33 - 35 Johnstone Street, Lansdowne-Masterton, Masterton
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 Ko Te Aroha are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ko Te Aroha is governed by a trust which includes a long-serving chairperson. An established leadership team comprised of a centre manager and lead educator, manage the day-to-day operations, and lead the curriculum. The mixed-aged service has a culturally diverse roll which includes almost two-thirds
Māori and a small number of children from Pacific heritages.
The mana of tamariki is recognised within a play-based curriculum aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. They have many opportunities to lead their own learning and develop their social and emotional competence. Te ao Māori, te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori are well integrated into all areas of the curriculum providing tamariki with genuine opportunities to develop and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. Kaiako are increasingly responsive to children of Pacific heritage. Tamariki sense of belonging is affirmed.
Infants and toddlers are well-supported to lead their own learning. Kaiako are sensitive and are attuned to their strengths, interests and needs. They are seen as capable learners who confidently explore their learning environment.
Dispositional learning informs assessment practices. Kaiako are yet to consistently:
use the Te Whāriki learning outcomes to show tamariki learning and progress over time
integrate tamariki cultural contexts and parent aspirations through documentation.
A regular appraisal process provides opportunities for leaders and kaiako to reflect on their practice. This process requires strengthening. Developing and implementing a professional growth cycle, that builds teachers’ capability to critically reflect and collaboratively inquire into their practice, is now required.
A collaborative self-review process focused on relevant strategic priorities is implemented. Continuing to develop shared understanding of internal evaluation is required to better know what is working or not and for whom. This includes:
using an evaluative question to clearly focus on outcomes for tamariki
deciding on measurable indicators of success
engaging in collaborative analysis of relevant data and research to inform the action plan
monitoring and evaluating the impact of actions taken on valued learning priorities.
Governance and management allocate resources clearly aligned to the service’s philosophy and values to enable all tamariki to fully participate in the curriculum. Greater monitoring of health and safety practices is required.
Ko Te Aroha will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
in assessment documentation consistently make evident parent aspirations and tamariki cultures, languages and identities
in assessment documentation clearly show tamariki learning progress over time in relation to the Te Whāriki learning outcomes
develop and implement a robust professional growth cycle
governance, leaders and kaiako to build their internal evaluation capability to better monitor, evaluate and report how well the service is meeting regulatory requirements and valued learning outcomes for tamariki.
Before the review, the staff and management of Ko Te Aroha 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.
ERO identified the following areas of non-compliances:
a record of all illnesses that includes the time of the illness and evidence that parents have been informed
written authority from parents for the administration of medicine; and their written acknowledgement of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS27, HS28.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
evidence of how evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan [HS8]
fully completing safety checking of a person employed as a children’s worker [GMA7a].
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.
Kathy Lye
Director Review and Improvement Services (Acting, Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
29 March 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Ko Te Aroha |
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Profile Number |
60101 |
|
Location |
Masterton |
|
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% |
|
Service roll |
33 |
|
Review team on site |
October 2022 |
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Date of this report |
29 March 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, December 2018; Education Review, January 2016. |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Ko Te Aroha is a community-based early learning service in Masterton East. It is licensed to provide care and education for 30 children, including eight up to the age of 2 years. There are 33 children on the roll, including 14 Māori children.
The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 3pm. It is a mixed-age environment with a designated area for infants and toddlers. Morning and midday meals are provided.
The parent educator programme, that has been a feature of the centre for many years, is presently on hold pending current review.
Ko Te Aroha is governed by a trust board and has a long-serving chairperson. A lead educator provides professional leadership to the staff team. A new manager was appointed in March 2018.
Areas for review and development identified in the January 2016 ERO report have been successfully addressed.
The philosophy is highly evident in practice. Children are celebrated for who they are and what they bring to their centre community. Relationships with parents and families are warm and responsive. Whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga are central to interactions. There is a sense of whānau and friendship.
Children of all ages play and learn together. Teachers maintain a calm, slow pace and children have space and time to lead their own learning. Infants and toddlers have easy access to an environment that is well resourced and encourages exploration. Teachers, children and whānau show care and concern for each other. They learn together and from one another.
Teachers value the knowledge and aspirations that parents and whānau hold for their children. Together with regular assessment of what children are interested in and can do, this forms the basis for responsive programme planning to extend children's learning.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are woven throughout the programme. Leaders and teachers are strengthening their commitment to supporting Māori children's learning. They are beginning to work with Te Whatu Pōkeka to better reflect Māori children's mana and kaupapa in their learning stories. Relationships with iwi are developing as centre staff and children learn more about the history of their community.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teachers work closely with whānau, and a range of external agencies, to plan and implement programmes to support children's individual learning pathways.
A range of useful strategies helps children and parents prepare for their move to school. The centre belongs to the Masterton (Whakaoriori) Kāhui Ako. Relationships are building within this community of learning and contribute to children's smooth transitions from the centre to school.
Research effectively guides teacher practice. Leaders and teachers are continuing to develop their evaluative capability. They are beginning to inquire more deeply into the curriculum and their teaching, leading to improved outcomes for children.
Teachers advocate for children and share a commitment to inclusive education. They are well-supported by the lead educator who has oversight of curriculum development. There is a sound process for appraising teachers that focuses on building their practice. Teachers' goals are well aligned to centre priorities.
The board is improvement focused. Trustees effectively promote partnerships with parents and whānau. They have achieved their vision of increasing parent trustee representation. The board recognises that it is not compliant with licensing criteria in relation to regular policy review. Trustees and leaders are taking steps to address this.
Trustees, leaders and ERO agree that for ongoing and sustained improvement, the key next step for Ko Te Aroha is to continue to strengthen internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Ko Te Aroha 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.
To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
record keeping, in relation to policy review and medication administered to children.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA6, HS28]
In order to improve current practice leaders should strengthen accident records.
Since the on-site stage of the ERO review, the manager has responded to address these issues.
The next ERO review of Ko Te Aroha will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Southern Region
18 December 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.
|
Location |
Masterton |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60101 |
||
|
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 |
33 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 18, Boys 15 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
14 |
|
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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 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
October 2018 |
||
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Date of this report |
18 December 2018 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
January 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2013 |
||
|
Education Review |
December 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Ko Te Aroha is a community based centre that provides education and care for 30 children from six months old to school age. Based in Masterton east, the centre is committed to being a hub for the community. The current roll includes Māori, Pacific, and Pākehā learners.
Whakawhanaungatanga, the relationships based philosophy, is central to the centre’s ways of being, doing and knowing.
A parent educator programme has been in place for four years. These parent educators learn alongside teachers, growing and sharing parenting knowledge as well as working with their children.
The centre is governed by a trust board, and has a long-serving chairperson. Core priorities for the board are to build parent membership to work alongside appointed trustees, extend the range of services offered, and grow trustees’ knowledge of governance. The lead educator provides professional leadership to the well-established teaching team.
There has been positive progress in addressing the areas for development and review since the February 2013 ERO report. The areas of strength identified continue to be evident. Teachers continue to embed assessment, planning, appraisal and self-review practices.
Management and trustees encourage and support teacher involvement in ongoing professional learning and development.
Children respond positively to teachers’ view of them as capable and competent learners. Teachers express high expectations for children’s learning and behaviour. Children engage in activities and play experiences confidently. They enjoy the company of others and older children show care for younger children. Flexible unhurried routines allow children to make choices and be involved in their play for periods of time. Children’s wellbeing is nurtured.
Teachers skilfully settle children into the centre. They recognise the importance of building trusting relationships and supporting children’s social learning. Teachers use te reo Māori naturally in their interactions with children and others. They affirm learners’ language, culture and identity.
Children with additional learning needs and their families are well supported by caring teachers.
Teachers use a range of teaching practices that sensitively and respectfully respond to children’s needs and interests. Teachers positively encourage children’s interest and involvement in literacy and numeracy experiences.
Parents are active decision makers in setting learning goals for their children. Teachers value their contributions and the knowledge that families share about their children. Parent educators play an important role in the life of the centre.
Assessment processes are well understood by teachers and parent educators. Learning journeys show the broad curriculum children experience and provide a record of their learning and development. Teachers are seeking to extend their understanding of Te Whatu Pōkeka, the assessment exemplars for Māori learners.
Teachers’ understanding of self review has improved. They have been supported externally to build practice, and are now leading their own reviews. A sound framework is now in place to guide these inquiries. Current reviews should be useful in supporting decisions around assessment processes at the point of transition to school, and with infant and toddler practices. Building teachers' capability in internal evaluation, to determine how well centre practices enhance children's learning, is an agreed next step.
The 2015 - 2018 strategic plan has a clear focus on extending community partnerships, and the provision of high quality education and care for children. An agreed next step is further developing the annual actions to show how the board intends to meet its strategic goals. This includes developing processes to show ongoing progress and how well goals are met. The plan should also signal how the board intends to achieve its vision of increasing parent trustee representation.
There is a sound process for appraising teachers that focuses on building their practice. It includes opportunities for regular observation, discussions, and reflections that align to the Practising Teacher Criteria. The board chair is aware that some development is needed to leaders’ documentation to show more clearly how the framework is based on the criteria.
Leadership is improvement focused. There is a well-considered approach to change. The experienced lead educator is supporting a strong reflective culture, and promoting shared responsibility for leading across the centre. She provides effective leadership and makes good use of teachers’ strengths to contribute to centre programmes.
The lead educator and trustees have identified areas for continued improvement. Priorities include further developing
Before the review, the staff and management of Ko Te Aroha 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.
In order to improve current practice, appraisal of leaders needs to be based on the Practicing Teacher Criteria.
The next ERO review of Ko Te Aroha will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
14 January 2016
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 |
Masterton |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60101 |
||
|
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 |
42 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 22, Boys 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific |
31 8 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
14 January 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 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.