Kingsdene Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5061
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
21
Telephone:
Address:

62 Mascot Avenue, Mangere, Auckland

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Kingsdene Kindergarten - 27/05/2016

1 Evaluation of Kingsdene Kindergarten

How well placed is Kingsdene Kindergarten 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

Kingsdene Kindergarten in Mangere is licensed for up to 30 children aged over two years. It offers sessions that enable children to attend sessions similar to school hours. Most of the children enrolled are from Māori or Pacific backgrounds. Kingsdene Kindergarten is part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA), which provides a governance and management framework to support its operation.

The teaching team includes three qualified teachers and a teacher aide. The team's philosophy focuses on working in culturally sensitive ways to develop strong, positive relationships with children and their whānau. The teaching team recognises Māori as tangata whenua and is highly committed to Te Tiriti O Waitangi.

The 2012 ERO report acknowledged the kindergarten's positive reporting history. It highlighted the teachers' inclusive practice and respectful relationships with children and their whānau. The learning environment was acknowledged as supporting children's learning and engagement in the programme. These positive features are still evident.

In 2012 ERO suggested that teachers continue to strengthen self-review processes, documentation of assessment, planning and evaluation, and teachers' appraisal goals. Good progress has been made in all of these areas.

The AKA restructure in 2015 has introduced new responsibilities and ways of working for both AKA and kindergarten personnel. A period of transition is continuing for staff as they develop their understanding and competence in relation to new roles and systems.

This review was part of a cluster of nine reviews in the Auckland Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

Children settle quickly and engage in self-directed play. They show a strong sense of belonging in the kindergarten environment, and readily initiate conversations with their friends and teachers. Children benefit from the relaxed pace and peaceful environment that allow them freedom and time to explore.

Teachers view children as competent and capable learners. The well resourced environment supports children's own investigations and knowledge development. Good quality teaching practices are responsive to children's learning needs. Teachers' questioning of children encourages more complex thinking. Literacy learning is integrated into the programme in meaningful ways and children's creativity is celebrated.

The programme is enriched by bicultural practices and the inclusion of all cultures. Each child's cultural heritage is acknowledged and valued. Teachers are able to use te reo Māori and the home languages of some children in conversations with children as they play.

Programme planning processes have been reviewed and adapted. Planning now includes goals that children have set for themselves. Teachers are also more particularly planning strategies to support children's interests. A new framework that identifies the characteristics and dispositions of the legendary Maui, is enabling teachers to bring a te Ao Māori perspective in assessment of children's learning.

Portfolios provide good records of children's learning in the kindergarten. They celebrate each child's language, culture and identity. Learning stories are well connected and show the developing complexity of children's thinking. Some are written in children's home languages. Parent and whānau aspirations contribute to assessment and planning for their children's learning.

Teachers provide a highly responsive and respectful service to this community through a culture of resilience, resourcefulness, reflectiveness and reciprocity. They continue to look for ways to strengthen collaboration with whānau and the wider community.

Teachers plan to work together to review the kindergarten philosophy statement following the recent appointment of a new teacher. They also plan to ensure there is clear alignment of strategic and annual planning, self review and teachers' appraisal goals. Teachers' strengths and interests are recognised, and guide the teaching team's professional development.

AKA support and guidance is responsive to each kindergarten's individual context. New AKA positions are providing more targeted support for head teachers in their leadership and management roles. A new Quality Improvement Process (QIP) is aligned with AKA and kindergarten strategic plans. This process monitors quality, and promotes ongoing improvement in the kindergartens.

Key Next Steps

To enhance their current good quality provision for children, teachers plan to further strengthen their evaluation of learning programmes and partnerships with whānau.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kingsdene Kindergarten 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 Kingsdene Kindergarten will be in four years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

27 May 2016

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

Mangere, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

5061

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 0 aged under 2

Service roll

42

Gender composition

Boys 28, Girls 14

Ethnic composition

Māori

Samoan

Tongan

Cook Island Māori

Indian

other

11

9

9

7

3

3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

NA

 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2016

Date of this report

27 May 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

November 2012

Education Review

February 2010

Education Review

October 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.

Kingsdene Kindergarten - 27/11/2012

1 Evaluation of the Service

How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?

Kingsdene Kindergarten in Mangere, Auckland is a well established kindergarten that continues to promote children’s wellbeing and provide quality early childhood experiences for all children.

Context

The kindergarten has had significant changes in leadership and hours of operation since ERO’s 2009 review. In 2011, the licence changed to a full day model, allowing two additional staff members to be appointed and resulting in a steady increase to the centre’s roll. A new acting head teacher leads the staff and has a collaborative approach to working with the teaching team, children, and families.

The service operates as part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association, which provides a policy framework and good quality professional guidance for the teachers. An administrator, a teacher aide and a parent support group also assist teachers.

The kindergarten’s philosophy focuses on building partnership with parents, whānau, and the culturally diverse centre community. Te Tiriti o Waitangi guides teachers’ commitment to bicultural practice.

Kingsdene Kindergarten has a history of positive ERO reports. This ERO report acknowledges the continued commitment of the new team to improving and promoting positive outcomes for children.

This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in five early childhood education services within the Auckland Kindergarten Association umbrella organisation.

The Review Findings

Teachers have improved the quality of the programme and learning opportunities for children. They value children’s home languages, cultures and life experiences, and see these as a way to enrich the programme and their own professional practice.

The learning environment is attractive, with well defined areas of play to support children’s engagement in the programme. New children settle quickly into the kindergarten. Children enjoy imaginative play and explore happily alongside each other. They can sustain their interest in play for long periods, both in group situations or alone. Routines provide a useful, but flexible framework for the day. Children’s work is valued and attractively displayed.

Teachers’ respectful relationships with children and their whānau are a strength of the centre. They continue to develop ways to increase parent and whānau contribution in the centre’s programme. Leadership is seen as a collaborative process, and teachers encourage and support children and their families to take on leadership roles and responsibilities in the kindergarten.

The cultures of children and teachers are acknowledged through the display of whakapapa. Children and their families enjoy cultural events and festivals celebrated in the centre. Children confidently initiate conversations with their peers and adults. Teachers sometimes use children’s first language to converse with them. Children also respond well to teachers’ use of reo Māori and are familiar with waiata and karakia.

Children’s portfolios show the progress and continuity of their learning over time. Teachers intentionally weave literacy, maths, science, and technology concepts into the programme to extend children’s learning experiences. Children with special needs have individual programmes, and the good support they receive maximises their involvement in activities and their learning.

Positive support from the Association has been valuable in promoting a smooth transition for staff, children, and families to the changed hours of operation. Professional learning and development has helped the teaching team to develop shared understandings, goals, and plans for the future of the kindergarten.

The professional services manager (PSM) provides good liaison between the kindergarten and the Association. The PSM’s regular visits and teaching reports raises teachers’ awareness of Association services, documentations, and expectations. Association leaders agree they should continue to help teachers to use their long-term planning to develop a more strategic approach to self review.

Teachers have identified appropriate priority areas for improving centre management, operation and administration. ERO agrees that the next steps are to continue to strengthen:

  • documentation processes for assessment, planning and evaluation
  • self-review process, including consultation with families in ways that value their oral as well as their written feedback
  • appraisal goals to ensure they are improving and extending teachers’ professional practice and knowledge.

2 Legal Requirements

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kingsdene Kindergarten 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.

3 Next Review

When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Makere Smith

National Manager Review Services Northern Region (Acting)

27 November 2012

Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Mangere, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

5061

Licence type

All Day Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 years

Service roll

49

Gender composition

Girls 26

Boys 23

Ethnic composition

Māori

Indian

Tongan

Samoan

Cook Island Māori

Niuean

Chinese

Other

7

11

10

8

7

2

2

2

Review team on site

September 2012

Date of this report

27 November 2012

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

February 2010

October 2006

November 2003

General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

About ERO Reviews

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

Review focus

ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these findings ERO considers:

  • 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 self review and partnerships with parents and whānau.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.