2 Crampton Place, Manurewa, Auckland
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Manurewa West Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Manurewa West Kindergarten is a well-established kindergarten licensed for 30 children two years of age and over. It operates daily from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. The majority of children are of Māori or Pacific heritage.
The kindergarten is part of the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) and operates under its policies and management framework. A CMKA education manager (EM) visits the kindergarten and provides leadership and curriculum support for teachers. The CMKA is in the process of reviewing its structures and operational framework.
The kindergarten's philosophy values child-initiated, play-based approaches to learning and promotes tuakana/teina relationships. The teaching team includes a head teacher, two other registered teachers, an administrator, and a teacher aide.
In 2015, ERO identified good practices, including child-initiated play and teachers valuing children's home languages. These practices continue to be present. Areas for improvement included assessment, planning, internal evaluation and opportunities for more complex play. Some progress has been made in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews in the CMKA.
Children settle easily into the learning programme and are supported to develop a sense of belonging. They greet and welcome other children, parents and visitors as they arrive. They play with and alongside each other while engaging in experiences that interest them.
Children have access to a wide variety of thoughtfully presented resources in a well-organised environment. Teachers have made good use of the available outdoor space to provide for children's holistic development. Children's cultural backgrounds are reflected in wall displays and resources. Culturally significant events are celebrated and well documented.
Teachers interact respectfully with children and are available to them. They promote children's learning and wellbeing by:
Teachers are focused on building strong relationships with parents and whānau by using a variety of communication strategies. Parents who spoke to ERO were positive about the kindergarten and appreciated the work of teachers.
Teachers discuss children's interests and dispositions, and identify strategies to extend and deepen their learning. Assessments show improvement over time with the identification of children's learning dispositions. Links between children's learning and the programme are becoming more visible. Teachers could further develop ways to gather, record and respond to parents' aspirations, to strengthen learning partnerships.
Changes in staffing and leadership at the kindergarten have been well managed to minimise disruption to children and families. The EM provides support for teachers to identify and address areas for improvement. As a recently formed team, it would be useful for teachers to work towards developing a shared vision of improving professional practices. They could also better record their decision making regarding children's learning in assessment, planning and evaluation.
Professional learning and development opportunities that are provided for teachers include a focus on 'appreciative inquiry' and other frameworks for internal evaluation.
CMKA strategic goals and the kindergarten's annual planning help to create improvements in teaching practice, learning environments and outcomes for children and their whānau. Teachers should consider further refining annual plan goals so that they are more specific.
Well established CMKA management systems, policies and processes guide the kindergarten's practices. Embedding the practice of regular documented observations into the CMKA appraisal process could enhance the support provided for teachers' professional growth.
Leaders and teachers agree that key next steps include:
CMKA leaders agree that their next steps are to continue:
Before the review, the staff and management of Manurewa West 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 Manurewa West Kindergarten will be in three years.
Violet Tu’uga Stevenson
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
21 December 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.
| Location | Manurewa, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 25032 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 30 children aged over 2 years | ||
| Service roll | 43 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 22 Girls 21 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Samoan Tongan Indian other ethnic groups | 15 3 9 5 5 6 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | November 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 21 December 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | June 2015 | |
| Education Review | February 2012 | ||
| Education Review | July 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.
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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.
Manurewa West Kindergarten continues to provide good care and education for children over two years of age. The kindergarten and the fully qualified teaching team are well supported by the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA), particularly through the regular visits of a Professional Practices Manager (PPM).
Teachers continue to offer all day sessions as this arrangement suits local families. Most children start at the kindergarten when they are three years old. They generally attend two or three sessions a week, although some older children attend more frequently as they prepare for their transition to school.
The kindergarten is well attended. The majority of children are Māori and Pacific, mainly of Cook Island, Samoan and Tongan heritage. Persistent efforts by the staff to engage parents, whānau and community have raised the profile and popularity of the kindergarten.
Parents are very supportive of the kindergarten. They express their appreciation of the services it provides. They are warmly welcomed and encouraged to become involved in their children’s learning. Families are well known to the five staff, who have worked together as a team, with the same head teacher, over a number of years.
ERO’s 2012 review noted the warm and positive relationships between children and teachers, and the well-resourced opportunities for learning. Teachers have maintained these good practices. They have also made significant improvements since 2012, including an extensive redevelopment of the outdoor learning environment, and a well-managed transition to school programme.
Children are enthusiastic, confident and friendly. They engage positively in the learning programme and seek the support of teachers to help them. The centre philosophy is clearly based on the national early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki , and the activities are largely child initiated. Teachers ensure that children have periods of uninterrupted time to select their own areas of play.
Children use equipment independently to support their play. The centre is well resourced, and the newly developed outdoor areas have extended opportunities for physical play and exploration. New resources include the use of i-pads and video. The recent introduction of digital learning and communicating with parents through social media is being thoughtfully managed.
Children’s cultural identities are well known to teachers. Their home languages and family backgrounds are valued by the staff, who are developing culturally responsive practice. The new appraisal system introduced by CMKA this year is well designed. It is likely to strengthen teacher’s professional practice through deeper inquiry and personal reflection.
The teaching team has worked together collaboratively since the centre opened in 2006. They set new goals each year and take part in whole staff professional development, most recently in raising the focus on te ao Māori. Teachers use group and mat times to share their learning about te reo and tikanga Māori with children.
Pacific parents express a sense of belonging and are comfortable to stay and participate in their child’s learning. They enjoy the increasing emphasis on home languages and the resources that reflect diverse Pacific cultures. Teachers are including songs in Samoan and Tongan, and enjoying a greater feedback from parents through Facebook.
Teachers are building a positive relationship with the nearby primary school. Children turning five visit the school weekly to become familiar with the school’s setting and classrooms. Teachers from the school visit the kindergarten to find out more about children’s readiness for learning. This partnership is strengthening the confidence of families to engage with children’s learning.
The CMKA has a well developed strategic planning model that provides guidelines for how the kindergarten teachers set goals, prioritise professional learning and conduct ongoing self review. Teachers select relevant areas for evaluating their practice and are now documenting how their practices are improving outcomes for children.
Teachers are also well supported by the PPM who visits regularly and keeps the head teacher up to date with CMKA policies, changes in legislation and professional learning opportunities. The current leadership focus will help teachers to use children’s individual strengths and interests in their planning. Teachers are also considering new ways of documenting children’s learning and sharing their progress with parents.
ERO and teachers agree that next steps in kindergarten development could include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Manurewa West 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 Manurewa West Kindergarten will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
11 June 2015
|
Location |
Manurewa, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25032 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children over two years of age |
||
|
Service roll |
47 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 28 Girls 19 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Cook Island Samoan Tongan Middle Eastern South East Asian Indian Niue |
14 1 11 8 7 2 2 1 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
|||
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 June 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 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:
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.