- ERO evaluates and reports on the education and care of children and young people in early childhood services and schools.
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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.
Koru Montessori is licensed to provide education and care for up to 28 children aged over two years. The centre operates from a converted house and is open between 9:00am and 3:30pm. Children from culturally diverse ethnic backgrounds attend either morning or afternoon sessions, or full days. Some travel quite long distances to attend this centre.
The centre is privately owned. The owner is a very experienced and qualified Montessori teacher and leads a team of four qualified teachers and one teaching assistant. All qualified teachers have completed specialised training in the Montessori philosophy. The owner works as a mentor for other leaders and teachers within the Montessori educational community.
The centre philosophy aligns teaching practices to the Montessori method, and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. A calm, orderly environment and the provision of specialised materials are seen as essential to support children's learning through self-discovery. The philosophy says that children will be supported to develop self-esteem and independence through exploration and problem-solving activities.
Previous ERO reports have been consistently positive. The 2013 report described children in the centre as confident, capable and respectful. A high quality programme and good levels of resourcing were acknowledged as providing children with meaningful learning opportunities. The report highlighted teachers' responsive and positive interactions with children, and their strong culture of self review. These positive aspects have been maintained.
Areas identified in 2013 for ongoing review and development were the recognition of children's home languages and cultures, strategic planning and bicultural practices. There have been very positive developments in these areas.
The centre philosophy is very evident in practice. Children are independent, confident, and conversational with each other and with adults. Strong friendships are evident. Children learn through self-initiated experiences, and move purposefully from one activity to the next without adult direction.
Children make decisions and concentrate well. They respect each other's right to work uninterrupted for long periods of time. They are articulate and eager to share their learning with others. Children act with grace and courtesy towards each other and adults. Older children mentor and support younger children.
Teachers treat children with the utmost respect. They are good role models for children's developing language, social skills, and in the use of specialised Montessori materials. They acknowledge children to be capable and competent. Each child is recognised as a unique learner.
Teachers provide a programme rich with opportunities for children to explore their own and other cultures, and to develop extensive knowledge of the world they live in. Te reo and tikanga Māori are incorporated into conversations and teaching practices.
Literacy, science and mathematics are included in the programme in meaningful ways. Teachers' ongoing observations of children build a picture of what children know, understand, and are interested in learning more about. The range of literacy practices incorporated into the programme enable children to play with language, use literacy for a purpose, and question critically.
Teachers design and implement curriculum effectively. Portfolios are thoughtfully constructed records of children's individual learning journeys. They show continuity, and deepening complexity, in children's learning in a range of contexts. These records build each child's identity as a successful learner.
Parents who spoke with ERO shared their deep appreciation of the centre's philosophy, practices and programme for children. They felt well supported by the staff to understand how children learn in this specialised environment and how they can support this at home. Parents are well informed about what is planned for children and how they can take an active role in the centre programme.
The centre is well managed and responsive to the needs of its learning community. An effective process for self review is well embedded. There is a strong commitment to ongoing review and recognition of the positive outcomes for children as a result of the process. The centre leader and teachers advocate for young children and their families and ensure that families are able to access other appropriate agencies.
Performance management processes successfully contribute to the achievement of the service's vision and goals. The process successfully incorporates the Montessori Journey to Excellence, the Education Council's Practising Teacher Criteria, and teacher cultural competencies as reflected in Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. Teaching practice clearly aligns with the centre philosophy, and the expectations of the Educational Council. Emergent leadership amongst the teachers is encouraged and there is a high level of relational trust across the teaching team.
In order to enhance their current high quality provision for children, the teaching team plans to:
ERO endorses these intentions.
Before the review, the staff and management of Koru Montessori 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 Koru Montessori will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
15 August 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 |
Sunnynook, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20293 |
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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 |
28 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
40 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 21 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
July 2016 |
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Date of this report |
15 August 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2013 |
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Education Review |
May 2010 |
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Education Review |
April 2007 |
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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.