33 Pluto Street, Lumsden
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lumsden Playcentre is parent led and provides two sessions each week for children up to school age. The sessions are led by a team of session coordinators.
The Southland Playcentre Association (SPA) is experiencing a time of change as all playcentre associations throughout New Zealand merge with the New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) to reduce duplication and make cost savings. This restructure will mean significant changes at the local association level. A committed, interim board has been established at SPA to support playcentres through this transitional period.
The April 2014 ERO report identified the need to strengthen internal evaluation, including developing a schedule of review to ensure that all aspects of the centre's operations are evaluated over time. While some progress has been made this remains and area for improvement.
This review was part of a cluster of 13 in the Southland Playcentre Association
The playcentre philosophy is strongly evident in practice. Children are supported to lead and evaluate their own learning. They show a strong sense of belonging. Parents continually notice, recognise and respond to children's learning. They view children as confident and capable learners.
The playcentre is highly inclusive. Infants and toddlers play and learn alongside their older friends. Accessible resources cater for their growing needs. The requirements of children with English as a second language are successfully supported. Children and families lead celebrations that reflect their home cultures. On-line tools regularly inform parents about activities in the centre and external events of interest.
New children and families are warmly welcomed into the playcentre. There is an appropriate focus on strengthening the skills and dispositions that will support older children as they prepare for their move to school.
Māori families lead te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Resources and routines support children's learning about te ao Māori.
Self review is ongoing and has led to some positive changes in curriculum practice. Members should continue to strengthen evaluation practice to ensure they focus on how well the curriculum and teaching practices are supporting improved outcomes for children. The schedule of review of playcentre operations, especially those relating to regulatory requirements, is in need of urgent strengthening. This was an area for review and development in the previous report. Adults should ensure their practice is guided by the most recent SPA policies and procedures.
Sustainability is an ongoing concern. Membership has decreased significantly since the previous ERO review and on a number of occasions the playcentre has been unable to operate. Recent initiatives to increase membership have had limited success.
The board has been proactive in developing processes to assist in the smooth transition for playcentres to work under the NZPF. Opportunities have been offered to playcentre members to engage with SPA to consider how the board could best provide support to services through the impending restructure.
The board has identified a number of systems and processes have lapsed and need improvement. Immediate attention is required to review policies that guide the appointments procedure and health and safety practices. The appraisal process has also lapsed or not been robustly implemented. These improvements are a priority to meet licensing criteria, and for monitoring the quality of centre practices.
More consistent, timely and evaluative reporting should be provided to the board to assure them that accountabilities are met and to better inform their decision making.
The session coordinators agree areas for strengthening include:
Key next steps for the association are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lumsden Playcentre 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.
ERO found an area of non-compliance related to:
ERO also identified an area of non-compliance for the Southland Playcentre Association in relation to governance and management. To meet requirements the association needs to:
To improve practice the Southland Playcentre Association should:
The next ERO review of Lumsden Playcentre will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
4 May 2017
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 |
Invercargill |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
90005 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
14 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 10, Girls 4 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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|
Review team on site |
February 2017 |
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Date of this report |
4 May 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
August 2011 |
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|
Education Review |
November 2006 |
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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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
This playcentre is located in the township of Lumsden, Northern Southland. Until recently, it was the only early childhood service in the town. Parents provide four morning sessions a week for children aged from birth to five years. A significant number of parents are working towards playcentre qualifications. There are high adult-to-child ratios during each session. Most of the parents stay with their child during the sessions to support their child's learning.
Parents at the playcentre have responded positively to the recommendations in the 2011 ERO report. These include reviewing the philosophy, incorporating bicultural practices and extending self review.
Important Māori concepts are strongly evident in this centre. These include:
Children and their families benefit from the warm and caring relationships that are evident in the playcentre. Children and their parents show a real sense of belonging. Parents know every child well. ERO observed children and their parents being warmly welcomed and children enjoying friendships with each other.
Children learn and play in a calm and settled environment. They make choices about what they want to do and settle quickly. Children play for sustained periods of time and have fun together. Parents follow children’s lead and interests. They help children to grow their ideas and provide appropriate resources for them. Conversations are focused on learning. Parents involve children in the decision-making, for example consulting children about the types of resources that they need to challenge themselves in their learning. Children’s learning is enhanced by the interesting experiences in and beyond the playcentre.
Parents are very good at seeking support for children who require extra help with their learning. They work positively with children to develop social and emotional skills.
Children are well supported as they move to school. Parents ensure that the child and their family are confident and comfortable about moving onto school. The parents show a very good awareness of the individual needs of children as they approach school age. They deliberately plan programmes to ensure that their children have the knowledge and skills that they will need, for example, being familiar with the school environment and routines.
The playcentre has made major improvements to the outdoor environment. The indoor environment is stimulating for the children. Children have free access to resources to support them in their play. They also have access to a spacious and well-equipped hall for physical play on wet days.
The parents have developed comprehensive systems for recognising and recording children’s learning. They acknowledge that records could be simplified to more clearly show children’s next steps and the progress they have made.
Bicultural practices are highly evident in the playcentre. Parents have made a concerted effort since the last review in 2011 to incorporate Māori perspectives into learning programmes.
There is a useful strategic plan. Parents regularly review playcentre operations and practices. There is a strong focus on improvement. Lumsden Playcentre philosophy is evident in practice.
The Southland Playcentre Association provides strong support to the playcentre through:
The SPA provides strong leadership to guide the future direction and ongoing improvement of all its centres. This includes the way the association fosters emergent leadership. Currently there are high numbers of people participating in playcentre training. The association has identified, and ERO agrees, that its next step is to improve its knowledge and understanding of self review. It then needs to support playcentres to implement effective self review.
There are many good processes for undertaking self review. Parents now need to ensure that reviews evaluate the effectiveness of programmes and practices. They need to also develop a schedule of self review to ensure that all aspects of the centre’s operations are reviewed over time. This includes the ongoing review of the centre philosophy, planning and assessment practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Lumsden Playcentre 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 Lumsden Playcentre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
4 April 2014
|
Location |
Lumsden |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
90005 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
19 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls: 11 Boys: 8 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other |
1 16 2 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
Not applicable - Playcentre Qualifications |
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|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
4 April 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2006 |
||
|
Accountability Review |
January 2001 |
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.