170-174 Carlisle Road, Northcross, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Magic Garden Care and Education Centre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Magic Garden Care and Education Centre is licensed for 105 children, with a maximum of 29 children under two years of age. The centre operates as three rooms, each catering for different age groups. The previous three licences for the site have been merged since the last ERO evaluation. This is ERO's first review of the merged service.
The centre is situated in a culturally diverse community. Staff have been employed to reflect the cultures of families, where possible, to ease communication and forge strong partnerships. The centre philosophy emphasises the aim of reciprocal relationships that guide teachers' work with children and families.
The appointment of a new manager in 2018 has resulted in a change in systems and emphasis, matched with the philosophical approaches already established, including Reggio Emilia and Magda Gerber/RIE (Resources for Infant Educators). Some staff have been employed in the centre for many years.
Magic Garden Care and Education Centre continues to provide high quality care and education for children. Children are settled, trusting and engaged. Each room has its own way of working to complement the group of children.
The infant and toddler room is divided to provide space and quiet for younger infants to feel safe. Older toddlers are encouraged to be independent, to care for each other and to explore a suitable range of resources. Teachers' quiet and kindly interactions with children build sound relationships and support children's confidence to try new play experiences.
The room for children between two and three years of age is set up to encourage curiosity, self- management and independence. Children frequently work together in small groups to share imaginative games and to play out experiences from their home life.
The older children engage well in programmes developed to use ideas from Reggio Emilia. This creates a strong focus on creativity, children's choices and the environment as a source of inspiration. Children have long periods for developing play and exploring their interests. The programme is frequently guided by children's ideas.
Throughout the centre, teachers focus on supporting and encouraging children's language and communication skills. This gives children increased confidence as they transition through the centre. Transitions are well managed and ensure that children are able to fit into a new age group with confidence. Teachers work together to communicate and build partnerships with parents.
Centre environments are carefully planned to provide high quality resources and materials for children to choose from. Resources are accessible and arranged to be attractive and inviting. There is a free flow from each room to its outdoor area. Flexible routines enable children to make decisions about their play.
Teachers are working to improve their use of te reo Māori with children. They receive support from a fluent Māori speaker who also promotes respectful tikanga practices. Kapa haka provides leadership opportunities for children. Tikanga Māori, including tuakana/teina relationships, is part of centre expectations.
Management of the centre is efficient and effective. A new health and safety manual developed by staff and managers, includes changes to regulations. Appraisal processes link well to Teaching Council expectations, and teachers are able to access relevant professional development and learning.
A continuing management focus is on growing staff capability through study and internal evaluation. Time is provided for teachers to explore new ideas through reading and research. High levels of academic exploration and thinking nurture teachers' sense of themselves as competent professionals.
Managers and teachers agree that a next step is to include in children's portfolios:
further acknowledgement of children's cultures and parents' aspirations for children
clearer links to demonstrate children's learning over time.
Before the review, the staff and management of Magic Garden Care and Education Centre 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
24 January 2020
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 |
Northcross, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10272 |
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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 |
105 children, including up to 29 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
110 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 53% Boys 47% |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese British/Irish African other ethnic groups |
1% 46% 30% 6% 4% 13% |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2019 |
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Date of this report |
24 January 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2012 |
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Education Review |
February 2011 |
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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 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.
How well placed is Magic Garden Over 3.5's Care & Education Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Magic Garden Over 3.5’s Care & Education Centre on Auckland’s North Shore, provides high quality care and education for up to 40 children over three and a half years old to school age. The well established service has been overseen by the same service provider and long serving teachers for many years. It operates as one of three centres in a purpose-built facility. The centre occupies well maintained premises with very good facilities for staff. Nutritious meals are prepared on site by the centre’s cook. The service provider regards the three licences as a single entity in many aspects, resulting in administrative and operational systems that are common across the centres.
Successive ERO reports have commented on the positive and affirming relationships among teachers, children and families. They have noted how the child-centred programme nurtures children’s well being, sense of belonging and provokes children’s thinking through trusting relationships with peers and teachers. These positive factors continue to be significant features of the centre.
The centre has responded very well to the 2012 ERO report. Teachers have continued to develop their understanding of bicultural practice. The centre is forging a unique identity through a newly established kapa haka group and centre waiata developed with Māori whānau support.
The centre philosophy embraces Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and integrates aspects of Reggio Emilia in the programme. A recently designed ‘Priorities for Learning’ document guides teaching and learning. Managers and teachers are in the process of reviewing the philosophy to further embrace other theoretical approaches.
Children, parents and whānau are warmly welcomed into the centre. Individual children and their families are highly respected. Teachers value parents’ aspirations for their children and include these in programme planning. Children experience caring and secure relationships within a calm and unhurried learning environment.
Children have conversations with each other and with teachers that include highly developed ideas and thinking. They share their knowledge and understanding with others and are proud of their successes. Children benefit from uninterrupted play. They explore, use their imagination, investigate and make independent choices from the wide range of available resources.
Teachers know children well. They are skilled at listening to and supporting children to extend their understandings. Teachers successfully integrate literacy, numeracy and science into the programme. They plan attractive and inviting learning environments where children’s ideas are incorporated into the programme. Children are confident and curious learners. They display a love of learning and are allowed to ‘be children’.
Teachers and children are building their skills and knowledge about Māori culture and language. Aspects of te ao Māori are integrated into the programme. Teachers acknowledge the unique place of Māori and are finding additional ways to include this in the programme.
Innovative processes for programme planning and assessment are evident. Various planning documents provide very useful records of children’s learning and development over time. Parent contributions are supported by high quality teacher reflections. Teachers can now extend their use of child’s voice in this process and also consider ways to reflect the diversity of their community in programme documents. Teachers have developed initiatives for children's smooth transitions to school. They are strengthening relationships with local schools to further promote positive outcomes for children.
Teachers’ professional capabilities are fostered through appraisal, distributed leadership and ongoing professional development. Teachers are reflective, work collaboratively and benefit from the owner/manager’s effective professional leadership. They are dedicated and improvement focused.
The owner/manager has very effective management practices, policies and procedures to inform centre operations. Self review is robust and guides decision making. Parent and community partnerships are integral to the centre. Parents have the opportunity to contribute to self review across the centre. A centre focus on community involvement and valuing families underpins centre operations.
The centre manager and ERO agreed that teachers could continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Magic Garden Over 3.5's Care & Education Centre 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 Magic Garden Over 3.5's Care & Education Centre will be in four years.
Dale Bailey Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
27 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 |
Northcross, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
10272 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
38 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 20 Girls 18 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā Chinese British/Irish other European other |
24 9 2 2 1 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
February 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
27 March 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
October 2007 |
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.