Launch active early learning

Education institution number:
47030
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
105
Telephone:
Address:

1305 Pakowhai Road, Hastings

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Launch active early learning

 

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Launch active early learning are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

 

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whāngai Establishing

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Launch active early learning is one of two services governed by Launch AEL Limited in the Hawkes Bay region. Children learn in four age-based rooms that share two outdoor areas. A centre manager, with support from three team leaders, guide a team of five qualified, seven in-training and two unqualified teachers.

3 Summary of findings

Children’s wellbeing and belonging is protected and nurtured in an environment that supports a close connection with teachers. Children’s growing social and emotional competence is actively fostered. Teachers collaboratively develop and maintain responsive relationships with children and families. Transitions into and through the centre are considerate of the individual needs of children and their families. Children learn in a calm and settled environment where they have time and space for self-directed exploration.

Children of all ages are encouraged to be active learners who drive their own learning. Children benefit from learning in an environment that responds to their interests and dispositions. Teachers seek the perspectives and aspirations of families and are beginning to respond to these through assessment and planning. Deliberate teaching strategies that draw on these aspirations are yet to be consistently implemented.

The enacted values of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga encourage strong connections to the centre for Māori and Pacific children and their families. Te reo and tikanga Māori are promoted during group time experiences. The language, culture and identity of these families is yet to be integrated into assessment, planning or strongly visible in the environment. The teaching team has not yet embedded a culturally responsive curriculum for all children. 

Practices to support continuous growth and evaluate progress towards strategic goals are being embedded. An established culture of relational trust enables collaboration and sustained improvement. Children’s experiences and learning are being positively impacted by an alignment between strategic goals and internal evaluation. A dedicated pedagogical leader mentors and coaches the team to develop their teaching and leadership capabilities. Leaders are yet to ensure that families contribute to and influence the services’ philosophy, priorities for children’s learning or strategic goals.

4 Improvement actions

Launch active early learning will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • build cultural competence and expertise of the teaching team to enable them to provide a rich and responsive local curriculum for all children
  • work more closely with families to review the service’s philosophy so it reflects what matters most for children’s learning in this community
  • review how the individual planning process and environment support and extend children’s critical thinking and wondering.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Launch active early learning 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.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

22 December 2021 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Launch active early learning

Profile Number

47030

Location

Hastings

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

82 children, including up to 30 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

104

Ethnic composition

Māori 22, NZ European/Pākehā 66, Pacific 5, Other ethnic groups 11.

Review team on site

September 2021

Date of this report

22 December 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, June 2018

Launch Active Early Learning - 25/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Launch Active Early Learning

How well placed is Launch Active Early Learning to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Launch Active Early Learning is a locally owned and operated service in Hastings catering for children and families from across the Hawkes Bay. The centre is licensed for 82 children aged from birth to six years, including 24 up to two years. The current roll is 104, including 13 Māori children.

The centre is divided into four separate indoor learning spaces and two outdoor spaces designed specifically for different age groups. The centre philosophy is underpinned by positive relationships between teachers, families and children.

A centre manager oversees the day-to-day operation of the centre. Team leaders have responsibility for their designated areas.

This is its first ERO report since opening in 2016.

The Review Findings

The centre philosophy statement is appropriately underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers have begun to explore what this looks like for children in relation to the different age groups.

Positive interactions between teachers and children contribute to a settled learning environment. Children are active and engaged. Teachers' respectful and collaborative practices result in a calm, nurturing atmosphere where children, parents and families feel welcome.

Children are supported to lead their own learning and confidently engage in the programme. A range of learning experiences and resources are provided by teachers, who work alongside children to promote their independence, exploration and social competencies. Children are supported to be self-managing, to take risks and to problem solve.

Regular excursions into the community and planned centre events provide an added dimension to the curriculum. This includes trips to a forest farm for the oldest children with a focus on sustainability and the environment. It is timely for leaders and teachers to inquire into and evaluate how effectively this activity supports children's learning and competencies.

Responsive caregiving supports infants' and toddlers' needs for secure and strong attachments and enables teachers to respond to each child's needs. Exploration and play is unhurried. Teachers support individuals to investigate their surroundings and purposefully engage in play. The environment is organised well to meet the needs of these learners.

Assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning should be strengthened to better reflect children's learning outcomes. Teachers use an online assessment tool to document children's participation and engagement in the programme. Parents and whānau are able to contribute to these. Curriculum guidelines that align to the centre's philosophy and intended outcomes for children should document expectations of what effective assessment looks like, including:

  • planning and intentional teaching for individuals
  • how learning is progressed over time
  • connections to children's culture, language and identity
  • responsiveness to parent aspirations and perspectives.

Teachers use te reo Māori and integrate aspects of tikanga Māori into the programme. The bicultural programme should continue to be enhanced and strengthened.

Leaders and teachers recognise the importance of strong relationships for the development of successful learning partnerships with Māori families to promote Māori children's success. Teachers identify that developing learning partnerships with Pacific families is a priority. ERO's evaluation confirms this.

Children's transitions into, within rooms and on to school are carefully considered and personalised for each child and family. Children move freely across all rooms supporting their transition readiness.

Teachers work in collaboration with parents and external agencies to help children who require additional learning support progress towards their individual goals.

Leadership is focused on providing a service that is responsive to children's needs and promotes collaborative ways of working. There is a clear commitment to developing staff knowledge and skills through ongoing professional learning. The current appraisal system is under review. Leaders now need to develop a clear policy and procedures to guide the process. This should include how teachers are supported to inquire into their practice to improve outcomes for children.

Leaders have developed and implemented some systems and processes to support centre operation and teaching and learning. ERO identified that further development is needed in: documenting practices to support teaching and learning; further developing the strategic plan and determining actions to progress centre priorities in annual planning; and strengthening internal evaluation. These should better enable the service to evaluate the impact of systems, processes and practices on outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre leaders agree that key next steps are to strengthen:

  • assessment, planning and evaluation that responds to children's needs and interests and promotes complexity of learning over time
  • culturally responsive practices to better respond to Māori and Pacific learners
  • the appraisal process to align with current legislative requirements.

In addition, ERO identified that the centre should:

  • document practices to support teaching and learning
  • further develop the strategic plan and determine actions to progress annual planning priorities
  • strengthen internal evaluation processes and practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Launch Active Early Learning 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.

In order to improve performance the service provider should ensure that the child protection policy is referenced to the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Launch Active Early Learning will be in three years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

25 June 2018

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Hastings

Ministry of Education profile number

47030

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

82 children, including up to 24 aged under 2

Service roll

104

Gender composition

Girls 51, Boys 53

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Other ethnic groups

13
79
3
9

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

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2018

Date of this report

25 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous ERO reports

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.