1a Seaforth Avenue, Milson, Palmerston North
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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.
Milson Playcentre is one of 19 administered by the Central Districts Playcentre Association (the association). The centre is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 21 children five sessions a week. This includes provision for 15 children, up to the age of two. At the time of the review there were 15 children enrolled and two identify as Māori.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (the federation), of which the Central Districts Association is part, is undergoing a significant restructure that includes amalgamating associations. Playcentres will become part of a regional hub, supported by a regional manager and others.
The federation philosophy, 'Whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together', is to empower parents and children to learn, play and grow together. Alongside this, the centre philosophy acknowledges each child as a unique learner.
Whānau and families are valued as the primary educators of their children. Curriculum planning and implementation is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a team of parent educators who hold Playcentre training certificates. An employed facilitator also supports children and families on session.
Centre support people regularly visit playcentres to provide professional advice and support, and to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders.
The February 2015 ERO report for Milson Playcentre identified areas for development for the association and the playcentre. This included reviewing the centre philosophy to reflect statements valued by playcentre; members' participation in assessment, planning and evaluation and self review. Progress is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of 11 reviews in the Central Districts Playcentre Association.
Children actively explore and lead their learning in the well-resourced environment. A sense of belonging is enhanced through positive relationships in which children, parents and whānau know each other well. Children are affirmed as competent, confident and curious learners. A calm, respectful atmosphere prevails. Responsive caregiving practices supports infants' and toddlers' engagement and learning.
Literacy, mathematics and science activities are integral parts of a child's playcentre experience. Te ao Māori perspectives within the programme are well considered. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are valued through the use of te reo Māori, resources, celebrations and artefacts.
Members are developing their understanding and knowledge of assessment and evaluation processes. Children's portfolios regularly include narratives along with their artwork, and at times show their progress in learning. Adults should continue to seek ways to reflect children's culture, language and identity in this documentation.
Planning practices include information on children's current interests. Parents' aspirations are sought and add to learning experiences. Strengthening what adults know about what has worked well, and what has not worked well to support and extend children's learning, is needed.
Suitable planning priorities and objectives are incorporated into the centre's strategic and annual planning. These include an appropriate focus on growing membership and on ensuring the curriculum effectively meets children’s needs. The facilitator leads members to implement meaningful experiences for children. An appraisal process is in place. A next step is to implement the appraisal process to assist the facilitator with her development.
Well considered transition processes into the centre and on to school are in place.
A newly introduced framework for internal evaluation has the potential to develop members' understanding of effective evaluation to improve outcomes for all children. The centre facilitator is currently undertaking professional development to assist her to build members' knowledge and capability.
Clear expectations for centre support people have been established. Improving practice to include reporting more deliberately on outcomes for children should assist both centre and association personnel to know how well planned actions improve outcomes for all.
At playcentre level, the priorities are to:
The association/federation should continue to strengthen:
ERO recommends that the new regional team actively monitor and evaluate the quality of support provided to playcentres.
Before the review, the staff and management of Milson 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.
The next ERO review of Milson Playcentre will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
6 April 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.
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Location |
Palmerston North |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
52003 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
21 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
15 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 9, Boys 6 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2018 |
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Date of this report |
6 April 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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Education Review |
November 2006 |
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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:
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.
Milson Playcentre is one of 19 administered by the Central Districts Playcentre Association (the association). This review is one of ten undertaken by ERO in the association’s playcentres during term 4, 2014.
The centre is open for four mornings per week and caters for children from birth to six years of age. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. A paid team leader supports parents and whānau to develop and implement the daily programme. Professional advice and feedback to strengthen members’ practice is provided by a liaison officer employed by the association.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation is currently reviewing the organisational structure of Playcentre across New Zealand. The outcomes of this review may result in changes to operation at centre level.
Since the April 2012 ERO report, Milson Playcentre has spent some time without the support of a team leader. Parents have worked collectively to manage operation and plan the children’s programme. There has been a strong focus on raising qualification levels to better support selfmanagement. This has resulted in the recent appointment of a team leader from within the parent group. Most parents at this centre are currently undertaking Playcentre training.
Playcentres' philosophy statement, 'whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together’, encapsulates the value this organisation places on families and whānau working collectively to support children’s learning.
Parents and whānau work well as a team to engage children’s interest and involvement in activities. High ratios of adults to children promote opportunities for one-to-one interaction. The team leader is strongly focused on supporting language and social development. Children are confident, cooperative and friendly. Increasing adults’ use of specific strategies that support learning through play, should strengthen the reflection of the Playcentre philosophy in the programme. Giving children more opportunities to initiate and direct the programme is likely to further empower them as learners.
The environment provides good support for development of a variety of learning experiences for children. A wide range of well-organised resources is freely available for children to access and investigate. The outdoor area continues to be improved to support physically active play and adventure. Further developing displays that enable children to see their work and reflect on their achievements would be an appropriate next step.
Experience in supporting a child with complex learning needs has strengthened inclusive practice in the centre. There is good knowledge of local agencies and suitable strategies that promote these children’s and their families’ active participation in the playcentres' programme. Members agree there remains a need to develop understanding of practices that value and support families from a wider range of cultures and ethnic groups.
Infants and toddlers are valued participants in daily sessions, learning alongside the older children. Members continue to add to the range of materials and equipment specifically for their use.
Progress has been made in integrating a more bicultural perspective into the programme and environment. Members’ use of te reo and understanding of tikanga Māori are developing. Children are learning waiata and ways to respond to the language and some protocols. Continuing to deepen understanding of te ao Māori is an agreed development focus. The association should give priority to supporting members to define their understanding of success for Māori as Māori.
Members are seeking to improve liaison and consultation with local schools. This should promote the sharing of information about children and help to refine the centre’s approach to supporting families moving on to primary school.
Children’s developing interests in the activity-based programme are regularly discussed and noted. Daily evaluation meetings are well used by the duty team for reflection and planning. Term meetings give parents the opportunity to set goals and share their aspirations for their children. Children’s portfolios record some special learning moments linked to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Increased participation of parents in assessment and planning for learning is encouraged by the core group of more experienced members. More of a focus on identifying and supporting individual children’s significant learning and progress should strengthen programme quality.
Strong and committed leadership by a core group of members is supporting good practice and positive outcomes for children. A useful range of centre-generated documents outlines expectations for development of the programme. Mutual support and an emphasis on relationship-building are fostering parents’ confidence and willingness to become involved. A new plan to support stronger parent and whānau involvement, and the wellbeing and learning of everyone at the centre, is ready for implementation. It is timely to further develop the centre philosophy and strategic goals alongside this plan, to support shared understanding of values, principles and priorities that will underpin learning programmes for children.
Daily discussion and collaborative reflection on the programme provide good support for decisions about activities for children. Members’ understanding and collective participation in self review needs development to support more effective decision-making linked to improvement.
The association provides useful support. This includes written guidelines and systems for managing finances and legislative obligations. Work is being completed on improving employment practices. Regular visits from the liaison officer assist members in their management and teaching roles. A review of the liaison officer role is being undertaken to support an improved approach. The appraisal process, particularly for those employed as team leaders and liaison officers, needs further development. The provision of ongoing professional, constructive feedback based on observations of practice, and linked to identified needs and goals, should add rigour.
At association level, priorities are the further development of:
At centre level, the priorities are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Milson 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance in relation to police vetting.
The service provider must ensure that:
Education Act requirements for police vetting of employees are consistently met. [Education Act 1989, sections 78CB and CC]
The next ERO review of Milson Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
5 February 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 |
Palmerston North |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
52003 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
21 children, including 15 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
17 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 11 Girls 6 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
1 16 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 February 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
January 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.