|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lumsden Kindergarten is a privately owned and operated service that provides all day education and care, five days a week. It is licensed for 68 children, including 15 up to the age of two. Separate areas are provided for infants, toddlers and young children. Of the 68 children currently enrolled, 10 are Māori.
The centre philosophy emphasises the importance of relationships and the environment in engaging learners. Respecting culture and making global connections is a key focus.
A board of directors has legal and financial oversight of the service. Strategic direction and
day-to-day operation are the responsibility of the centre director and manager. Since the March 2016 ERO report, two team leaders, with oversight of the curriculum, have been appointed.
The previous ERO review found significant improvement was needed in: governance and management practices; review and evaluation; planning and assessment; and strategies to support educational success for Māori children. Since that time the centre has received targeted support through a Ministry of Education funded programme, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO). The centre has made substantial progress.
Children experience a curriculum that is strongly underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the centre philosophy. They make choices about their learning within a programme designed to support and extend their interests and skills. Literacy, languages and art experiences are highly valued. Children demonstrate curiosity and confidence.
Infants and toddlers benefit from a well-resourced, calm environment. Teachers are responsive to their needs and deliberate in their actions to grow children's skills and knowledge. Children display a sense of security and belonging.
Children with additional learning needs are supported to achieve positive outcomes. Teachers use information from parents and ongoing professional education to help progress these children's learning.
Teachers are increasingly seeking ways to connect children to their culture, language and identity. Children are given opportunities to engage with te ao Māori through a developing bicultural curriculum. Continuing to increase the use of te reo Māori in meaningful contexts should further strengthen this.
Leaders and teachers are growing their understanding of approaches to promote educational success for Māori children. This continues to be a strategic focus as teachers begin to use this knowledge in practice. ERO's external evaluation confirms this direction.
Strategies to support educational success for Pacific children are yet to be fully explored. Leaders have identified the need to strengthen partnerships with Pacific families to allow teachers to be more responsive to these children.
Learning partnerships with parents and whānau are emerging. Many parents contribute to the curriculum and share aspirations for their children which are reflected in individual children's assessment.
Children's learning is regularly planned for and assessed. Their participation in centre activities and progress over time is presented in individual portfolios. Through the new planning framework teachers should better identify and respond to the complexity of individual learning across all areas of the curriculum.
Staff are well supported in their roles. Newly developed employment procedures describe clear expectations for teacher practice and support. The recently implemented appraisal system provides a sound framework to promote teacher growth. Teachers are highly reflective and engage in regular professional learning. A next step is to evaluate how changes in teaching practice improves outcomes for children.
Governance and management practices have been significantly strengthened since the previous ERO report. The centre philosophy is central to all aspects of operation. A comprehensive system of policies and procedures provides good guidance. Regular self review contributes to changes within the service. Leaders and teachers should develop their understanding and use of effective internal evaluation for improvement to ensure that:
ERO has identified that key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lumsden Kindergarten 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 Lumsden Kindergarten will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
20 March 2018
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 |
Hastings |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
55049 |
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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 |
68 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
68 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 36, Boys 32 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
10 |
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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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2018 |
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Date of this report |
20 March 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2016 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
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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:
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.