Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach

Education institution number:
20141
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Telephone:
Address:

76 Red Beach Road, Orewa

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Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for KingsWay Preschool Red Beach are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakaū Embedding

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

KingsWay Preschool Red Beach is a well-established service providing care and education for children aged over two years. The service’s philosophy centres around its special Christian character and Christian values. It is one of three services governed by the Kingsway Trust. Since the last review the service has gone through a period of transition. It has appointed a new manager and head teacher. The team includes four qualified teachers and two support staff.

3 Summary of findings

Teachers encourage tuakana/teina relationships in this mixed-age setting through inclusive, supportive interactions. The spacious, well-resourced learning environment and high adult:child ratios contribute to providing a calm pace to the programme. Children are provided with the resources, time and support they need to engage in their learning.

Children benefit from a curriculum that supports the Christian faith and is centred on documented Christian values. Teachers are actively working to explore their understanding of equity for learners. They continue to reflect on and develop this aspect of their practice. Leaders and teachers could now consider how they could more strongly embrace all children’s identities, languages, and cultures and how they acknowledge the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua in their local curriculum.

Teaching practices encourage children’s developing independence and social competence. Teachers provide opportunities for children to have some agency over their learning, which is captured well in assessment portfolios and learning stories displayed in the environment. Children’s efforts and learning are well documented, and their successes acknowledged, supporting children to develop their identity as successful learners.

Responsive and reciprocal partnerships with parents, support children’s development and sense of belonging. Parents who spoke with ERO shared how well they are kept informed and that they are offered good opportunities to contribute to their children’s learning.

Systems and processes for internal evaluation are embedded and focused on ongoing improvement. Evaluation is collaborative and shared in the wider Kingsway organisation. Leaders and teachers could strengthen the process by monitoring the outcomes for children, both intended and actual, as a result of changes made.

Those responsible for governance and management of the service thoughtfully resource practices that impact on good quality provision for children and their learning. These include teacher:child ratios, teacher qualifications, group sizes and learning spaces. 

4 Improvement actions

KingsWay Preschool Red Beach will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Develop the service’s local curriculum by exploring the history, stories and learning opportunities of the local area in consultation with hapū and iwi.
  • Develop ways to capture the prior knowledge and cultural identity that children bring with them and consider how these might be used to enhance their learning.
  • Strengthen internal evaluation practices by monitoring the impact that changes have made on children’s learning in relation to the service’s values and priorities.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of KingsWay Preschool Red Beach 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.

Phil Cowie

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

11 November 2021 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

KingsWay Preschool Red Beach

Profile Number

20141

Location

Red Beach, Orewa

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

30 children aged over 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

49

Ethnic composition

Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 33, South African 5, other ethnic groups 5

Review team on site

August 2021

Date of this report

11 November 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, June 2017

Education Review, May 2014

Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach - 15/06/2017

1 Evaluation of Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach

How well placed is Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach 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

Kingsway Preschool in Red Beach caters for children and families in Red Beach and the wider Hibiscus Coast community. It provides education and care for up to 30 children aged two to five years, with sessional, full day or extended day options for families. The roll includes a small number of Māori and Pacific children, as well as other ethnicities.

The centre is one of two operated by the directors of Kingsway Educational Services Limited. A recently appointed team leader leads curriculum developments and mentors teachers. The centre has two indoor play areas and a very spacious outdoor area.

The philosophy is based on a special Christian character and nurturing relationships that foster respect, value diversity and promote acceptance. It emphasises the provision of a safe, interactive and fun learning environment.

The 2014 ERO report identified positive aspects including capable leadership, a collaborative and committed teaching team, a culture of child-initiated learning and authentic partnerships with families. These positive features have been maintained. Key next steps included strengthening bicultural practices, strategic planning and self review. Programme planning, assessment and evaluation were also noted as areas that could be improved. Good progress has been made in each of these areas.

The Review Findings

Children have a strong sense of belonging and are settled in the centre. They have caring and respectful relationships with adults and their friends. Children independently select resources and lead their own learning. They enjoy a programme that gives them time to explore and engage in self-directed learning for long periods.

Caring teachers know children well and work alongside them to support their learning. They respect children’s space, choices and learning. Creativity, early literacy, mathematics and science concepts are well integrated in children’s programmes.

The learning environment has clearly defined curriculum areas, good opportunities for physical play and a wide range of learning opportunities for children. Teachers integrate te reo Māori in the programme well. They have very good links with the wider community.

Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children’s learning at the centre. Teachers provide many opportunities for families to participate in the programme, contribute their views for their children's learning and be aware of their children’s progress. Parents who spoke with ERO appreciate that teachers listen to their aspirations and respond to their children’s strengths.

Teachers have reviewed and improved programme planning and assessment practices. They value input and ideas from children and parents to inform planning. The use of teachers' perspectives in planning and assessment has strengthened teacher reflection about the effectiveness of their teaching practices. The special Christian character and bicultural practices underpin curriculum planning and are evident in the environment. Teachers plan together and have a strong focus on extending children's learning.

Very good processes are in place to notice, recognise and respond to children’s emerging interests. Teachers plan activities and provide opportunities that are meaningful and relevant for children. Assessment records include clear links to children's dispositions for learning and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. There are good examples of assessment records that show children's learning progress over time.

Leadership is highly effective. The centre manager has worked with teachers to build a professional team culture. She recognises and grows leadership among staff. Teachers are committed to professional learning to improve their practice. They have shared responsibilities to achieve outcomes identified in the centre's strategic and annual plans.

Directors provide good guidance for the centre manager. A sound policy and management framework, including robust appraisal processes and useful internal evaluation systems, supports continuous improvement.

Key Next Steps

Managers agree that key next steps for the centre include:

  • strengthening teachers' strategies for challenging children's thinking, and promoting problem solving and complex play

  • providing further information to parents about transition to school, and about promoting early literacy and mathematics
  • continuing to strengthen bicultural practices

  • recording learning outcomes and teaching strategies to increase teachers' focus on the impact of their practice on children's learning. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach 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 Kingsway Pre-School - Red Beach will be in three years.

Steffan Brough

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

15 June 2017 

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

Red Beach, Orewa

Ministry of Education profile number

20141

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, over 2 years of age

Service roll

58

Gender composition

Girls 34 Boys 24

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Indian

Chinese

other

2

41

5

3

7

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2017

Date of this report

15 June 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

May 2014

Education Review

April 2011

Education Review

February 2008

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.