405B Manawaru Road, Te Aroha
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.
Manawaru Playcentre is a sessional centre providing education and care for children from birth to school age. The centre is a parent cooperative and is licensed for 25 children, including up to 14 under two years of age. It is one of 13 centres governed by the umbrella organisation, Thames Valley/Coromandel Playcentre Association (TVCPA) affiliated to the New Zealand Playcentre Federation.
Since the 2013 ERO review a new team of parents have been elected to undertake the management of the centre. The environment has been upgraded including a new kitchen area. Greater numbers of parents are undertaking study in the association's courses, which is contributing positively to children's learning, and promotes an environment where parents work together to enact the playcentre philosophy. Children and adults are well supported and empowered to work, learn and grow together.
The playcentre has responded well to the areas for review and development in the 2013 ERO report. They have formalised self-review systems with the support of association personnel and strengthened assessment and planning processes. Newly developed internal review systems are focused on identifying areas to further develop and improve.
This review was part of a cluster of three playcentre reviews in the Thames Valley/Coromandel Playcentre Association.
Children and their families learn and play in a friendly, welcoming environment. Parent members have established a positive centre culture, which strongly promotes their children's sense of belonging. Respectful and positive relationships successfully promote a settled homely atmosphere that supports play and learning.
Families effectively share leadership roles and responsibilities for the day-to-day running of the playcentre. More experienced members willingly share their knowledge empowering others in their role as the first educator of their children.
Many parents have taken good advantage of the educational opportunities provided by (TVPA) and undertaken playcentre training. Child learning portfolios and the centre's programme planning is greatly enhanced through the collective knowledge of adults who work collaboratively. They successfully plan and provide authentic and rich learning opportunities for the diverse interests and ages of children.
Internal evaluation practices have been improved and are supporting the playcentre to systematically inquire into the quality of education and care they provide. Parents have future plans to further develop assessment practices, and to build their capacity and understanding of local history and tikanga Māori processes.
The mixed-age group setting encourages the leadership of older children who contribute to the learning of infants and toddlers. Children are empowered to share their talents and strengths with others and through social and self-initiated play they learn from others. Children engage in sustained learning in a physically and emotionally safe environment.
Children enjoy the freedom to explore and investigate the well-prepared environment. It provides extensive choice and is equipped with high quality resources. They confidently socialise and interact with one another and adults, and are able to revisit and build on their existing skills, dispositions and knowledge.
ERO and Playcentre families agree that:
Parent members should use self-review practices to help them identify ways to integrate local history and tikanga Māori into the programme. This is likely to further enrich learning outcomes for all children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Manawaru 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Manawaru Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
14 February 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.
|
Location |
Manawaru |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
32005 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
25 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 14 Boys 11 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Indian |
4 20 1 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2016 |
|
|
Date of this report |
14 February 2017 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2014 |
|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Manawaru Playcentre operates under the umbrella of the Thames Valley Coromandel Playcentre Association. The playcentre is a parent cooperative that provides education and care for children from birth to school age from surrounding rural areas. The centre provides two mixed-aged morning sessions a week. At the time of this review 25 children were enrolled. There are two children who identify as Indian.
The centre president and parents with roles and responsibilities are all new to their positions. They have worked collaboratively to significantly improve the quality of the learning environment. The centre leaders encourage parents to complete higher levels of adult education provided by the local association and New Zealand Playcentre Federation. Puriri Whakamaru o Hauraki whānau has provided sessions about Māori language and culture. This is supporting parents to implement bicultural practices in the programme. Planning for extension within the programme would further enhance parent’s bicultural understandings. The centre philosophy focus is child-initiated play and this is providing opportunities for children and their parents to learn and develop alongside each other.
Parents have made considerable progress in addressing areas identified, in the 2010 ERO report about bicultural practices and including new members as full participants in the centre.
The Thames Valley Coromandel Playcentre Association strategic plan is being used to guide membership in the organisation and management of the centre. Members are currently developing a centre specific strategic plan relevant and applicable to their own operations. The appointment of a liaison officer to Manawaru is necessary to assist the newly elected membership to strengthen relationships and communication between the association and the playcentre.
Parent members work collectively in the best interests of children and families. Members are competent, enthusiastic and work efficiently to provide opportunities for children’s growth and development. They are encouraged to participate and be involved in meetings, session planning and the running of the centre. Members are also working together to strengthen their understanding of self review. It is now timely to formalise self-review processes focused on teaching and learning practice and children’s learning.
The programme provides children with many opportunities to learn and play in a bright and attractive environment and a wide range of experiences are provided for them to explore. Easy access to resources and equipment allow the children to make choices and decisions about what they would like to do. Parents plan by identifying the strengths and interests of individual children, which are documented at session evaluations and displayed in children's profile books and on centre walls. Increasing parent knowledge about strategies for developing children’s interests and learning is an area to be strengthened.
Children enjoy positive, respectful, relationships with a range of parent members and children of different ages. Parents provide good support for infants, toddlers and young children to develop independence, physical skills, language and social skills. Children are confident, articulate and interact positively with their peers and adults. Features of interactions that affirm children’s learning include:
The centre president and parents have identified, and ERO agrees, that parents continue to undertake education training focused on:
Before the review, the staff and management of Manawaru 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 Manawaru Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
25 March 2014
|
Location |
Manawaru |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
32005 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
25 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 14 Boys 11 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Indian |
23 2 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2014 |
|
|
Date of this report |
25 March 2014 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2004 |
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.