellation complex in Mairangi Bay. It has charitable connections with the Gracegate centre and Care4Kids, that support children and their families.

The service philosophy is based on Kindercare's 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. It has developed service-wide expectations and a strategic approach to understanding of te ao Māori and culturally responsive practices.

Since the April 2015 ERO review, there have been significant changes to the teaching team. All staff are qualified and registered ECE teachers.

The 2015 report identified a number of strengths and continuing to build teachers knowledge on different cultures in the centre and promoting longer-term investigations and inquiries within sessional programmes. Some progress has been made in these areas.

Leaders and teachers have maintained the positive aspects identified in the previous ERO report. They have worked together to incorporate home cultures into learning programmes and to promote children's long-term investigations and inquiries.

This review was one of five within Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd, Auckland region.

The Review Findings

Leaders and teachers have a strong shared philosophy, vision and values that are clearly 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 enable children to develop a sense of belonging.

Teachers work in partnership with parents and whānau. They value parent contribution to the programme and to children's learning. Effective communication systems ensure that parents are well informed of their children's learning and centre events. Transition into the centre and on to school are personalised to the needs of each child.

Teachers provide a rich, broad and innovative curriculum that provokes children’s deeper levels of interest, critical thinking, expressive language, 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 purposeful in the planning and presentation of the environment to inspire children's curiosity and exploration. Practices such as sustainability and care for the natural world are well embedded. Literacy, mathematics and science are integrated in ways that are meaningful for children. Purposeful links to schools and the community enhance children's learning opportunities. Children are very settled and highly engaged in their learning.

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 collaboratively with parents, whanau and external agencies. The organisation prioritises equitable opportunities for all children. They provide additional resourcing and family support expertise when required to enable children to succeed.

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. They provide high levels of professional support, including targeted professional development and mentoring, to strengthen teacher and leadership capacity. Leaders promote a culture of inquiry, reflection, and critical thinking. Teachers work collaboratively, valuing and making good use of individual strengths to enhance the curriculum provided for children.

The organisation has an established strategic approach to the operation of the service 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 fostering robust appraisal and mentoring processes to promote ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Service leaders have identified, and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:

  • te ao Māori and bicultural perspectives in key documentation and practices
  • home language and cultures in curriculum documentation and practices.

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:

  • give greater prominence to the principles of The Treaty of Waitangi in key documentation and teaching practices including fully implementing the organisation's te ao Māori and culturally responsive practice action planning across the service
  • refine strategic planning and ensure clear alignment of internal evaluation, monitoring and reporting
  • evaluate effectiveness at leadership, management and governance.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (10 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:

  • 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement

Te Tai Tini (Southern)

7 May 2020

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

LocationAuckland
Ministry of Education profile number20535
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for30 children, over the age of two
Service roll26
Gender compositionFemale 19, Male 7
Ethnic compositionNZ European/Pākehā
Asian 
Other ethnicities


13

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 2N/A 
Over 21:10Meets minimum requirements
Review team on siteNovember 2019
Date of this report7 May 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewApril 2015
Education ReviewMarch 2012

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

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.

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.

Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation - 13/04/2015

1 Evaluation of Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation

How well placed is Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation offers morning and afternoon sessions for children from three years to school age. The community attending the centre is predominately NZ European/Pākehā and Chinese, with a small number of children who are Māori or of other ethnic backgrounds.

The centre continues to be very effectively led and managed. It is licensed for 30 children and operates within the purpose-built Kindercare Constellation complex in Mairangi Bay. Since the centre’s previous ERO review in February 2012, the complex has merged from four licences to two and now offers sessional programme options. The sessional service is in its third year of operation and children can attend up to five sessions per week. There has also been a significant focus on 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 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 Review Findings

Children and their whānau are warmly welcomed into the centre. Teachers use effective strategies to help children to settle quickly into the centre and play. An unhurried atmosphere gives children the chance to explore at their own pace and direct their own learning. Children are given the freedom to sustain play for extended periods of time and to follow their own interests. They can choose to play independently or in groups with other children. Friendship groups are evident and children are at ease with each other and adults.

The outdoor area is particularly inviting for children. It offers them a range of equipment and play options. These are 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.

Children have good opportunities to begin their journey as life-long learners. They have good opportunities to develop early literacy and numeracy skills and to learn about and use information communication technologies (ICT). Older children are encouraged to attend morning sessions. Aspects of this programme are well designed to help them in their transition to school.

Teachers’ programme planning reflects the contribution of children, parents and whānau. Stories about children’s learning are well documented on the recently introduced Educa web-based programme. This gives parents current and meaningful information about their children’s experiences and learning progress at the centre. It enables parents to follow up and extend children’s learning at home and to share children’s emerging interests. Teachers are now aiming to record more individual learning stories that show each child’s development over time.

Teachers engage with whānau, know parents and children well and build genuine partnerships with families. Centre leaders are actively working to build a sense of community among the diversity of parents and cultural groups using the service. Parents express a high level of satisfaction with the service and the commitment shown by staff. They value the unhurried routines and the time teachers take to provide quality feedback about their child’s day and learning. Parents appreciate how well teachers respond to children’s individual needs and their willingness to work closely with families and external agencies for children requiring specialist support.

The long-serving and experienced teaching team work collaboratively. They bring complementary strengths to the team and support each other’s professional learning and development. Teachers discuss what they notice and recognise about children’s learning and work well together to respond to and extend this learning.

Teachers' approach to children is underpinned by the service’s core values of respect and care. They consistently ask children about their preferences and needs and offer them choices. This ensures that children feel listened to, respected and valued. ERO noted the positive way in which teachers guided children and sensitively supported them to refocus where necessary. Most teachers skilfully extend children’s thinking through careful and responsive questioning. Centre leaders and teachers are aware that continuing to deepen conversations with children will enhance children’s experiences and 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:

  • fostering of bicultural learning at an organisational, teacher and parent level
  • use of the Awataha Marae to enrich staff learning experiences and opportunities for bicultural leadership.

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.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders have identified that the next stages of centre development should include:

  • continuing to build on teachers’ knowledge of the range of cultures in the centre and incorporate this into learning programmes
  • considering how to best promote children’s longer-term investigations and inquiries within the context of sessional programmes.

ERO agrees that these developments would promote enhanced outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (10 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:

  • 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 Kindercare Learning Centres (10 P) Constellation will be in four years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

13 April 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

Location

Mairangi Bay, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

20535

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 0 aged under 2

Service roll

43

Gender composition

Boys 24 Girls 19

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Middle Eastern

other European

other

2

19

9

2

8

3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2015

Date of this report

13 April 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

February 2012

 

Education Review

March 2009

 

Education Review

April 2006

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.