38 Singers Road, Korokoro, Lower Hutt
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Korokoro Playcentre is one of 17 centres administered by the Hutt Playcentre Association (the association). The association is made up of elected volunteer representatives from its member centres. It provides governance and management support for the parent committee at Korokoro Playcentre. A kaitautoko, a centre support person is employed by the association to provide guidance.
The playcentre is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 30 children three days a week. This includes 15 children up to the age of two. The playcentre has a range of spaces for children to play and learn.
Curriculum planning and implementation is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a team of parent educators who hold playcentre training certificates. When necessary they employ a supervisor with the level of training that meets legislative requirements for group supervision.
The service and the association have a positive reporting history with ERO. Effective centre practice identified in the August 2013 ERO report has been sustained.
This review was part of a cluster of eight in the Hutt Playcentre Association.
Children's active exploration through play and engagement in their learning is supported by attentive parent educators. They participate enthusiastically in a varied range of planned and spontaneous activities. The child-initiated programme is responsive to their current and emerging interests. Children direct their own learning and create their own goals. A positive tone is evident.
The service’s philosophy is an expression of what families want for their children. It reflects the playcentre philosophy of parent-led education, learning through play and the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Children have opportunities to learn about healthy eating, active movement and sustainable practices. The outdoor learning space provides a range of positive physical activities. Frequent trips into the local community and beyond, enrich children's experiences and extend the curriculum.
There has been a strong focus on strengthening assessment, planning and evaluation. A learning goal is identified for each child and reviewed regularly. Programme planning provides useful guidance for adults. This enables them to plan and provide programmes that respond to children's interests, strengths and next steps in learning. Continuing to strengthen planning and assessment practices to show how adults have extended children's learning should assist them to better show children's progress.
Literacy and science activities, and concept learning are integral parts of children's early childhood experience. There is a good range of books available to children.
Biculturalism is well understood. A next step is for adults to strengthen their use of tikanga Māori.
There is a deliberate commitment to improving self review. Spontaneous review is used to reflect on aspects of practice. There has been significant development in the understanding of planned review. It is now timely for members to implement this learning and use review and evaluation to identify how well their practices improve outcomes for children.
The association is an improvement-focused organisation committed to providing timely and relevant support for its member centres. The 2013 ERO reviews found the support provided at the centre level by kaitautoko was appreciated and supportive. ERO also recognised that formalising this arrangement to promote a more effective approach for responding to the needs of individual centres was a next step for development. An evaluation of the effectiveness of changes to kaitautoko practice in improving outcomes for centre members and children is planned for.
The association:
must implement rigorous annual appraisal for the kaitautoko and supervisor, and identify professional development to support them in their leadership roles
should build kaitautoko knowledge and capability to undertake effective internal evaluation. This should include a focus on providing centre members with evaluative feedback that assists them to further develop aspects of the curriculum and centre practice
The association should assist playcentre members to:
implement planned internal evaluation practices
strengthen understanding of te ao Māori.
Before the review, the staff and management of Korokoro Playcentre 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance relating to governance and management practices. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following area:
fully implement a system of regular appraisal.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7]
The next ERO review of Korokoro Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
1 June 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.
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Location |
Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60055 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
29 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 15, Boys 14 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other Ethnic Groups |
1 26 2 |
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
April 2016 |
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Date of this report |
1 June 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) These are available at www.ero.govt.nz |
Education Review |
August 2013 |
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Education Review |
August 2009 |
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Education Review |
June 2006 |
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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:
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 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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
While the centre has a high proportion of new members, their collective commitment coupled with strong support from the Hutt Playcentre Association (the association), places the service in a good position to improve and sustain good practice.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Korokoro Playcentre is one of 18 administered by the association. Bicultural partnership is integral to the way the association operates. An executive committee provides guidance and support for centre members. This includes leadership for strategic planning, financial management and policy development and for decisions about the education programme, property and equipment.
A kaitautoko, centre support person employed by the association, visits and provides professional advice, feedback and role modelling to strengthen practice and promote improvement. The recently commenced review of the association’s structure, supported by an external consultant, is aimed at improving operation and ensuring the sustainability of playcentres.
The centre has celebrated 50 years of operation. It runs one SPACE (Supporting Parents Alongside Children’s Education) session for infants and their parents and three mixed-age sessions. All sessions are supported by an employed supervisor. Most parents attend with their children.
Many families are relatively new to this service. They are learning about playcentre philosophy and expectations. Most are in the early stages of playcentre training. Ongoing challenges are sustaining the roll and parents' commitment to training.
The philosophy emphasises the importance of play to support children’s learning, parents working collectively, and valuing parents’ skills as primary educators of their children.
In, 2011, the playcentre was relicensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.
This review was part of a cluster of nine playcentre reviews in the Hutt Playcentre Association.
Members maintain a wide variety of high quality resources and learning materials to support the programme. A key feature of the environment is the attractive outdoor play space set in the bush. This is well used for creative and physical play.
Work areas indoors are carefully organised to support children’s investigation of materials. Centre displays include photographs and interesting things which children like to look at. Children enjoy coming to playcentre and the learning opportunities presented.
Adults are responsive, respectful and purposeful in their engagement with children. Their learning conversations integrate literacy and mathematical concepts. They also assist development of language and communication, and extend children's ideas and sustained interest in activities.
Whāriki time is much enjoyed. It allows everyone to come together to share music, movement and stories. More focus on letting children lead the programme should assist development of their creativity, self‑management and problem-solving skills. It should also support their independence in learning.
Regular visits are made to and from the local primary school’s new-entrant class. These promote sharing of information and development of relationships between the children, school and families.
A Māori perspective is evident in the centre environment and programme. The supervisor and some parents use short phrases and words in te reo Māori as they work with children. Karakia and waiata are part of the usual centre routine. Centre members express commitment to the ongoing development of this aspect of their practice.
Members continue to review and develop their approach to planning for learning. Planning meetings are well used to support understanding of playcentre and early learning, and to share information about all children. Profile books are available to children and their families. These record art work and some special moments at playcentre. Members are confident that as more of them complete higher levels of training, a stronger and more collective approach to planning should be possible.
Core group members are strongly focused on ensuring the success and sustainability of the centre. They work cooperatively to ensure management roles and responsibilities are understood and implemented. Strategic priorities have been identified to guide centre direction over time. While many parents are new to the playcentre, strong commitment and a sense of unity and community are evident.
The kaitautoko provides regular and valued feedback to support members in their roles. A more formalised approach focused on developing particular skills and knowledge should strengthen reflection on practice over time.
The association has a proactive approach to governance. It aims to promote independence in management at centre level. Self review is valued as part of this process. Good association tools and frameworks are in place to support members to meet legislative requirements, and to think about their practice and how it might be improved. At this centre, use of these tools and understanding of self review are at an early stage.
Members agree that further development is needed to strengthen key aspects of their practice. Particular attention should be given to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Korokoro Playcentre 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 Korokoro Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)
29 August 2013
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 |
Korokoro, Lower Hutt |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60015 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 12, Girls 18 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
|
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
June 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 August 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 2009 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
July 2003 |
||
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 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.