99 Thomas Road, Rototuna, Hamilton
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centres - Thomas Road is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centres - Thomas Road is located in the suburb of Rototuna in the north east of Hamilton. The centre is owned by Kindercare Ltd who operate many early childhood centres throughout New Zealand. The centre is licensed to provide education and care for 100 children including 25 aged under two years. It operates a full-day programme in five age-based rooms. At the time of this review the centre's multicultural roll of 105 included 39 children identified as Chinese and 19 of Māori descent.
A centre director provides overall professional leadership and is supported by a supervisor who has responsibility for curriculum programmes and the team leaders. A Kindercare area manager supports leaders in all areas of centre operations.
Since the previous ERO review in 2014, a new centre director has been appointed and there have been many changes to the teaching team. The centre has responded well to addressing the key next step identified in the 2014 ERO report about strengthening culturally responsive practice and assessment processes.
The centre's philosophy makes a commitment to keeping children safe, loved and learning. An emphasis is placed on providing learning programmes that focus on children following their own interests, building meaningful relationships with adults and being valued as uniquely special.
Children enjoy participating in a programme that effectively supports their care and learning. The programme is a combination of teacher-led and child-initiated activities. Literacy and mathematics are naturally integrated into children's play. Children over the age of three enjoy opportunities to undertake visits and trips into the wider community. A special strength is the highly inclusive approach to supporting children with high learning and care needs. Children up to the age of two years benefit from caring and nurturing relationships with their teachers. The close relationship between parents and teachers supports a sense of wellbeing and belonging for babies and very young children.
Māori children's culture, language and identity are acknowledged through celebrations of special events, regular waiata, karakia, and some teacher's use of te reo Māori. A meaningful relationship with whānau is supporting the centre to develop stronger links with local marae.
Children's learning and development is well documented and easily accessible to parents in an electronic format. Some teachers make good use of this information to extend children's learning and emerging interests. The centre should now give consideration to ensuring this information is readily available for children to revisit their learning.
Teachers work collegially in the best interests of children and their families. They have developed effective parent partnerships to gain insight into the aspirations they have for their children. This information is effectively used to respond to children's care needs and to extend their home interests. Teachers have positive and affirming relationships with children and their families. ERO observed effective teaching practices where teachers extended children's language and problem solving skills through meaningful play. In some areas of the centre greater flexibility in routines would enable children to persist with their play. Developing the consistency of teaching practice is a key next step for the centre. Teachers with Chinese and Indian heritage support their colleagues to respond effectively to children from diverse cultural backgrounds. Responsive teaching contributes to meeting the centre's commitment to valuing each child as uniquely special.
Centre leadership is knowledgeable and well informed. The recently appointed centre director is highly respected by teachers and has a very strong relationship with children and their families. She is well supported by a knowledgeable supervisor and team leaders who work collaboratively to provide quality care and learning programmes. Well-considered leadership provides valued support for teachers and contributes to the centre's calm and settled environment for children.
Kindercare provides sound frameworks to guide centre operations. The area manager provides leaders with useful support and guidance to meet Kindercare's requirements and philosophy. Teachers with leadership aspirations are well supported by Kindercare to develop their leadership skills. Teacher appraisal systems meet the requirements of the Education Council of New Zealand. Self-review processes are guided by a detailed framework provided by Kindercare. These frameworks support leaders and teachers to effectively review key aspects of the centres operations.
ERO and centre leaders agree that the next key step for leaders is to build consistency of effective teaching practice. Consideration should be given, to developing with teachers, shared and agreed expectations for high quality teaching and learning at Kindercare Learning Centres - Thomas Road.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres - Thomas Road 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Kindercare Learning Centres - Thomas Road will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Waikato/Bay of Plenty
12 June 2017
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.
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Location |
Rototuna, Hamilton |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45068 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
105 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 64 Boys 41 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
19 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
12 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |
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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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Early Learning Centres Ltd 402 is located in the suburb of Rototuna in the north east of Hamilton. It is licensed to provide education and care for 100 children including 25 under the age of two. The centre is owned by Kindercare Ltd who operates over 40 early childhood centres throughout New Zealand. At the time of this ERO review the centre’s multicultural roll of 92 included 28 children identified as Chinese and 10 children of Māori descent. The centre was opened in 2009 and operated under three separate licences. In 2012 it was relicensed by the Ministry of Education under one licence. The centre continues to operate five age-based rooms. Over the last three years the centre has experienced consistent leadership and staffing.
The centre’s philosophy makes a commitment to providing a 'home away from home' for children in an environment that keeps children safe, loved and promotes learning in an individualised programme. A special feature of Kindercare centres is the Cheery Bytes programme, which provides opportunities for older children to extend their learning through the use of computer technologies. This programme is held for one session a week and is provided by a specialist teacher.
Children benefit from the centre’s focus on providing high-quality education and care. Their learning and care needs strongly reflect the centre’s philosophy. Children experience respectful and caring relationships with their teachers. They have good access to an appropriate range of resources and equipment. There is an increasing focus on providing resources that reflect New Zealand’s natural environment. Children are free to explore their environments within each of the age-based rooms and outdoor play spaces. Children enjoy interacting with their peers in shared outdoor areas.
Infants and toddlers have opportunities to explore in a safe, uncluttered and well-presented environment. Daily communication with parents supports teachers to effectively meet the individual care needs of these young children. Teachers have nurturing relationships with infants and toddlers and use a variety of effective strategies to foster children’s communication skills.
Teachers ensure a wide range of regular activities and resources are accessible for children to use in their play. This is further enhanced by planned learning opportunities to specifically extend children’s emerging interests and learning. Teachers make good use of spontaneous learning opportunities to further enhance the programme.
Set meal and mat times provide a clear structure to the day. These are flexibly implemented by teachers to maximise children’s opportunities to participate in sustained play. The 'You Can Do It' programme helps children to understand their ongoing learning. Children benefit from working with teachers from a variety of different ethnicities that reflect the multi-cultural nature of the centre’s roll. Teachers naturally integrate aspects of literacy and mathematics learning into children’s play. They effectively incorporate te reo Māori, waiata and karakia kai as part of the daily programme.
Parents are well informed about their children’s participation in the programme by having ready access to attractively presented and informative individual journals and records of learning. Centre leaders are committed to building strong partnerships with parents. They implement parent education programmes focussed on supporting aspects of parenting.
Teachers appreciate the regular feedback that centre leaders provide them about specific aspects of their teaching. This includes an effective teacher appraisal process. Centre leaders are implementing robust self-review practices that contribute to ongoing centre development.
Kindercare Ltd provides a comprehensive and useful policy framework that supports and guides all aspects of centre operations. An experienced and knowledgeable area manager provides ongoing professional support and guidance for centre leaders and teachers. She undertakes regular audits of the centre to ensure the provision of a safe environment for children and teachers. Teachers benefit from access to extensive professional development opportunities provided by Kindercare Ltd.
ERO and centre leaders agree that the key next steps for centre development are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd 402 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 Ltd 402 will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
29 July 2014
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 |
Hamilton |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45068 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
100 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
92 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 46 Girls 46 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese Indian South East Asian Other European Other Asian Other |
10 21 28 9 6 7 5 6 |
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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 |
June 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 July 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO reports |
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.