49A Lismore Street, Merrilands, New Plymouth
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.
Merrilands Kindergarten provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. It is open for six hours daily, five days a week and is licensed for up to 34 children. Within these hours, sessional care and education is also provided. Of the roll of 41 children, 13 identify as Māori.
The teaching team is fully qualified. There have been staff changes since the November 2013 ERO report.
The kindergarten is one of 24 governed by the newly established Kindergarten Taranaki (the association), formerly North and South Taranaki Kindergarten Associations. A Chief Executive was appointed to lead the association in 2014.
Two professional leaders (PLs) are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. Since the earlier 2016 ERO reviews a programme manager and a human resource generalist have been appointed.
The previous ERO report for the kindergarten identified that the teaching team should continue to focus on enhancing existing self-review processes to evaluate all aspects of teaching and learning. In addition, the association was asked to strengthen appraisal. Progress in this area is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of eight in the Taranaki Kindergarten Association.
The curriculum reflects the local context including acknowledgement of Māori culture. It offers a wide choice of resources and activities to promote children's' engagement and enjoyment. A culture of aroha and respect for others, as well as the environment, is evident. Teachers purposefully engage the diverse range of learners in a programme which provides challenge. Older children supporting younger children is a familiar practice.
Children's and families' sense of belonging is promoted by responsive teachers. Literacy, numeracy and science learning is enhanced through meaningful and interesting activities. Group and individual children's interests are noticed and responded to by teachers who add complexity to their learning. Comprehensive planning, and meetings with external agencies about children with diverse needs are useful and well documented.
The learning environment reflects the different cultures, languages and identities of the children and their families. Teachers are culturally responsive and encourage children to speak in their first language. Staff draw on research and their positive relationships with families to enhance younger learners' sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Effective leadership is evident. Leaders and teachers effectively use strategic and annual plans to monitor and enact the kindergarten's values. Effective communication, care and respect are highly valued and practiced.
A well-managed system for planning for all children's learning is in place. This is informed by teacher's observations and is collaboratively evaluated and findings are used to guide individual and group planning. Attention should be given to recording children's learning outcomes in assessment documentation, to better highlight children's progress over time.
Teachers integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into the programme. Their developing knowledge of local areas of interest which are significant for Māori provide a foundation to develop relationships with local iwi. This together with association guidance should support the ongoing focus on promoting educational success for Māori.
Transitions into kindergarten are thoughtfully considered. Teachers and families work in partnership to ensure that children settle at their own pace. Information for families whose children are transitioning to school has been recently updated. Assessment documents are available for children to share with their new entrant teacher.
Ongoing professional learning has supported teachers to understand the need to develop a clear and specific process for review and evaluation. This should be further strengthened using well-defined and measurable indicators, against which teachers gather a robust range of evidence. Such practice should better assist teachers in evaluating the quality of the programme and outcomes for children.
A useful appraisal process supports teacher practice. A recently revised appraisal procedure, includes the use of formal observation of teacher practice. Once fully established it should assist leaders to strengthen the process. Critique of practice would also be enhanced to support teachers' ongoing improvement and learning. PLs should then undertake regular monitoring of how well appraisal is being implemented in each kindergarten.
The board's ongoing commitment to biculturalism is reflected by initiatives to support teachers to promote te āo Māori in the curriculum and to develop culturally appropriate practices. Senior leaders are developing initiatives to better determine the impact of curriculum delivery and teaching and learning in each kindergarten.
The board works collaboratively with the kindergarten community to establish vision, values and strategic priorities. Establishing clearer measures of success would enable the board to measure progress and evaluate how well practices support the realisation of its goals and vision.
The association should establish clear expectations of the purpose and use of assessment, planning and evaluation in kindergartens. Professional leaders in partnership with teaching teams should then monitor the effective implementation of:
assessment, planning and evaluation
review and internal evaluation.
In addition, the association should establish a system for the ongoing monitoring of legislative requirements, including those related to health and safety.
ERO and kindergarten teachers agree that the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
assessment to clearly show children's learning progress
review by including a stronger focus on evaluating the impact of change on children's learning.
The association should:
strengthen the processes used to evaluate the progress of the strategic plan
provide effective guidance and monitoring of association expectations related to assessment, planning and evaluation, review and internal evaluation and health and safety practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Merrilands 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:
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 Merrilands Kindergarten will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
27 April 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 |
New Plymouth |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5223 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
34 children aged over 2 |
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Service roll |
44 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 22, Boys 22 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
13 20 11 |
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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 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2017 |
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Date of this report |
27 April 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
November 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
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Education Review |
December 2005 |
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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.
Merrilands Kindergarten is one of sixteen kindergartens managed by the North Taranaki Kindergarten Association (the association). The association governing board is responsible for setting overall strategic and policy direction for the organisation. Senior teachers are employed by the association to support teaching and learning.
Since the June 2010 ERO report the kindergarten has diversified to an all-day licence and caters for 34 children aged mainly three and four years. The teaching team consists of four qualified teachers. Three staff are fully registered and one is working towards registration.
The centre philosophy is based on valuing and providing a learning community that recognises the curriculum as including people, the physical environment and resources. Partnerships with parents and whānau are strong, warm and respectful. Their opinions and aspirations are valued, actively sought and used as a basis for future decisions.
The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO. Areas for development identified in the previous ERO report have been addressed and teachers, committee and community have worked together to redevelop the outdoor area. The playground is inviting, acknowledges different cultures and encourages children’s exploration and investigation.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews in the North Taranaki Kindergarten Association.
Board members undertake regular training and have developed useful processes to support governance roles and responsibilities. The senior teacher provides ongoing support and guidance for teachers. She promotes regular professional development opportunities and use of systems that focus on fostering positive outcomes for children.
The curriculum, strongly underpinned by the concept of respect and empowerment, enables teachers to nurture and build positive, trusting relationships with children and their families. Teachers use deliberate, successful teaching strategies to guide and build on children’s developing competencies. Responsive teachers support children’s social and emotional progress.
Children are confident and active participants in learning. They make choices about play and set challenges for themselves. Children initiate interactions and conversations with their peers and adults. They develop cooperative relationships through their engagement with others and are competent and enthusiastic learners.
Well designed and resourced environments invite children’s participation in a wide range of learning opportunities. A rich variety of experiences for children to increase their understanding of reading, writing and mathematics are successfully included in programmes in meaningful ways. Children’s active exploration is stimulated and encouraged. They demonstrate positive attitudes and take increased responsibility for their own learning.
Teachers positively recognise and celebrate cultural diversity. The programme clearly reflects parents’ aspirations for their children. Bicultural perspectives are valued and Māori whānau expertise is sought and valued. Te reo Māori is naturally interwoven into conversations with children. Teachers support Māori children within a learning environment and meaningful experiences that celebrate their language, culture and identity.
Teachers clearly recognise the value of providing an inclusive education. Those children identified as requiring extra support are carefully monitored. Observations form the basis of individual development plans that are developed collaboratively with parents and whānau to maximise children’s learning potential.
Teachers work collaboratively with parents to support children’s seamless transition to school. The neighbouring school and service work closely together. Reciprocal visits between kindergarten and school occur where possible. Teachers and parents share information with new entrant teachers so that children’s confidence and capability at kindergarten transfers to the classroom at school.
Leadership is collaborative and improvement focused. The experienced head teacher has a clear vision for the kindergarten that is well communicated. The new teaching team is developing a culture based on mutual respect and skills that successfully encourages children’s learning. Teachers engage in purposeful learning conversations. They effectively use evaluation and robust self review to sustain and improve outcomes for children.
Self review results in positive change for children and their families. The teaching team is focused on enhancing the existing self-review processes by continuing to build their evaluative capacity. ERO agrees that using the kindergarten’s well developed review process to evaluate all aspects of teaching and learning should continue to promote positive outcomes for children.
The association should continue to review appraisal and consider formal critique of teaching practice and feedback processes to enhance teaching and learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Merrilands 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Merrilands Kindergarten will be in four years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)
4 November 2013
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 |
New Plymouth |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5223 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
34 children aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
57 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 31 Girls 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese European Asian Indian Pacific |
11 34 3 3 3 2 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
N/A |
Choose an item. |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
4 November 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2005 |
||
|
Accountability Review |
October 2002 |
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.