- 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 a privately owned, well established centre that caters for children aged between two and six years. The centre is located in Sunnynook in a converted house. Some children attending the centre come from the local area and others are from the wider North Shore. The centre is open from 9 am to 3.30 pm, with children attending either morning or afternoon sessions or full days.
Children of mixed ages attend together. This practice is an integral part of the Montessori philosophy. Parents are well informed about the centre philosophy at the time of their children’s enrolment.
The centre has had a history of consistently positive ERO reports. Since the 2010 ERO review, centre managers have developed the outdoor area to give children further opportunities to engage in purposeful activity. The centre is working towards becoming an Enviroschool, with a focus on building children’s understanding about how to support environmental sustainability.
The centre owner is a teaching leader and mentors others within the Montessori system. The centre continues to be well managed. Most staff are qualified teachers and also hold Montessori qualifications. Koru Montessori has been selected as a pilot centre for the Montessori Journey for Excellence - Te Ara ki Huhuatanga
The centre’s philosophy is strongly reflected in all aspects of its operations. Well considered management and leadership processes have been established. High quality documentation supports these processes and is used to guide centre operations.
The programme is founded on Montessori method and principles and influenced by Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum. Children’s interests are becoming increasingly evident in planning and assessment documentation. Electronic systems give parents more opportunities to contribute to records of their child’s learning and development.
Children are confident and capable, showing respect and courtesy to their peers and adults. They are offered a choice of activities and opportunities for leadership in a well resourced Montessori learning environment. Improved resourcing in the outdoors provides natural science and outdoor education opportunities. Staff enable children to make sense of the natural, physical, social and material worlds. Developing children’s literacy and mathematical knowledge is an integral part of everyday activities.
Teachers are respectful, professional and interact positively with children. They are willing to listen, and children are treated with dignity. Parents appreciate being kept well informed and value teachers’ responsiveness to their feedback.
The centre has a strong culture of self review with a focus on continual improvement. Parents value being consulted on matters of importance in relation to the centre and their children. Annual planning clearly identifies priorities and associated goals towards achieving centre managers’ vision for the service.
The centre owner provides strong professional leadership that supports teachers in implementing the Montessori philosophy. She builds staff leadership capability effectively at all levels.
The centre owner and ERO agree the teaching team could consider:
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.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Koru Montessori will be in three years.
Dale Bailey National Manager Review Services Northern Region
26 June 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.
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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 |
41 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 26 Boys 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Asian Other |
3 21 13 4 |
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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 |
Not applicable |
Choose an item. |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2013 |
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Date of this report |
26 June 2013 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2010 |
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As Wee Wisdom Montessori Education Review |
April 2007 |
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Education Review |
April 2004 |
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.