Little Blue Penguin Preschool and Nursery Prestons

Education institution number:
45639
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
19
Telephone:
Address:

408 Prestons Road, Marshland, Christchurch

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Little Blue Penguin Preschool and Nursery Prestons

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report. 

ERO’s Judgement 

Regulatory standards 

ERO’s judgement 

Curriculum ​Meeting​ 
Premises and facilities ​Meeting​ 
Health and safety ​Meeting​ 
Governance, management, and administration ​Meeting​ 

​During the onsite visit, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.​ 

Background 

Little Blue Penguin Preschool and Nursery Prestons is one of two services under the same new ownership. The service is overseen by the owner. There is a small group of children with Māori heritage among the service’s diverse cultures.   

Summary of Review Findings 

A philosophy statement guides the service’s operation, and expresses the service’s beliefs, values and attitudes about the provision of early childhood education and care. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations help by parents and whānau for their children. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.  

The design and layout of the premises support the provision of a range of indoor and outdoor experiences, appropriate to the number, ages and abilities of children attending.  

Key Next Steps  

Next steps include: 

  • making all children’s languages, cultures, and identity visible within the environment and documentation 
  • continuing to develop a localised bicultural curriculum.   

Action for Compliance  

​During the review, the service provided​ ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:  

  • Having a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults at the service, and details of how these will be maintained and accessed in an emergency (HS7).  

Next ERO Review  

​The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation. ​  

Patricia Davey 
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) 

​30 November 2023​   

Information About the Service 

Early Childhood Service NameLittle Blue Penguin Preschool and Nursery Prestons​ 
Profile Number45639
LocationMarshland, Christchurch​
Service type ​Education and care service​ 
Number licensed for 28 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 
Percentage of qualified teachers  ​80-99%​ 
Service roll 34 
Review team on site September 2023 
Date of this report ​30 November 2023​ 
Most recent ERO report(s) Education Review, March 2020; Education Review, November 2016.  

General Information about Assurance Reviews  

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.  

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.  

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service: 

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation 
  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’ 
  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence 
  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership 
  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements 

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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: 

  • curriculum 
  • premises and facilities 
  • health and safety practices 
  • governance, management and administration.  

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios) 
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.  

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through: 

  • discussions with those involved in the service 
  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems 
  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.  

Marshlands Nest - 02/03/2020

1 Evaluation of Marshlands Nest

How well placed is Marshlands Nest to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Marshlands Nest is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Marshlands Nest is one of four early childhood centres that are part of a franchise called Nest NZ. This centre caters for 27 children, including 14 aged up to two years, and provides full-day care and education in a mixed-age setting. The owner manages the centre, supported by a supervisor and staff. Teachers are either fully registered or training to become qualified early childhood teachers.

The philosophy places a strong emphasis on positive relationships and the role of the family in children's learning and wellbeing. Children are valued as competent and confident learners who are able to lead their own learning, with support from teachers who know them well. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are valued. Children's home cultures are respected and integrated into the programme.

Centre leaders and teachers have made good progress in addressing many of the key next steps for improvement in the November 2016 ERO report. Child assessment and planning are well established. An appropriate staff appraisal process is in place. Bicultural practices, the use of te reo Māori and internal evaluation have improved but remain as key next steps for ongoing improvement.

The Review Findings

Children are highly engaged in their learning. Teachers have an in-depth knowledge of their interests and needs. They make effective use of this knowledge, their teaching skills and relevant professional development to extend learning in ways most appropriate for each child.

Teachers provide good support for children to share their ideas, listen and value the opinions of others. Children play well together and are encouraged to become confident, articulate and respectful learners.

The under-two programme is focused on nurturing and integrating young children into a range of interesting activities and experiences. Teachers model the calm, thoughtful and considerate interactions they expect of children. The mixed-age setting is used well to promote positive relationships and learning about others of different ages and cultures.

Children with additional needs and their families are well supported and valued. Leaders and teachers make effective use of outside agencies and professional development to increase their knowledge and skills to better support these children.

The inclusion of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori in centre practices is improving. Leaders and teachers regularly attend courses, work with local Māori and support each other to use te reo Māori in the programme and with each other. Children's home cultures are valued.

Assessment and planning are used effectively to improve learning and teaching, and extend the skills and abilities of each child. Children's goals, and teachers' and family knowledge of the child, are well used. Assessment records clearly show children's progress, complexity of learning and the effectiveness of the programme in helping children achieve their goals.

Leaders value their staff and recognise the skills they bring. They actively seek to involve staff in decision making, promote leadership opportunities and support staff to increase their skills and knowledge. Teachers are well informed, share responsibility for the successful operation of the centre and take pride in the progress that children make. Team work, support and respect for others are clearly evident.

Some progress has been made in developing internal evaluation and strategic planning. Professional development in these areas has provided a good foundation. More emphasis now needs to be placed on analysis of information, action planning, monitoring of learning progress, and identifying the impact and outcomes of programmes and initiatives.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps are for leaders and teachers continuing to increase their:

  • knowledge and use of internal evaluation and strategic planning processes to improve outcomes for children
  • knowledge and confidence in the use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori to more effectively support all children's understanding of New Zealand's bicultural heritage.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Marshlands Nest 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:

  • curriculum
  • premises and facilities
  • health and safety practices
  • governance, management and administration.

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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

2 March 2020

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

LocationChristchurch
Ministry of Education profile number45639
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for28 children, including up to 14 aged under 2
Service roll30
Gender compositionFemale 15, Male 15
Ethnic compositionMāori 
NZ European/Pākehā
0ther ethnicities
3
22
5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:9Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteNovember 2019
Date of this report2 March 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewNovember 2016
Education ReviewAugust 2013

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Marshlands Nest - 15/11/2016

1 Evaluation of Marshlands Nest

How well placed is Marshlands Nest to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Marshlands Nest is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Marshlands Nest is one of four early childhood centres which is part of a franchise called Nest NZ. It is a small privately-owned centre, situated in a converted house.

The centres philosophy has a focus on providing nurturing interactions and environmentally sustainable teaching practices (NEST). It provides education and care for infants, toddlers and preschool children in a mixed-aged setting.

All staff are qualified early childhood education teachers. Most are fulltime and one who is part time is also a specialist sports trainer.

The centre is part of a local learning cluster.

The recommendations from the 2013 ERO report have been well met. This includes introducing a new appraisal system, a more coherent self review process and developing better links between assessment and planning.

The Review Findings

Teachers provide children and their families with a welcoming environment. The positive relationships between teachers and children, and parents supports children's wellbeing and sense of belonging.

Children are actively engaged in a calm settled environment. They learn through play as individuals and in groups to help develop their curiosity, confidence and leadership. Children have respect for each other and their teachers. Older children support younger children (tuakana teina).

Teachers have considered a number of useful ways to incorporate bicultural practices into the programme. Children experience an increasing focus on te reo and tikanga Māori.

Teachers work well together to foster children’s learning. They work effectively with and alongside children to engage them in conversation to help extend their thinking. They offer children a range of activities to support literacy and mathematics learning.

Under two year old children experience respectful relationships and calm routines with their key teacher. They have access to a wide range of activities within the learning environment.

A number of aspects of the philosophy are evident in practice. For example, natural resources are incorporated into aspects of the learning through environmental programmes.

Children are well supported by a key teacher who regularly develops individual learning plans to meet each child's goals. Teachers take time to talk with parents about their children’s interests, strengths and abilities. Together they develop shared goals that focus on children's learning.

Teachers are becoming more reflective about their teaching practices. They are involved in a range of professional development related to their own personal goals and the centre-wide focus.

Transition into the centre is flexible. To assist transition from the centre children visit schools using the centres transport. They also visit local recreational facilities. These excursions give children many opportunities to enrich their learning.

Leaders have developed and implemented good systems to support centre operations. Self review is systematic, linked to the centre strategic plan and a regular focus in staff meetings. Self review would be further strengthened by taking a more evaluative approach.

Key Next Steps

ERO and the centre managers have agreed that their next steps include:

  • strengthening the review process for the philosophy

  • refining the strategic plan

  • strengthening child assessment, programme planning, and evaluation of teaching and learning

  • strengthen bicultural practices and use of te reo Māori in the learning programme

  • embedding the current appraisal system.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Marshlands Nest 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:

  • curriculum

  • premises and facilities

  • health and safety practices

  • governance, management and administration.

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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Marshlands Nest will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Te Waipounamu Southern

15 November 2016

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

45639

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 14 aged under two

Service roll

31

Gender composition

Girls 22; Boys 9

Ethnic composition

Pākehā

Samoan

Indian

29

1

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2016

Date of this report

15 November 2016

Most recent ERO report 

Education Review

August 2013

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.