8 School Road, Taitapu
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Active Explorers Tai Tapu are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Active Explorers Tai Tapu, previously known as Monkeys & Munchkins Preschool and Nursery is now owned and governed by the Evolve Group 2 Ltd. The service provides full day care and education for children in two separate learning areas. Since the March 2018 ERO review, there is a new centre manager and teaching team. The centre manager is supported by an area manager.
Children’s learning and development is maintained through caring, learning focused relationships. Whānau are well informed about their child’s learning and interests. Teachers support children’s wellbeing and building strong relationships.
The service is beginning to explore the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Good quality assessment planning and evaluation systems and processes are not yet embedded. As a result, children’s learning records are of variable quality.
Children are viewed as confident and capable learners. Kaiako treat each child with respect and dignity, enhancing their mana. They promote independence and decision making in their learning and are responsive to individual strengths and capabilities.
Infants and toddlers experience a calm, language rich and unhurried environment. Kaiako effectively support their growing social competence. They use intentional teaching to model language, respond to children’s verbal and non-verbal language to effectively support young children’s language development.
Leaders and kaiako are working towards increasing the use of te reo Māori and their understanding of tikanga Māori within a bicultural curriculum. They give prominence to te ao Māori in the strategic plan. There is some use of te reo Māori in teaching practice and assessment documentation, supporting a sense of belonging.
Leaders are improvement focused. Internal evaluation capability amongst leaders and Kaiako is growing. The strengths and skills of kaiako are valued and utilised. Managers collaboratively develop and implement targeted professional development aligned to the service priorities. There is a strong focus on building leadership capacity and teacher capability in internal evaluation this is aligned to outcomes for learners.
Organisation policies and procedures and systems that inform ongoing monitoring and improvement are well implemented and support the effective operation of the service.
Active Explorers Tai Tapu will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Active Explorers Tai Tapu 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
6 September 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Active Explorers Tai Tapu |
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Profile Number |
70123 |
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Location |
Tai Tapu, Christchurch |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
59 children, including up to 14 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
66 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 13, NZ European/Pākehā 49, Other ethnicities 4. |
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Review team on site |
June 2021 |
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Date of this report |
6 September 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2018; Education Review, May 2013. |
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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.
Monkeys & Munchkins Preschool and Nursery offers all day education and care for a maximum of 59 infants, toddlers and young children to school age. In 2016, the centre was purchased by the Evolve Education Group. Since ERO's visit to the centre, the centre has had a name change to Active Explorers Tai Tapu.
The centre is organised as two rooms so that children can interact with others of a similar age. One room is for children up to three years of age and the other room is for the older children.
The majority of staff are qualified early childhood teachers with two teachers in training. A centre manager oversees the day-to-day operation of the centre. A manager from Evolve Education Group visits the centre to provide additional management and leadership support.
Respectful relationships between teachers and children contribute to children's sense of wellbeing and belonging. Teachers work well together to respond sensitively to children's needs. They take time to listen carefully to children and understand what they want to communicate.
Children engage in a wide variety of learning opportunities. Literacy and mathematics learning is well integrated throughout the daily programme and environment. Children's confidence and independence is actively promoted. Children have many opportunities for individual and group play.
Teachers are effective in the ways they respond to children's ideas. They maintain a good overview of the programme. Teachers recognise and value the importance of children learning through play. They join children's play in purposeful ways that respect the child's choices and supports them to develop their own ideas.
Infants and toddlers are well supported by responsive teachers who are alert to their needs and non-verbal cues. Teachers are caring and nurturing in the ways they interact with these children. They encourage infants and toddlers to join in activities that might be unfamiliar to them and extend their experiences and confidence.
Regular assessments effectively identify children's interests and learning. Teachers have increased the opportunities for parents to share information about children's learning and contribute to planning.
Managers and staff have been involved in a well-managed ownership transition process. The new ownership has built on existing centre and staff strengths. Leaders and managers are provided with consistent support to promote centre development.
Clear guidelines and useful professional learning and development are ensuring shared understandings of future directions and priorities. There are useful strategies to ensure consistency in practices across the centre. Teachers are valued and respected as professionals. They are focused on the development of practices that prioritise improved outcomes for children.
Managers and teachers have increased collaboration with local schools and other early childhood services over time. They are part of the Ngā Mātāpuna o Ngā Pākihi Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.
Key next steps to improve outcomes for all children are for managers and teachers to strengthen:
Before the review, the staff and management of Monkeys & Munchkins Preschool and Nursery 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 Monkeys & Munchkins Preschool and Nursery will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
2 March 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 |
Tai Tapu, Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70123 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
59 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
67 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 36 Girls 31 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
|
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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 |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
December 2017 |
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Date of this report |
2 March 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2010 |
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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.