4 Russell Street, Waihi
View on mapAkarangi | 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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for KiwiKidz Educare are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
KiwiKidz Educare is governed by the Potential Plus Education Ltd Group. Operational oversight and leadership are provided by the centre manager. A Forest Kidz programme supports children to learn about the natural world. Approximately half the children enrolled are Māori and a quarter are from varied ethnic backgrounds.
Children experience a rich and responsive curriculum that consistently enhances their learning, development, and mana. Children’s thinking, foundational literacies, oral language, social and emotional competences are intentionally extended. The curriculum and Forest Kidz programme promotes:
self-help skills in meaningful contexts
working theories about the natural world
confidence and independence
challenge and safe risks.
Children’s perseverance and determination are fostered.
The philosophy, underpinned by tikanga Māori is evident in practice. Children demonstrate an understanding of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, rangatiratanga, kaitiakitanga with each other, within the environment and with their whānau. Tuakana teina relationships encourage younger children’s learning. Teachers work to ensure Māori children and their whānau feel valued as Māori.
Strong, inclusive learning-focused partnerships with whānau enhances children’s ongoing learning and development. Assessment and planning focus on individual learning needs, children’s transition and their wider whānau context. Children’s home cultures, languages and identities are celebrated, and teachers are working towards strengthening assessment documentation focused on consistently reflecting these. Children and their whānau demonstrate a strong sense of belonging.
The service is building sound organisational conditions where the learning and wellbeing of children are the primary considerations in decision making. Equity is well understood by leaders. Networking relationships are focused on the needs of children and facilitate additional support. Relational trust supports leaders and teachers to collaborate, respond and adapt their practice. Evaluation processes are robust. Monitoring the impacts and outcomes for children over time requires strengthening. These conditions contribute to the provision of quality teaching that supports equitable outcomes for all children.
KiwiKidz Educare will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Strengthen assessment documentation to further reflect children’s individual home languages, cultures, and identities more consistently.
Further increase documentation of evaluation practices to ensure stronger focus on the monitoring of the impacts and outcomes for children over time.
Before the review, the staff and management of KiwiKidz Educare completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non‑compliance:
records of medicine given to children attending the service including evidence of parental acknowledgement that it has been given (HS28).
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
30 November 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
KiwiKidz Educare |
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Profile Number |
34088 |
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Location |
Waihi |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
38 |
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Review team on site |
October 2022 |
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Date of this report |
30 November 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2018; |
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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.
KiwiKidz Educare is a privately owned centre located in Waihi. The all-day education and care service caters for children from birth to school age. It is licensed for 30 children including up to eight under the age of two years. At the time of the ERO review there were 33 children enrolled, including 10 who identified as Māori. The centre operates two age-based learning areas. The majority of the teaching team are qualified early childhood teachers.
The ownership of the service and leadership have changed since the previous ERO review, however the majority of staff team are long standing and has remained consistent. Potential Plus Education Limited, who also own two other early childhood services in New Zealand, purchased the centre two and a half years ago. A board of directors along with the centre manager, who has been appointed from within the teaching staff, make up the leadership team. The day-to-day management is the responsibility of the centre manager. The owners provide governance and leadership support for the centre.
The mission statement developed in conjunction with the owners, management and teachers states that the service will ‘provide quality education and care in a loving, creative environment that nurtures a new generation of extraordinary tamariki.’
The centre has responded well to the previous recommendation to continue to strengthen practices that promote Māori culture, language and identity.
Children experience a range of effective teaching and learning strategies. A culture of care and inclusiveness has been established in the centre. Teachers enjoy positive relationships with children and know them well. ERO observed many opportunities for sustained engagement in learning. Positive guidance strategies are used to support and encourage children's growing independence. There are established and inclusive processes in the centre for children with additional needs. Children experience a rich and varied curriculum that supports and challenges their learning.
Children aged two years and under experience a caring, calm and responsive environment. A sense of belonging and security is supporting children to grow independence and confidence. Children are nurtured and cared for in a well-resourced and stimulating environment.
Strong connections between parents, whānau and teachers support mutually respectful relationships. Access to community groups and events along with the use of community resources add a valued dimension to learning and the life of the centre. Transitions into and through the centre are flexible and well supported. The transition to school is a well-considered, planned and collaborative process. Children benefit from these positive partnerships focused on learning.
Children’s strengths and interests are developed through a well-designed curriculum. A research-based approach has informed a programme focused on children's emerging interests. Planning is effectively developed and connected across multiple learning areas. It is informed by teacher observation, children's interests and input effectively gathered from families and whānau. Early literacy and numeracy is woven through a wide range of activities and supports the development of these skills. Personalised learning stories capture and document learning and identify next learning steps. Children's portfolios reflect parent aspirations and voice, however the addition of parent or whānau feedback on individual stories of learning should be considered. Portfolios are highly valued by children, families and whānau.
Shared leadership practices enhance teacher effectiveness to support children's learning. Strengths within the experienced team are identified and encouraged. The centre manager and teachers are supported to develop their own leadership style. There is a focus on building teacher capability. Centre processes contribute to and build shared understanding about expected teacher practice.
Owners and leaders are committed to ensuring bicultural perspectives are prioritised. Tikanga practices and te reo Māori are visible and valued. Māori children are affirmed in both their language, culture and identity.
The centre has a clear vision and philosophy which support positive outcomes for all children. Leaders prioritise building and supporting a team culture to maximise learning opportunities for children. Effective communication between governors, the centre manager and teachers has ensured shared ownership of the strategic direction. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. Compliance processes and policy review are well managed. Children benefit from a well-resourced learning environment.
Continue to examine Te Whāriki to further build teacher capability and understanding of the implications for teaching practice.
Before the review, the staff and management of KiwiKidz Educare 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 KiwiKidz Educare will be in three years.
Adrienne Fowler
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
19 September 2018
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 |
Waihi |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
34088 |
||
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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 |
30 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
33 |
||
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Gender composition |
Boys 22 Girls 11 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
10 |
|
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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 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
July 2018 |
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Date of this report |
19 September 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 2012 |
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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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kiwikidz Educare is located in the township of Waihi and is a full-day education and care service, catering for children from birth to school age. The centre operates two age-group learning areas and is licensed for 30 children, including 8 babies under two years of age.
The centre manager/owner and staff have a documented mission statement that aspires to ‘provide quality education and care in a warm, creative’, stimulating environment. The centre manager continues to provide strong educational leadership. She has successfully established a culture of collaboration and mutual support among staff. In addition she maintains positive working relationships with parents, local schools and the community.
Since the last ERO review in 2012 leadership and staffing has remained relatively consistent. The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO. Teachers have continued to review and improve aspects of centre operations and programme. They have further strengthened children’s portfolios through whole centre professional development in assessment.
Children and their families are warmly welcomed into an inclusive and supportive environment. Children experience trusting, caring and respectful relationships with adults and one another. Teachers are sensitive to children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, and are skilled at using positive guidance strategies to support their social development. Ongoing affirmation and encouragement of children’s efforts and contributions supports them to develop as confident and capable learners.
Teachers encourage children to be self managing and to take responsibility in daily routines and the programme. Transitions into, within and from the centre are well managed in consultation with parents, and responsive to the emotional and learning needs of children.
Children participate in a wide range of rich curriculum experiences in the centre, and outings in the local community and schools. Their awareness of the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand is enhanced through hearing and using te reo Māori in conversations, waiata and action songs. Children have visited local schools and participated in local community Matariki celebrations.
Children initiate their learning in a stimulating and attractive environment that caters for their diverse range of interests and abilities. There are many opportunities for them to participate in creative and imaginative play, which supports their thinking skills, and helps them make sense of the world they live in. A particular feature of the inside and outside environments is the extensive use of natural materials and settings. These environments provide children with many opportunities to interact with, and learn about the natural world.
Particular strengths in the infant area include the effective implementation of the Pickler theory. Children experience personalised care routines and trusting attachments in calm and unhurried environments where teachers tune into their verbal and non-verbal communication. Older children benefit from the many opportunities to develop friendships and to be engaged in sustained, self-selected learning activities and experiences.
High quality teaching interactions and strategies support children’s learning. Teachers involve themselves in children’s play, and have conversations that encourage them to problem solve, negotiate, predict and think critically. Literacy, mathematics and science are naturally integrated into children’s play.
Teachers know children and their families well. They make effective use of this knowledge to plan meaningful activities in response to emerging interests and strengths. High quality individual child portfolios provide a comprehensive record of children’s learning. They are valued, celebrated and often revisited by children, their families and teachers. Useful progress summaries include a valuable record to children’s learning over time.
The centre manager continues to commit a significant amount of her time to working with children, and role models good practice and high expectations for staff. She has established effective processes for teachers to reflect on their practice with a view of improving outcomes for children. Self-review practices are well established and lead to developments and improvement in centre operations and practices.
ERO and the centre manager agree that the centre has many affirming practices. The next steps for ongoing development are to continue strengthening practices that promote Māori culture, language and identity.
Before the review, the staff and management of KiwiKidz Educare 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 KiwiKidz Educare will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
29 July 2015
|
Location |
Waihi |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
34088 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
43 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 26 Girls 17 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā |
16 27 |
|
|
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 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
June 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 July 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2009 |
||
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.