Montessori Courtyard Preschool

Education institution number:
70475
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
47
Telephone:
Address:

99 A Somerfield Street, Somerfield, Christchurch

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Montessori Courtyard Preschool

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

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

Background

Montessori Courtyard Preschool is a not-for-profit early childhood service. A small number of Māori children attend. Enrolments are becoming increasingly diverse. The service is governed by an elected board of trustees. The principal and head teacher lead a team of early childhood teachers. The majority have Montessori qualifications.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, Montessori approaches and the centre philosophy. The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. It is informed by established assessment, planning and evaluation for learning processes.

The design and layout of the premises allow for different types of learning experiences and ease of supervision. Teachers observe children and engage in reciprocal interactions about their learning. The environment is planned with learning experiences so children can work independently and in groups. Policies, procedures, and an annual plan guide the service’s operation.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • continue to embed the service’s localised curriculum that includes aspects of the cultural narrative and reflects the philosophy, values, and priorities for children’s learning.

Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • stretchers intended for children to sleep on, are securely covered by a non-porous material

  • three yearly safety checking of all existing staff in accordance with the Children Act 2014.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF30, GMA7A].

Next ERO Review

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

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

13 September 2022

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Montessori Courtyard Preschool

Profile Number

70475

Location

Christchurch

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

70 children, over two years

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

50

Review team on site

July 2022

Date of this report

13 September 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, August 2019; Education Review, March 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 regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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.

Montessori Courtyard Preschool - 28/08/2019

1 Evaluation of Montessori Courtyard Preschool

How well placed is Montessori Courtyard Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Montessori Courtyard Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Montessori Courtyard Preschool is a not-for-profit full-day education service, with an elected board of trustees. The Preschool is open five days a week with two sessions per day. It is licensed for 70 children aged two years to school age, who learn in a mixed-aged setting. The centre has stable staffing and recently appointed an assistant manager. All teachers are fully qualified early childhood educators and most have an additional Montessori qualification.

The centre's philosophy and practices, underpinned by Te Whāriki (2017), the Early Childhood Curriculum, support each child’s learning and development. The Montessori philosophy has a strong emphasis on providing a peaceful and orderly environment where children learn to work and play independently. This is supported using Montessori materials, methods and practices.

The centre has recently undergone significant redevelopment to provide an additional, purpose-built classroom to accommodate the two to three-year-old children.

The centre belongs to the Mana Raupo Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.

The Review Findings

Children are settled and engaged in all aspects of their play and learn in a family-like atmosphere. Responsive and respectful relationships between adults and with children strongly contribute to children's wellbeing and learning. Teachers know the children very well as individuals and as learners. They support children to explore deeper meaning in their investigations.

Since the 2016 ERO report, the centre has made good progress towards developing culturally responsive practice. Te reo and tikanga Māori are valued and integrated into all aspects of teaching programmes and celebrations. Children show a strong sense of belonging and of being confident and capable learners.

Parents are actively engaged in regular and positive interactions with teachers. A range of communication tools are used to ensure parents are kept well informed about their child's day and learning. Parents are regularly invited to contribute to the ongoing development of the centre. A newly created pastoral role for one teacher in each classroom provides additional support for whānau Māori and for parents who are second language learners. A wide range of activities enhance community connections, support parent education in the Montessori philosophy and celebrate significant cultural events.

Children benefit from a rich, well-planned and authentic curriculum. Their ideas about their learning are valued and connections between centre learning and home life are made. The centre is very well resourced with specialised Montessori equipment. The outdoor area provides physical challenge and rich opportunities for sensory and experiential learning. Teachers deliver the curriculum with knowledge and passion, providing intellectual challenge to children of all ages.

Assessment and planning practices effectively support children's learning. Parents' voice and views are actively sought and acted upon in relation to child development and learning. Individual learning stories carefully describe significant progress for children over time and how teachers have supported this. Group planning results in thoughtful resourcing and experiences to support teaching and learning. A strong focus on dispositional learning and ongoing observations of each child support consistent and effective tracking of children’s progress. Aspects of internal evaluation and strategic planning should be strengthened by identifying the centre's learning priorities and strategies required to support intended learning.

Teachers and leaders are very well supported professionally. They are alert and responsive to children's physical and emotional wellbeing and plan collectively to meet the needs of children. This has helped build a reflective and improvement focused teaching team. Factors contributing to this are relevant professional learning, full Montessori training for teachers, a meaningful appraisal process, and a developing focus on culturally responsive practice.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and teachers should continue to develop strategic planning and internal evaluation so that they can:

  • articulate the valued outcomes of teaching and learning for children

  • define the indicators of success to meet these valued outcomes to know how to support innovation and improvement in curriculum implementation, teaching and learning

  • monitor and measure progress towards outcomes.

Leaders and teachers should continue to further develop culturally responsive practice to:

  • know how effective teachers and leaders are in supporting Māori children to succeed as Māori
  • know the story of the centre as a cultural narrative in order to support a sense of belonging.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Montessori Courtyard Preschool 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 Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

28 August 2019

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

70475

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

70 children over two years of age

Service roll

62

Gender composition

Girls 33, Boys 29

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnicities

4
32
26

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

2- 3 years

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Over 3

1:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2019

Date of this report

28 August 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

March 2016

Education Review

January 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.

Montessori Courtyard Preschool - 24/03/2016

1 Evaluation of Montessori Courtyard Preschool

Montessori Courtyard Preschool How well placed isto promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Montessori Courtyard is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Montessori Courtyard Preschool is a not-for-profit community-based centre that provides education for children from two and a half to six years of age. It is located in an old homestead with spacious, well-maintained grounds. Children learn in mixed-age groups in two classrooms, including a purpose built classroom.

The management of the centre is led by a principal and it has an elected board of parent members responsible for governance. All teachers are Montessori trained.

The preschool's Montessori philosophy promotes the holistic development of each child with a strong focus on children making choices and building self-managing skills. Most families who choose to enrol their children at the centre do so for their entire early childhood education.

The preschool responded positively to the recommendations in the January 2013 ERO report. This included supporting children to understand and contribute to the decisions made about their learning and an increased bicultural focus in the programme.

The Review Findings

Relationships and interactions between children and with adults are positive and caring. The mixed age range promotes opportunities for older children to be role models and support younger learners. There is strong focus on children’s and families' wellbeing and pastoral care. Teachers, leaders and board members work collaboratively to ensure ongoing positive outcomes for children.

Spacious classrooms provide plenty of individual and group spaces for children to work on well-planned Montessori learning activities. Children have suitable, authentic resources to support the philosophy and extend their learning. Teachers have well-defined roles and responsibilities to support children’s learning.

The outdoor environment provides children with a range of interesting resources and equipment that support and extend children's physical, emotional learning and wellbeing. Children have defined time slots to learn and play.

Children have a broad range of learning experiences. Teacher practices, the programme and environment strongly reflects the Montessori philosophy in action. Children self select tasks from a range of learning activities that are accessible and well presented. Parents and local speakers visit the centre, parents' skills and knowledge are shared, and children go on regular excursions.

Parents receive useful information about the learning progress of children. This includes profiles, parent/teacher interviews, written reports and parent days. Parents have good opportunities to contribute to children’s learning by sharing news from home and holidays.

Children's assessment and reports to parents, clearly show children’s interests, learning and progress.

A well planned transition programme prepares children and parents into, and out of centre. The principal and teachers have regular contact with new entrant teachers at the local schools.

A collaborative and reflective culture determines improved outcomes for children. Skilled board members have had a long-term relationship with the preschool. Trustees have clear roles and responsibilities that focus on the governance of the preschool. Parents' voice is regularly sought and valued for policy, programme and strategic planning. The principal's reports presented to the board of trustees are informative and focused on children’s learning.

Key Next Steps

The preschool leaders agreed with the next steps for improving outcomes. These include:

  • developing expectations for ensuring Māori children succeed as Māori
  • identifying how staff can increase outdoor learning time for children
  • strengthening the self-review process by ensuring outcomes are more visible, particularly if they impact on teaching practice and learning
  • ensuring goals in the strategic and annual plan developed by the board, are included in reports and regularly reviewed
  • implementing and embedding the new appraisal system to support teachers to reflect and improve teaching practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Montessori Courtyard Preschool 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 Montessori Courtyard Preschool will be in three years.

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

70475

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

57 children two years and over

Service roll

64

Gender composition

Girls 36; Boys 28

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Asian

  4
52
  8

Percentage of qualified teachers
0-49%       50-79%       80%+
Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:9

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2016

Date of this report

24 March 2016

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

January 2013

Education Review

July 2009

Education Review

August 2006

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.