Little Wonders Pegasus

Education institution number:
47124
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
57
Telephone:
Address:

154 Infinity Drive, Pegasus

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Little Wonders Pegasus - 19/11/2018

1 Evaluation of Little Wonders Pegasus

How well placed is Little Wonders Pegasus 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

Little Wonders Pegasus is part of the Evolve Education Group (EEG). It provides full-day education and care for up to 65 children, including 20 under two years. Children play and learn in two areas according to their age and readiness for the next area.

The service opened in October 2016 and this is its first ERO review. The centre manager was appointed in 2018 and there have many other changes in staff since the centre opened. The centre manager oversees the day-to-day running of the service and she is supported by two head teachers and a team of teachers. Most of the teachers are qualified early childhood teachers.

The Evolve group area manager and curriculum leaders provide ongoing support and have oversight of the service.

Leaders and teachers have developed a guiding vision and philosophy for the service. It reflects a commitment to 'providing a place where tamariki can grow together by fostering relationships, nurturing creativity and engaging curious minds'.

This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Evolve Education Group.

The Review Findings

Positive outcomes for children's learning are becoming evident as leaders and teachers focus on achieving the key priorities in the centre's philosophy. ERO observed:

  • settled and engaged children

  • trusting and positive relationships between children and with their teachers

  • children confidently making choices to follow their interests and to develop their strengths within the programme.

There are a number of initiatives, and recently established systems and practices that promote the service's valued outcomes for all children.

The new philosophy and valued outcomes are closely aligned to the 'Little Wonders' brand expectations for learning, and the provision of a service that builds creative, competent and capable learners.

The strategic plan is appropriate for a new centre and provides clear guidance for building the centre's culture, systems and practices, and expectations for teaching and learning.

The EEG policies and procedures state clearly the expectations for children's wellbeing and learning and are being appropriately implemented in the service.

Strong foundations are being laid for:

  • involving parents more in the centre and their children's learning

  • establishing appropriate bicultural practices

  • developing useful internal evaluation, assessment, planning and processes.

Centre leaders, staff and the EEG show a strong pride and commitment to the service. This is encouraging the sharing of skills and interests to build professional practice, confidence and knowledge.

The EEG have developed a more coherent structure and strategic direction for the company. A strategic focus is to lift the quality of teaching and learning. Many new initiatives have been introduced to improve the effectiveness and monitor the quality of the services within the company.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps for the EEG southern region are to ensure:
  • that the company vision, values, philosophy, goals and systems reflect and enact the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and are underpinned by te ao Māori perspectives

  • reporting and monitoring at all levels is evaluative and shows how outcomes for all children have been improved, especially in relation to the organisation’s vision, philosophy and valued outcomes

  • ongoing monitoring of the new initiatives and roles and responsibilities of personnel in positions of leadership.

Key next steps for Little Wonders Pegasus:

ERO's evaluation has identified, and the service managers agree, that the next key steps are to:

  • develop and implement a rich, local curriculum that is consistent with Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum, the Treaty of Waitangi, and the centre's philosophy and values

  • continue to build on the foundations already in place to strengthen assessment and planning, internal evaluation, bicultural inclusion, parent partnerships and responding to cultural diversity

  • ensure reporting at all levels is evaluative and focuses on how well the centre is improving outcomes for all children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Little Wonders Pegasus 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Little Wonders Pegasus will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

19 November 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

Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

47124

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

65 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

70

Gender composition

Girls: 33

Boys: 37

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Pacific
Other ethnicities

2
48
1
19

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

September 2018

Date of this report

19 November 2018

Most recent ERO reports

No previous ERO reviews

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.