130 Kerwyn Road, East Tamaki, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Active Explorers Highbrook is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Active Explorers Highbrook provides for 150 children, including up to 75 aged under two years. Children are cared for in nine separate learning areas, grouped according to their age. Two adjoining rooms and shared outdoor spaces enable infants, toddlers and young children to play together. Children are from diverse cultural backgrounds, with the largest group being Chinese. Eight percent of children enrolled are Māori and 12 percent have Pacific heritage.
The centre was previously known as Lollipops Educare Highbrook. Since the 2015 ERO review, the centre has become part of the Evolve Education Group (EEG). Visiting personnel from EEG support the centre in its day-to-day operations, long-term planning and development projects. The centre manager, assistant manager and team leaders work together and alongside EEG.
The centre's philosophy recognises diversity and the uniqueness of each child. It expresses a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te reo and tikanga Māori. Children are viewed as being carers of and for the environment where respect and responsibility are fostered. Social competencies and self-regulation are key features of the philosophy. Kai times are shared experiences and for older children, this takes place in the whare kai.
ERO's 2015 report noted a variety of positive practices. Next steps identified in the 2015 report included deepening teachers' self-inquiry, increasing children's learning in mathematics and reviewing the philosophy. There has been significant improvement in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Evolve Education Group.
Children and their families are welcomed and well known by centre staff. Interactions and relationships between children, their peers and teachers are positive. Teachers affirm children's languages and cultures and value diversity. Some teachers speak children's home languages, which supports oral language development.
Children have access to abundant resources and flexible materials. Environments offer opportunities for investigation and support curiosity, active exploration and imaginative play.
Children are engaged in meaningful learning experiences that are often sustained for prolonged periods. Collaborative play helps to extend their thinking, foster independence and enhance social competence. Teachers encourage children to initiate purposeful problem-solving activities. Children learn to strategise and reason with each other, deepening their understanding and acceptance of differing perspectives.
Teachers provide opportunities for children to engage in complex play to broaden learning dispositions. They skilfully integrate mathematics, literacy and science into children's play. A holistic curriculum supports children's wellbeing.
Infants and toddlers receive quality care and benefit from high adult-to-child ratios. They are familiar with centre routines and are independent learners. Their learning environments are relaxed and calm. Teachers read the cues of children well and understand their ways of communicating. They respect children's preferences and support them to deal with conflict and frustrations.
Teachers are deliberate in noticing what is important and valued learning for children. They are responsive to children's interests, strengths and abilities. Individual development plans (IDP) have strengthened teachers' understanding and knowledge of children as learners.
Documentation of children's learning demonstrates a high level of teacher engagement. Children's ideas, thinking and child-led learning are carefully considered and made visible through individual and group learning stories. Teachers use a range of observational techniques to gather information about children's learning to inform decisions and extend their planning. Their assessment and planning are linked with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Teachers' positive relationships with parents/whānau contribute to mutual respect and a shared understanding of parents' aspirations and expectations for children. Transitions from room to room are managed well. Children from both preschool rooms have been part of a newly designed readiness for school programme. It would be useful to document this and evaluate how successful it has been for children.
EEG provides a framework of policies and procedures to guide centre practices. EEG has established an effective process for centres to implement internal evaluation. The centre manager and assistant manager support a shared understanding about internal evaluation among all staff. This is contributing to the ongoing improvements of the service. Strategic and annual plans are aligned to the overarching vision of EEG.
The appraisal process is robust. Constructive feedback to team leaders for each room has supported teachers' professional knowledge and practice, with explicit goals and expectations. This has been particularly significant in shifts towards better understandings of teachers' inquiry-based learning.
Leaders and ERO have identified next steps for sustaining and building on current very good practices. These areas include continuing to:
strengthen curriculum evaluation, making explicit links to theory, current research and practice
support new leaders in their role to ensure the maintenance of high-quality education and care in all learning spaces.
Evolve Education Group senior managers agree that their key next steps include:
ensuring the company's vision and values, goals and principles reflect the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
addressing staffing issues in some centres to ensure quality teaching practices are evident, promoting positive outcomes for all children and ensuring sustainability of quality practice
reviewing how effectively the levels and quality of learning resources in centres promote collaboration amongst children and promote more complex thinking
providing professional learning and development for leaders and teachers to ensure a deeper engagement with Te Whāriki.
Before the review, the staff and management of Active Explorers Highbrook 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:
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.
To improve current practice, Evolve Education Group senior managers must take steps to ensure that health and safety policies and procedures are implemented rigorously across all services.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
19 December 2019
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 |
East Tamaki, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25394 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
150 children, including up to 75 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
142 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 48% Boys 52% |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
8% |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
October 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
19 December 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
January 2012 |
||
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lollipops Educare Highbrook provides education and care for 150 children with up to 75 under 2 years of age. The centre’s philosophy focuses on children learning in a stimulating environment with real experiences that involve problem solving, decision making and risk taking.
The Lollipop Educare organisation provides a wide range of governance and management systems to underpin centre operations. These include professional guidance, curriculum advice and a mentoring programme for provisionally registered teachers. A professional services manager visits the centre regularly and provides professional advice and support for leaders and teachers.
There are nine rooms in the centre. Children come together for meals in the centre’s wharekai. Parents work nearby but many live well outside the immediate community. The multi-ethnic teaching team reflects the diversity of children's families.
This is ERO’s second review of this centre. Leaders addressed recommendations made in the 2011 ERO report through whole staff professional development and teacher appraisal.
Lollipops Educare Highbrook promotes highly effective learning outcomes for children. Children and their whānau are well supported by teachers to transition positively into the centre. Teachers share with parents the importance of children learning through play and the value of play in preparing them to be lifelong learners.
Teachers are responsive to the needs and interests of children. They recognise the importance of consistency and continuity in the care and education of young children. Primary caregivers for individual children contribute to the secure foundation for children’s development within the centre. Adults trust children to develop as independent learners. They provide a calm pace that allows infants and toddlers the appropriate time and space to follow their own interests.
Children are settled in the centre. They are trusted to make their own choices and have established genuine friendships with teachers and their peers. They are becoming competent communicators and confidently articulate their interests and needs to adults. Familiar routines and centre organisation, support children’s sense of wellbeing and belonging. They demonstrate good self-help skills.
Children under two years of age are confident explorers. They happily engage in play and activities with their peers and are learning appropriate ways to manage their relationships with each other. They are confident and comfortable with teachers and participate willingly during group times.
Teachers know children and families well. They show a strong commitment to valuing children’s language, culture and identity, recognising individual strengths and knowledge, and family aspirations. Teachers encourage children to learn at their own pace providing periods of uninterrupted play to enable them to repeat or sustain an activity.
Teachers provide a varied range of experiences for children. While they plan separately for infants and toddlers, there is continuity in planning and careful transitioning as children move between rooms. Teachers plan meaningful learning activities, which are responsive to the interests and perspectives of children and whānau. The programmes include opportunities for children to learn more about tikanga Maori.
Through professional development, teachers are becoming increasingly confident in their understanding and use of te reo Māori me ona tikanga. They recognise the importance of continuing to provide opportunities to support the culture, language and identity of all children and to consider ways to foster Māori children’s identity.
Teachers share children’s learning with parents and families. They identify each child’s strengths and interests and plan for their growth and development. Parents can see in the stories about children's learning how children are developing over time. Parents can also contribute to their child’s portfolio of learning. Literacy, science and the arts are integrated throughout the learning programme supporting children to become lifelong learners. Quality work capturing children’s reflections is displayed throughout the centre. Older children are extended in their art and dance and movement.
Children enjoy playing in the well-resourced, expansive outdoor environment where they develop their physical skills and explore the adventure style setting. Teachers change the equipment and areas of play to suit children’s current interests. Children respect their environment and appreciate the varying levels of challenge the outdoor space provides for them. Centre leaders continue to review the impact of the restrictive fencing in the outdoor play area.
The centre is well led by a management team focussed on improving outcomes for children. They review centre systems and support teachers to review their teaching practice. They work hard to realise parent’s social, cultural and learning aspirations through strategic planning.
ERO and centre managers also agreed that next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lollipops Educare Highbrook 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 Lollipops Educare Highbrook will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
11 March 2015
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 |
East Tamaki, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25394 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
150 children, including up to 75 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
146 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 75 Girls 71 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Indian Samoan other Pacific other |
22 38 27 20 7 10 22 |
|
|
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 |
December 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 March 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
January 2012 |
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.