144 Strickland Street, Spreydon, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centres - Strickland (207) is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centre Strickland Street is located in Christchurch. It is open five days a week for full-day sessions and is licensed for 50 children, including up to 16 under two years of age. The centre is divided into three learning areas to cater for the specific needs of infants, toddlers and children. Most teachers are fully qualified early childhood educators. The centre has a culturally diverse learning community.
The service operates under Kindercare Learning Centres Limited vision, values, philosophy and strategic goals. Together these form the philosophy on which each centre and the organisation base their practices. An area manager works in partnership with centre leaders to support the operation of the centre.
The service’s philosophy, underpinned by Te Whāriki (2017) the Early Childhood Curriculum, states that the service will provide ' early childhood care and education that values, appreciates and respects each child and focuses on developing their full potential, in an environment of love'. There are eight core values which fall under the descriptors of 'Safe, Loved and Learning'.
The June 2017 ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included continuing to strengthen; bicultural perspectives, self review, and the new assessment, planning and evaluation processes. Progress is ongoing in all these areas.
The centre has remodelled the entrance, parent areas, staff room and office spaces.
This review is part of a cluster of six Kindercare Learning Centre reviews in the Christchurch area.
Children learn in a peaceful setting that encourages wondering, exploration and creativity. Resourcing levels and environments support children to choose from a range of activities, experiences and revisit their learning. Routines foster children's self-help skills and independence. Transitions from room to room are managed well.
Children’s language, culture and identity are celebrated, creating a sense of belonging in the centre. They benefit from a focus on positive relationships throughout all aspects of the centre's operation. Children work together well in small groups and interact positively with teachers and each other.
Children under two experience an unhurried and calm environment. Teachers deliberately encourage appropriate levels of independence for toddlers and emphasise language development and sensory experiences. They read the cues of children well and understand their ways of communicating.
The curriculum is responsive to children’s interests and needs. Individual learning goals are developed for each child and their efforts and progress are celebrated in a range of ways. The curriculum is localised and includes a bicultural focus that encompasses te ao Māori, te reo Māori and tikanga Māori. Teachers use a range of observational techniques to gather information about children's learning which informs planning decisions. Assessment and planning practices are linked to Te Whāriki (2017), the Early Childhood Curriculum. The centre's curriculum design supports intentional teaching and considers the children’s wellbeing and holistic development. Teaching practices extend children’s thinking and value their contributions to learning.
Leaders and teachers are focussed on improving the quality of education and care throughout the centre. Leaders demonstrate a collective commitment to increasing children's awareness of the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Centre leaders have established positive relationships with parents and whānau, based on genuine partnership and respect. Leadership amongst teachers is encouraged and developed through appropriate professional learning and mentorship.
The Kindercare organisation provides support for centre leaders and families through regular visits by area managers, effective processes for ensuring that children have safe and healthy learning environments, appraisal, mentoring and well-targeted professional development opportunities.
Centre leaders and ERO agree that the key next steps to further develop the conditions for promoting positive outcomes for children include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres - Strickland (207) 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
11 June 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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
65114 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 16 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
61 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 38, Boys 23 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
|
|
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 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2020 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 June 2020 |
||
|
JUne |
Education Review |
June 2017 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2014 |
||
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:
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.
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 |
Kindercare Learning Centre (207) Strickland is well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centre (207 Strickland) is one of 12 early childhood education and care centres in Christchurch, owned and administered by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The centre operates under the Kindercare philosophy, and management and accountability systems. An area manager works in partnership with centre leaders to guide the effective operation of each centre.
Kindercare Learning Centre (207) Strickland is located in Strickland Street and serves a culturally diverse community. The centre provides full-day education and care for children from birth to school age in three separate rooms. These rooms are specifically designed to meet the developing needs of different age groups of children.
The majority of teachers are qualified and have been at the centre for a long period of time. The leadership team has been extended to include a curriculum leader. An on-site cook provides nutritious vegetarian meals and snacks for children.
Leaders and teachers have continued to build on many of the strengths outlined in the 2014 ERO report. They have developed professional links with other early childhood services and schools to help children in their community transition successfully to school. There is a specific focus, service wide, on parent education training to provide useful, informed support to families.
Leaders have been responsive to the recommendations from the previous review. This includes recent developments in assessment, planning and evaluation, placing an increasing focus on bicultural perspectives, and aligning self review to centre and curriculum priorities.
This review was part of a cluster of 12 Kindercare Learning Centres reviewed in the Christchurch area in Term 1 2017.
Leaders and teachers demonstrate a shared commitment to the service philosophy and values of ensuring children are 'safe, loved, and learning'. They actively foster positive, inclusive and reciprocal relationships with children and families. Leaders and teachers model care and respect for one another and for children. They promote a good sense of belonging and wellbeing for children through valuing and respecting families and celebrating cultures.
Children and families are well supported to make a positive transition into the centre and between rooms through flexible planning that is personalised to individual needs. Teachers provide a holistic child approach to preparing children for school. They have emphasis on the development of children's social and emotional wellbeing and independence skills.
Children benefit from a child-focused curriculum that provides many opportunities for children to be involved in physical, creative and imaginative experiences. Music, literacy and mathematics are well integrated into children’s learning through play. The environments are thoughtfully presented and include a wide range of good quality resources. Teachers are caring and encouraging. They are responsive to the individual interests, strengths and capabilities of children. Bicultural practices are increasingly evident. Strong links to the community enrich the curriculum provided for children.
The specific needs of infants and toddlers are carefully considered. Teachers who are familiar to the children provide nurturing and respectful interactions. Children's individual routines are child-paced and aligned to parent preferences. Spacious outdoor areas provide interesting places for children to explore and discover.
Parents are well informed about children’s learning interests through written records, digital technologies and face-to-face communication with teachers.
The centre is well led and managed. Centre leaders and teachers work collaboratively to successfully implement Kindercare management, curriculum, and health and safety systems. Leaders promote high expectations and a reflective team culture. Teachers attend regular professional development to build on teaching practices and evaluation processes. Teachers' leadership and teaching potential is recognised and fostered through regular coaching and mentoring as part of the appraisal process. The centre director has established professional links with the wider ECE and education community to benefit teaching and learning at the centre.
Centre leaders have made good use of a strategic approach to the operation of the centre. A comprehensive systematic self-review process is well aligned to centre priorities that are focused on ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children.
The leadership team have identified, and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that the key next steps are for centre leaders and teachers to continue to strengthen:
ERO has identified that the key next steps for Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres - Strickland (207) 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 - Strickland (207) will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu
19 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.
|
Location |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
65114 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 16 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
63 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 37; Girls 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Other ethnicities |
2 51 3 7 |
|
|
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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2017 |
||
|
Date of this report |
19 June 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2012 |
||
|
Education Review |
October 2008 |
||
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.